Skip to content

Train better

Training tips, progression strategies, and updates — evidence-based and practical.

52 articles

Legs running on a treadmill in a gym
· 6 min read

Is Cardio Under 30 Minutes Even Worth It?

Short cardio is useless? Wrong. Why even 10–15 minutes is enough — and when longer sessions actually make sense.

Weight plates being stripped from a bar after a drop set
· 7 min read

Intensity Techniques: Drop Sets, Rest-Pause, Cluster Sets & More

Drop sets, rest-pause, cluster sets, supersets, BFR — what the research actually says about the most popular intensity techniques, when they're worth it, and when to skip them.

IntensityHypertrophyadvanced
Empty barbell on a rack, gym in the background
· 6 min read

The 10 Most Common Training Plan Mistakes

The most common mistakes that kill progress — from too much isolation to missing progression to 90-minute workouts. With concrete fixes and further reading.

ProgrammingFundamentalsmistakes
Deep squat with full range of motion using a barbell
· 5 min read

Full ROM vs. Partial Reps: Which Builds More Muscle?

Full range of motion or half reps? Here's what the current research says about ROM, lengthened partials, and the full-rep myth.

HypertrophyFundamentalstechnique
View of a barbell and various equipment in a weight room
· 6 min read

Exercise Selection and Order: What Goes First, What Comes After?

Compounds before isolation? Weak side first? How many exercises per muscle? What the research says about exercise selection and order in strength training — and what actually matters in practice.

ProgrammingFundamentalsexercise-selection
Strength athlete concentrating before a heavy set at the rack
· 7 min read

Training to Failure — How Close Should You Get?

Do you have to train to muscle failure to build muscle? What 137 reviews show, why those last reps deliver less than you think, and how to find your real limit.

IntensityFundamentalsHypertrophy
Smartphone with lock icon on a wooden table, warm window light
· 6 min read

Your training data belongs to you — why that's not a given

Fitness apps collect more data than you think. What happens to your training data, why offline-first is more than a feature, and how hitPR does things differently.

AppsPrivacy
Small weight plates lined up in ascending order on a gym floor, barbell blurred behind
· 9 min read

Progression Systems in Strength Training: 8 Methods — and When to Use Which

Linear progression, double progression, 5/3/1 with AMRAP, autoregulation, GZCLP scheme switching: which progression system fits which goal? An evidence-based overview with practice.

ProgressionProgrammingPeriodizationStrength Training
Smartphone, earbuds and water bottle on a wooden gym bench
· 4 min read

Strength Training App Without Subscription: Is That Still a Thing?

Most gym apps cost €5–13/month. hitPR offers all core features for free — and Pro as a one-time purchase for €34.99. An honest look at subscription models, alternatives, and what's really behind paywalls.

AppsPricingStrength TrainingComparison
Satisfied woman sitting on a gym bench with smartphone, warm backlight
· 5 min read

How to Measure Training Progress: 5 Methods

How to measure your strength training progress — 5 concrete methods (PRs, muscle load, strength ratios, body data, RPE trends) and what doesn't work.

TrackingProgression
Person with backpack walking on a sunlit forest trail, rear view
· 8 min read

Rucking: The Fitness Trend, Evidence-Checked

Rucking explained with research — caloric expenditure, cardiovascular benefits, injury risk, optimal loading, and why rucking might be the best cardio for strength athletes.

FundamentalsStrength Training
Man performing a pull-up, back view in the gym
· 7 min read

Greasing the Groove: Strength Through Practice, Not Exhaustion

Greasing the Groove (GtG) explained with research — Pavel Tsatsouline's method, neural adaptation, distributed practice, practical protocol for more pull-ups and push-ups.

ProgrammingProgressionStrength Training
Woman in a deep goblet squat with kettlebell, side view in a sunlit gym
· 7 min read

Mobility Through Strength Training: Why You Don't Need Separate Stretching

Evidence-based: Full ROM strength training improves flexibility as well as stretching — plus active mobility and strength at end range. Studies, mechanisms, and practical application.

FundamentalsStrength Training
Fitness tracker, coffee cup, keys and sunglasses on a wooden table after a walk
· 7 min read

Strength Training + Steps: NEAT as Fat Loss Factor

NEAT explained — why daily movement burns more calories than cardio, how many steps you need alongside strength training, and why your body works against you when you just eat less.

FundamentalsStrength Training
Woman sitting thoughtfully on a gym bench after a workout, holding a water bottle
· 6 min read

Cortisol and Strength Training: What's Myth and What's Evidence

Cortisol explained — why the 'stress hormone' isn't your enemy, what research actually says about training hormones, and why TikTok advice on cortisol is mostly wrong.

FundamentalsHypertrophyStrength Training
Protein sources from above: yogurt, grilled chicken, eggs, cottage cheese and almonds on marble counter
· 5 min read

Protein Needs for Muscle Growth: Why 1.6g Per Kilogram Is Enough

How much protein do you really need for muscle growth? The meta-analysis says 1.6g/kg — why the supplement industry pushes higher numbers.

NutritionFundamentals
Meal prep containers with rice, chicken and vegetables on a wooden table
· 7 min read

Nutrition for Muscle Growth: What Research Actually Says

Research-backed nutrition for muscle growth — calories, protein, carbs, fat, supplements. What works and what's supplement marketing.

NutritionHypertrophy
Creatine powder in a jar with measuring scoop next to a shaker and glass of water in a bright kitchen
· 13 min read

Creatine for Strength Training: Effects, Dosing, Myths

Creatine explained — effects, dosing, safety, and the most common myths. What actually holds up and what doesn't.

SupplementsFundamentalsRecoveryNutrition