Weight training for beginners: the quick start
The short answers to the six questions every beginner asks, in one page.
Quick answerTraining5 min read
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53 pages
Training and programming
How to start going to the gym: a beginner's guide
Everything you need for your first few gym visits, from what to take to what to actually do once you walk through the door.
GuideTraining8 min read
Gym anxiety: how to feel less intimidated at the gym
Practical ways through gym self-consciousness, no diagnosis, just tactics.
GuideTraining7 min read
Gym machines for beginners: which to use and how to set them up
The core machines beginners should learn first, with setup steps for each.
GuideTraining8 min read
Free weights vs machines for building muscle
How dumbbells, barbells and machines compare, and how to mix them.
GuideTraining7 min readAll levels
How to warm up before lifting weights: a 6–8 minute routine
A repeatable 6-8 minute warm-up for lifting, including cardio, dynamic movement and your first warm-up sets.
GuideTraining6 min read
How many days a week should you train to build muscle?
The training frequency that builds strength without burning you out.
GuideTraining7 min read
Best workout split: full body, upper/lower or PPL?
How full body, upper/lower and push-pull-legs compare for beginners.
GuideTraining8 min readAll levels
Progressive overload: what it is and how to use it
The principle behind every strength and muscle gain you'll make.
GuideTraining7 min readAll levels
How many rest days a week do you need to build muscle?
Why rest days, sleep and soreness matter as much as the workout itself.
GuideTraining7 min read
How many sets per muscle group per week to build muscle?
What the evidence really says about weekly training volume: more useful work tends to grow more muscle, but the returns get smaller.
GuideTraining8 min read
How long should you rest between sets?
What the evidence really says about rest periods: muscle grows across a broad range, and the timer exists to support the next set.
GuideTraining8 min read
How many reps should you do to build muscle?
Why 8-12 reps is useful but not a magic hypertrophy zone, and how low, moderate and higher reps fit muscle-building training.
GuideTraining8 min read
Should you train to failure to build muscle?
Why muscular failure is not required for growth, why effort still matters and how beginners can train hard without failing every set.
GuideTraining9 min read
RIR and RPE explained: how hard should you train?
How repetitions in reserve and resistance-training RPE describe set effort, how beginners can estimate them and where their limits are.
GuideTraining10 min read
Landmine RDL vs barbell RDL: form, muscles worked and the research
One study measured both variations in the same lifters. The activation and range of motion came out the same.
GuideTraining8 min readIntermediate
Reverse pyramid vs straight sets: what actually differs
A crossover trial ran all three set-ups on the bench press with everything else matched. Only one thing separated them.
GuideTraining8 min readIntermediate
RDL vs deadlift: what is the difference and which should you do?
The Romanian and conventional deadlift look alike but start differently, move differently and suit different jobs.
GuideTraining8 min read
4-day upper lower split: the complete workout routine and schedule
Two upper and two lower sessions a week, with every main muscle trained twice. Schedule, workouts and progression.
GuideTraining9 min read
Beginner dumbbell workout plan: 3-day full-body routine
A full-body dumbbell plan for beginners with sets, reps and progression built in.
ProgrammeTraining8 min read
A no-equipment home workout plan: 3 days a week
A full bodyweight routine you can run at home with nothing more than floor space.
ProgrammeTraining7 min read
How to track gym progress and muscle gain
What to measure, how often, and how to read the trend rather than day-to-day noise.
GuideTraining7 min read
Push pull legs for beginners: a 3-day workout routine
A complete beginner push pull legs routine, plus when a three-day PPL split makes sense and when full-body training is simpler.
GuideTraining8 min readAll levels
How long should a workout be? Gym session length for building muscle
What really decides session length, and how to train well in 30 minutes.
Quick answerTraining6 min read
First day gym workout: a step-by-step beginner routine
Six exercises, the sets and reps, and what to do when you walk in.
GuideTraining7 min read
Beginner diet and workout plan: your first month
The training week and the eating targets that go with it, in one plan.
ProgrammeTraining8 min read
Gym workout plan for beginners: 3-day full-body routine
A complete 3-day full-body gym plan with exercises, sets, reps, rest and progression rules. Evidence-backed, beginner-friendly, and free to follow.
ProgrammeTraining
Sets and reps for beginners: what they mean and how many to do
How many sets and reps to do per exercise, how heavy to lift, and when to add weight. Evidence-backed set and rep ranges for beginners building muscle.
GuideTraining
First gym session checklist: what to bring and what to do
What to take, what to do in the first ten minutes, and how to finish your first gym session with confidence. A complete checklist for new lifters.
GuideTraining
1RM and RIR calculator
Estimate your one-rep max from a set you have done, then working weights by reps and reps in reserve.
CalculatorTools
RPE and RIR calculator
Convert RPE and reps in reserve, and find the weight to load for a target reps and effort.
CalculatorTools
Lift ratio calculator
Squat, deadlift and overhead press as a share of your bench press.
CalculatorTools
DOTS and Wilks calculator
Relative strength scores for your powerlifting total.
CalculatorTools
Muscle-length exercise finder
Pick a muscle to see which exercises train it hardest while stretched, and how strong the evidence is.
CalculatorTools
Minimum effective dose workout planner
The fewest weekly sets that still build muscle, strength or keep your progress.
CalculatorTools
Lower-fatigue exercise swapper
Lower-fatigue alternatives to heavy lifts that train the same muscles.
CalculatorTools
Resistance profile explorer
Where free-weight, cable, band and machine versions of each exercise are hardest.
CalculatorTools
Race time predictor and pace calculator
Predict your 5K, 10K, half marathon or marathon time from a recent race, with pace per km and mile.
CalculatorTools
Effective reps calculator
See how many reps per set drive muscle growth from your reps in reserve, and spot junk volume.
CalculatorTools
Fix my exercise
Pick the exercise and what feels off, and get one technique cue for your next set.
CalculatorTools
Barbell warm-up calculator
Enter your working weight and get the warm-up sets to do first, with plates per side.
CalculatorTools
Strength standards calculator
See your squat, bench, deadlift or overhead press level from Beginner to Elite for your bodyweight.
CalculatorTools
Printable workout plans (PDF)
Free PDF downloads: a 4-day upper/lower split and a 3-day dumbbell-only plan.
CalculatorTools
Double progression calculator
The exact weight and reps for your next session, from the reps you managed today.
CalculatorTools
Dumbbell to barbell converter
What your dumbbells mean on a barbell, and the other way round.
CalculatorTools
Exercise substitute finder
Machine taken? Pick your exercise and get three swaps that train the same muscles.
CalculatorTools
Interactive muscle map
Tap any muscle on the front or back of the body to see what it does and the exercises that train it.
CalculatorTools
Exercise comparison tool
Compare two gym exercises side by side: muscles, equipment, lower back loading, stability and skill.
CalculatorTools
Squat biomechanics simulator
See how your femur, torso and shin lengths and high bar vs low bar change your squat lean and moment arms.
CalculatorTools
Muscle building workout generator
Build a free 2–6 day workout plan with sets, reps, rest and one-tap exercise swaps.
CalculatorTools
Weekly sets per muscle checker
See how many hard sets each muscle gets a week, and where to add work.
CalculatorTools
Rest between sets timer
A sensible rest window for the exercise you just did, with a countdown timer.
CalculatorTools
Progressive overload calculator
Enter today's lift to see your next four sessions and the plates to load for each.
CalculatorTools
24 pages
Building muscle
How to build muscle: the fundamentals that matter
The whole muscle-building process in one place: training, effort, progression, food, recovery and how to tell whether it is working.
GuideMuscle9 min read
The best exercises to build muscle
The compound and accessory exercises that do most of the work.
GuideMuscle8 min read
How do muscles grow?
How mechanical loading, cellular signalling, protein and recovery combine over time to produce muscle hypertrophy.
GuideMuscle10 min read
Does Boosting Your Testosterone Build More Muscle? In a Word, No — Here’s Why
Testosterone is anabolic, but naturally boosting an already-normal level is unlikely to transform your muscle gains. Here is what the human research actually shows.
GuideMuscle13 min read
Overhand vs underhand tricep pushdown: what the reverse grip changes
One study measured both grips on the triceps long head, lateral head and the wrist muscles. The grip did change things.
GuideMuscle8 min readIntermediate
How to build chest muscle: exercises and sets
Weekly sets, rep range, effort and exercise choice for the chest, taken from reviews of many studies rather than single trials.
GuideMuscle9 min read
How to build your upper chest
Everyone quotes a best incline angle. No systematic review has tested bench angle for chest growth. Here is what is actually known.
GuideMuscle8 min readIntermediate
How to build a bigger back: width and thickness
The back is several muscles doing two different jobs. Here is how to cover both, and how much work each needs across the week.
GuideMuscle9 min read
How to build bigger shoulders
Pressing already trains the front of the shoulder heavily. The side and rear are what most plans miss, and what actually changes a silhouette.
GuideMuscle8 min read
How much muscle can you gain in a month?
What large-scale resistance-training research can and cannot tell you about how much muscle you will add in a month.
GuideMuscle9 min read
How long does it take to build muscle and see results?
What to expect week by week, from strength gains through to visible muscle changes.
GuideMuscle7 min read
How to build muscle if you are skinny: a beginner's guide
A training and eating approach for naturally slim beginners who struggle to gain muscle.
GuideMuscle8 min read
How to get bigger arms
The exercises, weekly sets and realistic timeline for building arm size.
GuideMuscle7 min read
Bulking calorie calculator
Maintenance calories and a daily calorie target for a lean bulk.
CalculatorTools
FFMI calculator
Fat-free mass index and normalised FFMI from your height, weight and body fat.
CalculatorTools
Body recomposition calculator
Calories, macros and a week-by-week simulation of fat lost and muscle gained.
CalculatorTools
Genetic muscular potential calculator
Your estimated natural muscle ceiling from height, wrist and ankle size.
CalculatorTools
Body fat calculator (US Navy)
Estimate body fat %, fat mass and lean mass from a tape measure.
CalculatorTools
Lean bulking rate calculator
A sensible weekly and monthly weight gain for a lean bulk, from your bodyweight.
CalculatorTools
Interactive muscle map
Tap any muscle on the front or back of the body to see what it does and the exercises that train it.
CalculatorTools
Muscle building workout generator
Build a free 2–6 day workout plan with sets, reps, rest and one-tap exercise swaps.
CalculatorTools
Weekly sets per muscle checker
See how many hard sets each muscle gets a week, and where to add work.
CalculatorTools
Why am I not gaining weight?
Check whether your bulk has stalled, and the calorie change to try next.
CalculatorTools
Progressive overload calculator
Enter today's lift to see your next four sessions and the plates to load for each.
CalculatorTools
7 pages
Getting stronger
Powerlifting for beginners: the lifts, the rules and how to start
What powerlifting is, what makes each of the three lifts count, and a sensible way to start training for it.
GuideStrength9 min read
How to get stronger: what actually builds strength
What the research says about loads, practice, effort and rest when your goal is to lift more weight.
GuideStrength8 min read
Do elbow sleeves help your bench press?
A crossover trial measured bench and overhead press with and without neoprene elbow sleeves. Here is exactly what changed.
GuideStrength8 min readIntermediate
Barbell warm-up calculator
Enter your working weight and get the warm-up sets to do first, with plates per side.
CalculatorTools
IPF GL points calculator
Score your powerlifting total with the IPF GL coefficients used in IPF competition.
CalculatorTools
Strength standards calculator
See your squat, bench, deadlift or overhead press level from Beginner to Elite for your bodyweight.
CalculatorTools
Strength to bodyweight calculator
See your squat, bench, deadlift and overhead press as multiples of your bodyweight.
CalculatorTools
63 pages
Nutrition
How to carb load for a marathon
How much carbohydrate to eat before a marathon, for how long, and what a carb-loading day looks like.
GuideNutrition7 min read
Salt tablets for runners: sodium, salty sweat and when to take them
Who needs salt tablets, how much sodium to aim for, and why they do not prevent the effects of overdrinking.
GuideNutrition8 min read
Isotonic, hypotonic and hypertonic drinks: differences and when to use each
What the three types of sports drink mean, how they differ and which suits training, racing and recovery.
GuideNutrition7 min read
Gut training for runners
How to train your stomach to take more carbohydrate during long runs, with a week-by-week plan.
GuideNutrition6 min read
Can you build muscle on keto?
What trials in lifters show about keto, muscle growth, strength and high-volume gym training.
GuideNutrition7 min read
Keto and athletic performance: what the science shows
What low-carb, high-fat diets do to endurance, efficiency and finishing speed.
GuideNutrition6 min read
Antioxidants and muscle growth: can vitamin C and E blunt your gains?
Why high-dose vitamin C and E supplements can reduce training gains, and why food is different.
Quick answerNutrition5 min read
Exercise-associated hyponatremia: why drinking too much water is dangerous
Why drinking too much in long races can be dangerous, the warning signs and how to drink safely.
GuideNutrition6 min read
Carbohydrate mouth rinse: does swishing a sports drink work?
How swilling a sports drink round your mouth can help hard efforts of about an hour, and how to do it.
Quick answerNutrition5 min read
The open window hypothesis: does hard exercise weaken your immune system?
What the open window theory gets right and wrong, and how to stay well during hard training.
GuideNutrition6 min read
How to gain weight and muscle: practical beginner guide
A practical way to gain weight and muscle using a controlled calorie surplus, enough protein and progressive strength training.
GuideNutrition7 min read
Calorie surplus for muscle gain: how big should it be?
How big a surplus should be and how to adjust it as you train.
GuideNutrition7 min readAll levels
How much protein to build muscle: daily grams per kg
Find your evidence-based protein range for muscle growth and learn how to spread it across the day.
GuideNutrition6 min read
High-Calorie Foods for Weight Gain: Calorie-Dense List
Nutrient-dense foods that add calories without needing bigger meals.
GuideNutrition7 min read
How to eat more when your appetite is small
Practical ways to eat more without forcing huge, uncomfortable meals.
GuideNutrition6 min read
Seed Oils: Health Hazard or Internet Hysteria?
Seed oils have been blamed for inflammation, obesity, diabetes and heart disease. But what do human trials, meta-analyses and long-term studies actually show?
GuideNutrition14 min read
Bulking for beginners: how to bulk up and lean bulk properly
What bulking means, and how to gain muscle without piling on unwanted fat.
GuideNutrition8 min read
Lean bulk vs dirty bulk: what is the difference?
The difference between a lean bulk and a dirty bulk, and which is the better fit for you.
GuideNutrition7 min readAll levels
Cheap protein sources in the UK for building muscle
Affordable UK supermarket foods that make hitting your protein target easier.
GuideNutrition6 min read
Creatine for beginners: how to take it, dose and results
What creatine monohydrate does, how much to take, and what to expect.
GuideNutrition6 min read
Do you need protein shakes to build muscle?
Find out whether you actually need protein shakes, when they help and how to reach your protein target without them.
GuideNutrition6 min read
Protein per day by bodyweight: chart and examples
A bodyweight chart of daily protein in grams, per-meal examples and how to reach it from food.
Quick answerNutrition5 min readAll levels
Best supplements to build muscle: what works and what fails
The short list of supplements with real evidence, and what to ignore.
GuideNutrition6 min read
What to eat before a workout
What to eat, how long beforehand, and what to do when you train first thing.
GuideNutrition6 min read
Muscle gain meal plan for beginners: built on four numbers
Build your meals around the calories and protein you actually need, with a complete example day and simple portion guidance.
ProgrammeNutrition
Protein overnight oats
Oats, Greek yoghurt and milk made the night before, with per-serving nutrition worked out from the food reference.
RecipeNutrition3 min read
High protein pancakes with banana and oats
Fluffy banana and oat pancakes made with eggs and Greek yoghurt, no protein powder needed.
RecipeNutrition3 min read
Scrambled eggs on wholemeal toast
Slow-cooked scrambled eggs on wholemeal toast with tomatoes — a ten-minute high protein breakfast.
RecipeNutrition3 min read
Greek yoghurt breakfast bowl
Thick Greek yoghurt with oats, blueberries, almonds and honey — assembled in two minutes.
RecipeNutrition3 min read
High protein tuna pasta salad
Cold tuna pasta salad with sweetcorn, tomatoes and spinach that holds up in the fridge for days.
RecipeNutrition3 min read
High protein chicken and chickpea salad
Grilled chicken and chickpeas over spinach and tomatoes with lemon — a filling no-fuss lunch.
RecipeNutrition3 min read
High protein turkey wrap
Turkey, spinach and tomato in soft wheat wraps, held together with Greek yoghurt instead of mayo.
RecipeNutrition3 min read
Cottage cheese on toast
Reduced-fat cottage cheese piled on wholemeal toast with tomatoes — five minutes, no cooking skills.
RecipeNutrition3 min read
High protein chicken and lentil curry
A mild chicken and red lentil curry with rice that serves three and freezes well.
RecipeNutrition3 min read
High protein salmon and sweet potato traybake
Salmon, sweet potato and broccoli roasted together on one tray, finished with lemon.
RecipeNutrition3 min read
High protein beef and bean chilli
Extra-lean beef mince and kidney beans in a tomato chilli that freezes in single portions.
RecipeNutrition3 min read
High protein tofu and noodle stir-fry
Tofu, egg noodles and vegetables with soy sauce and garlic — a plant-based dinner in twenty minutes.
RecipeNutrition3 min read
Bulking calorie calculator
Maintenance calories and a daily calorie target for a lean bulk.
CalculatorTools
Muscle gain protein calculator
Calculate your daily protein target for muscle gain from your bodyweight, plus a rough amount per meal. Works in kg or lb.
CalculatorTools
TDEE calculator
Estimate the calories that keep your weight steady (your maintenance calories).
CalculatorTools
Protein per meal calculator
Split your daily protein across meals and compare each meal with 0.4 g/kg.
CalculatorTools
Fat intake calculator
A daily fat target from your bodyweight, starting at 0.8 g per kg (0.36 g per lb).
CalculatorTools
Carbohydrate calculator
Daily carbs in grams from the calories left after protein and fat.
CalculatorTools
Your full macro plan
Calories, protein, fat and carbohydrate on one page, split into meals.
CalculatorTools
7-day meal planner
A week of meals sized to your calories and protein, with meal and food swaps and a shopping list.
CalculatorTools
Fat-loss timeline calculator
An approximate timeline and daily deficit to a weight or body-fat goal.
CalculatorTools
Creatine dosage calculator
A 3–5 g daily maintenance dose, plus an optional loading phase from bodyweight.
CalculatorTools
Race fuelling and hydration calculator
Carbs per hour, glucose to fructose mix, gels, fluid and sodium for your marathon, ultra or triathlon.
CalculatorTools
Carb loading calculator
Carbohydrate per day for the 1–2 days before your marathon or long race, plus your race-morning meal.
CalculatorTools
Sweat rate calculator
Weigh in before and after a run to find how much you sweat an hour and how much to drink.
CalculatorTools
Caffeine for running calculator
A race-day caffeine dose from your bodyweight, when to take it, and a late top-up for long races.
CalculatorTools
Recovery nutrition calculator
Carbohydrate, protein and fluid to refuel after a long run, race or hard session.
CalculatorTools
Carbohydrate periodisation calculator
Carbohydrate for each day of your training week, from rest days to very long sessions.
CalculatorTools
Tournament recovery planner
What to eat and drink between matches, heats and bouts on the same day, hour by hour.
CalculatorTools
Plant protein blend calculator
Compare a plant protein or blend with whey for leucine and essential amino acids.
CalculatorTools
Nitrate and citrulline timing calculator
Beetroot nitrate and citrulline dose and timing from your start time.
CalculatorTools
Supplement evidence checker
Search sports supplements to see how strong the evidence is, from creatine to banned products.
CalculatorTools
Body recomposition calculator
Calories, macros and a week-by-week simulation of fat lost and muscle gained.
CalculatorTools
Lean bulking rate calculator
A sensible weekly and monthly weight gain for a lean bulk, from your bodyweight.
CalculatorTools
Bulking foods calorie table
Calories and protein per 100 g and per portion for 17 calorie-dense everyday foods.
CalculatorTools
Why am I not gaining weight?
Check whether your bulk has stalled, and the calorie change to try next.
CalculatorTools
Protein plate builder
Tap real foods into breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks and watch your protein and calorie rings fill.
CalculatorTools
Weight loss plateau checker
Answer four quick questions to see why the scale has stopped moving and what to try this week.
CalculatorTools
3 pages
Supplements
Creatine for beginners: how to take it, dose and results
What creatine monohydrate does, how much to take, and what to expect.
GuideNutrition6 min read
Do you need protein shakes to build muscle?
Find out whether you actually need protein shakes, when they help and how to reach your protein target without them.
GuideNutrition6 min read
Best supplements to build muscle: what works and what fails
The short list of supplements with real evidence, and what to ignore.
GuideNutrition6 min read
4 pages
Biomechanics & Exercise Science
Seated vs lying leg curl: which is better for your hamstrings?
Why the seated leg curl built more hamstring muscle in a direct comparison, and when the lying curl still helps.
Quick answerBiomechanics & Exercise Science5 min readIntermediate
Overhead tricep extension vs pushdown: which builds bigger triceps?
Why overhead triceps work built more muscle than pushdowns, and how to train the long head.
Quick answerBiomechanics & Exercise Science5 min readIntermediate
Lengthened partials: do stretched half reps build more muscle?
What half reps in the stretched part of a lift do for muscle growth, and how to add them.
GuideBiomechanics & Exercise Science6 min readIntermediate
Stretch-mediated hypertrophy: does training a muscle stretched build more muscle?
Why muscles often grow more when trained in a stretched position, what the evidence shows and where it is still uncertain.
GuideBiomechanics & Exercise Science7 min readIntermediate
56 pages
Tools and calculators
How many calories to bulk
How bulking calories are worked out, worked examples, and how to check the number against your weight trend.
CalculatorTools6 min readAll levels
Bulking calorie calculator
Maintenance calories and a daily calorie target for a lean bulk.
CalculatorTools
Muscle gain protein calculator
Calculate your daily protein target for muscle gain from your bodyweight, plus a rough amount per meal. Works in kg or lb.
CalculatorTools
TDEE calculator
Estimate the calories that keep your weight steady (your maintenance calories).
CalculatorTools
1RM and RIR calculator
Estimate your one-rep max from a set you have done, then working weights by reps and reps in reserve.
CalculatorTools
FFMI calculator
Fat-free mass index and normalised FFMI from your height, weight and body fat.
CalculatorTools
RPE and RIR calculator
Convert RPE and reps in reserve, and find the weight to load for a target reps and effort.
CalculatorTools
Protein per meal calculator
Split your daily protein across meals and compare each meal with 0.4 g/kg.
CalculatorTools
Fat intake calculator
A daily fat target from your bodyweight, starting at 0.8 g per kg (0.36 g per lb).
CalculatorTools
Carbohydrate calculator
Daily carbs in grams from the calories left after protein and fat.
CalculatorTools
Your full macro plan
Calories, protein, fat and carbohydrate on one page, split into meals.
CalculatorTools
7-day meal planner
A week of meals sized to your calories and protein, with meal and food swaps and a shopping list.
CalculatorTools
Fat-loss timeline calculator
An approximate timeline and daily deficit to a weight or body-fat goal.
CalculatorTools
Lift ratio calculator
Squat, deadlift and overhead press as a share of your bench press.
CalculatorTools
DOTS and Wilks calculator
Relative strength scores for your powerlifting total.
CalculatorTools
Creatine dosage calculator
A 3–5 g daily maintenance dose, plus an optional loading phase from bodyweight.
CalculatorTools
Race fuelling and hydration calculator
Carbs per hour, glucose to fructose mix, gels, fluid and sodium for your marathon, ultra or triathlon.
CalculatorTools
Carb loading calculator
Carbohydrate per day for the 1–2 days before your marathon or long race, plus your race-morning meal.
CalculatorTools
Sweat rate calculator
Weigh in before and after a run to find how much you sweat an hour and how much to drink.
CalculatorTools
Caffeine for running calculator
A race-day caffeine dose from your bodyweight, when to take it, and a late top-up for long races.
CalculatorTools
Recovery nutrition calculator
Carbohydrate, protein and fluid to refuel after a long run, race or hard session.
CalculatorTools
Carbohydrate periodisation calculator
Carbohydrate for each day of your training week, from rest days to very long sessions.
CalculatorTools
Tournament recovery planner
What to eat and drink between matches, heats and bouts on the same day, hour by hour.
CalculatorTools
Muscle-length exercise finder
Pick a muscle to see which exercises train it hardest while stretched, and how strong the evidence is.
CalculatorTools
Plant protein blend calculator
Compare a plant protein or blend with whey for leucine and essential amino acids.
CalculatorTools
Nitrate and citrulline timing calculator
Beetroot nitrate and citrulline dose and timing from your start time.
CalculatorTools
Minimum effective dose workout planner
The fewest weekly sets that still build muscle, strength or keep your progress.
CalculatorTools
Lower-fatigue exercise swapper
Lower-fatigue alternatives to heavy lifts that train the same muscles.
CalculatorTools
Resistance profile explorer
Where free-weight, cable, band and machine versions of each exercise are hardest.
CalculatorTools
Supplement evidence checker
Search sports supplements to see how strong the evidence is, from creatine to banned products.
CalculatorTools
Race time predictor and pace calculator
Predict your 5K, 10K, half marathon or marathon time from a recent race, with pace per km and mile.
CalculatorTools
Effective reps calculator
See how many reps per set drive muscle growth from your reps in reserve, and spot junk volume.
CalculatorTools
Body recomposition calculator
Calories, macros and a week-by-week simulation of fat lost and muscle gained.
CalculatorTools
Genetic muscular potential calculator
Your estimated natural muscle ceiling from height, wrist and ankle size.
CalculatorTools
Body fat calculator (US Navy)
Estimate body fat %, fat mass and lean mass from a tape measure.
CalculatorTools
Fix my exercise
Pick the exercise and what feels off, and get one technique cue for your next set.
CalculatorTools
Barbell warm-up calculator
Enter your working weight and get the warm-up sets to do first, with plates per side.
CalculatorTools
IPF GL points calculator
Score your powerlifting total with the IPF GL coefficients used in IPF competition.
CalculatorTools
Strength standards calculator
See your squat, bench, deadlift or overhead press level from Beginner to Elite for your bodyweight.
CalculatorTools
Strength to bodyweight calculator
See your squat, bench, deadlift and overhead press as multiples of your bodyweight.
CalculatorTools
Lean bulking rate calculator
A sensible weekly and monthly weight gain for a lean bulk, from your bodyweight.
CalculatorTools
Bulking foods calorie table
Calories and protein per 100 g and per portion for 17 calorie-dense everyday foods.
CalculatorTools
Printable workout plans (PDF)
Free PDF downloads: a 4-day upper/lower split and a 3-day dumbbell-only plan.
CalculatorTools
Double progression calculator
The exact weight and reps for your next session, from the reps you managed today.
CalculatorTools
Dumbbell to barbell converter
What your dumbbells mean on a barbell, and the other way round.
CalculatorTools
Exercise substitute finder
Machine taken? Pick your exercise and get three swaps that train the same muscles.
CalculatorTools
Interactive muscle map
Tap any muscle on the front or back of the body to see what it does and the exercises that train it.
CalculatorTools
Exercise comparison tool
Compare two gym exercises side by side: muscles, equipment, lower back loading, stability and skill.
CalculatorTools
Squat biomechanics simulator
See how your femur, torso and shin lengths and high bar vs low bar change your squat lean and moment arms.
CalculatorTools
Muscle building workout generator
Build a free 2–6 day workout plan with sets, reps, rest and one-tap exercise swaps.
CalculatorTools
Weekly sets per muscle checker
See how many hard sets each muscle gets a week, and where to add work.
CalculatorTools
Rest between sets timer
A sensible rest window for the exercise you just did, with a countdown timer.
CalculatorTools
Why am I not gaining weight?
Check whether your bulk has stalled, and the calorie change to try next.
CalculatorTools
Protein plate builder
Tap real foods into breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks and watch your protein and calorie rings fill.
CalculatorTools
Weight loss plateau checker
Answer four quick questions to see why the scale has stopped moving and what to try this week.
CalculatorTools
Progressive overload calculator
Enter today's lift to see your next four sessions and the plates to load for each.
CalculatorTools