6 A.M. With... The Hot-Take Champ

As he enters his 70s, Skip Bayless, cohost of Fox Sports’ Skip and Shannon: Undisputed, ensures he’s ready to keep up with every pro who appears on his show (including LeBron).

Carve Unreal Quad Separation With Barbell Lunges

Outstanding quadriceps separation demands freakish thigh mass that dives into deep canyons etched on either side of the muscle bellies. When it comes to the best thighs in bodybuilding, it is hard not to think about legends such as eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman, with ripped-to-the-bone size and shape, or the mass and cross-striations of a shredded four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler.

Ultimate Back in 8 Weeks!

Your keys to building it thick and wide

FLEX LEWIS THE GREATEST 212 PRO OF ALL TIME

James "Flex" Lewis was known as "The Welsh Dragon," a phenom who burst on to the pro bodybuilding scene 14 years ago in a new division called "202," which eventually became the 212. He dominated the Olympia stage from 2012 until walking away with seven consecutive titles in 2018. While planning a move to the Open ranks to vie for the Mr. Olympia title, he opened up The Dragon's Lair Gym in Las Vegas, which has become a mecca for top bodybuilders the world over. Lewis is also sponsored by both Monster Energy and Yamamoto Nutrition as well as being part owner of Arsenal Strength equipment. He recently had his second child, a son, and shocked the bodybuilding world when he announced he was retiring and would not be pursuing the Mr. Olympia title. I spoke with this humble champion about that difficult decision as well as the current state of the 212 division and a variety of other topics.

THE TEXAS OAK

'Those extra 8 pounds if I can weigh 230 would make a huge difference in my physique. I am doing my best to give them what they want to see!'

THE FACTS ON AGMATINE SULFATE: A SCIENTIFIC REVIEW

Does agmatine enhance pumps? Improve workouts? Improve strength? Build muscle? Burn fat? None of these questions can be answered in the affirmative. Show me the science!

Rest Periods Between Sets to Increase 1RM Squat

BODYBUILDING SCIENCE

THE TESTOSTERONE CRISIS!

5 Reasons It’s Happening and 5 Ways to Fight It

THE Boogieman

'I work my ass off in the gym and I don't skip meals. Patience is a must. Building a physique happens one step at a time.'

JAY CUTLER REFLECTIONS OF AN ICON

The word "icon" is often thrown out casually these days, but the few who truly embody that label have earned it. Jay Cutler is most definitely an icon in the bodybuilding and fitness industry. His competitive record speaks for itself with four Mr. Olympia titles and three consecutive wins at the Arnold Classic from 2002 to 2004. He also remains the only man to have ever lost his Mr. Olympia title and get it back. But his accomplishments on the stage are only a small fraction of what makes Jay a living legend. His business acumen is unmatched in bodybuilding. In his younger years, Cutler already landed lucrative endorsement deals, invested in real estate, and ran a thriving mail-order business. Since then, he's gone on to own his own supplement and apparel companies and branched off into NPC contest promotion. Jay is also a force on social media, with 4.2 million followers on Instagram, well over 6 million on Facebook, and 548,000 subscribers to his YouTube channel, Jay Cutler TV. I caught up with Jay recently to discuss a wide variety of topics that ranged from his past PED use, why he sat out the 2002 Mr. Olympia, and his opinions on the current states of both Classic Physique and Open bodybuilding.

GH Decreases ABDOMINAL FAT and Increases Lean Mass

The Internet is overwhelmed with articles citing research about human growth hormone (HGH) and its effects on body composition. Many times, the population studied is a group suffering from a chronic disease or metabolic disorder; more relevant studies examining GH’s effects on essentially normal, healthy people are relatively few and far between.1,2 Nonetheless, several studies have looked at the use of GH in healthy people who are overweight, obese or abdominally obese to reduce body fat or more specifically, visceral fat.

mTOR: BEYOND LEUCINE?

If you are a regular reader of MD, you have certainly seen the acronym “mTOR” thrown around in many different instances because of its biological role in regulating muscle growth. “mTOR” stands for “m”ammalian or “m”echanistic Target Of Rapamycin. To understand the importance of the supplements discussed in this article, I will give you a little background on mTOR.

THE PHARMACOLOGY OF ANABOLIC STEROIDS

Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) are immensely popular with athletes and individuals interested in building muscle mass because they are reliable and effective. Much like any other drug, licit or illicit, patients or users can easily administer the drug(s) and readily predict the body's response with the slightest degree of experience. Sadly, many users fail to even attempt to understand how the drugs work and why different AAS provide different results.

CIMARRON .32-20 Short Rifle & Carbine

In the heyday of Winchester Repeating Arms Company lever guns, it offered muskets, standard rifles, short rifles and saddle ring carbines.

Summer Sangria

Alice B. Toklas brownies notwithstanding, the breakout social lubricant of choice for entertaining in the late 1960s was arguably the refreshing fruit and red wine punch known as sangria.

The E-Bike Revolution

Electric cars get a lot of press, but the world’s best-selling e-vehicles are bikes.

EDC Knives

You can open boxes with a car key.

Wagyu Beef

You’ve probably heard of an elusive gold standard of beef that is so consistently marbled with tiny white spots of fat that it looks more pink than red. With a combination of unsaturated fats and oleic acid, it melts on your tongue with a taste much richer, more tender and more butter-like than other steak.

2023 Nissan Z

In a market full of SUVs and pickups, suddenly sports car fans have a reason to smile.

Tabletop Lighters

Almost everything that sits on top of a coffee table is purely decorative—stacks of art books, a vase, a bowl of marbles. In a cigar room, the tabletop becomes far more utilitarian.

Big Smoke Meets WhiskyFest Returns

Aficionados come together at the Seminole Hard Rock for a celebration of handmade cigars and fine whisky

CIGAR ROOM BY THE SEA

Cigar and Car Collector Michael Weil Has Built One of New England’s Ultimate Man Caves

A CONVERSATION WITH Rocky Patel

Rocky Patel, 61, has cemented his legacy as a winning cigarmaker. He began selling cigars in the most modest of ways back in 1995, in the middle of the 1990s cigar boom.

My Favorite Cigar

Cigar aficionados describe their smoke of choice

THE PROOF IS IN THE WHISKEY

Whiskey connoisseurs are warming to the cozy heat of high-proof Bourbons, including those bottled at cask strength

Plugging the Embargo Loophole

How cigars played a starring role in the U.S. embargo on Cuba, tightening sanctions that remain 60 years later

CUBA TOMORROW

Ten years from now, in a world of dreams, Cuba is a free and modern country, teeming with visitors and a hub for businesses

ULTIMATE QUADS IN 8 WEEKS!

Your Keys to Building Them Thick and Wide

PROTEIN UPDATE: Whey vs. Casein

I've written numerous articles discussing differences among various types of protein. I've also examined how "slow" and "fast" digesting proteins may affect protein synthesis and catabolism.

THE TRIALS OF BRYAN TO HELL AND BACK

The Bryan Balzano Story