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Free lessons and guides on training, recovery and real food.
Each lesson is one idea, explained plainly with steps, sources and a five-minute action. No sign-up. 14 core lessons plus a library of 47 how-to guides. Start with Lesson 1 or take the Start Here quiz.
Train
Strength, movement and training around real life.
Your body is not slow
Starting from zero, after time off or after being told you are not athletic? Learn why your body is not slow, how…
Read · 4 min
Work already counts as load
Standing shifts, travel and long drives all load your body. Learn how to count the work you already do so training…
Read · 3 min
A hinge is hips, not back
Learn the hip hinge step by step with nothing but a wall: the movement behind safe lifting, deadlifts and picking…
Read · 4 min
Isometric means hold
Isometric exercises build strength without moving the joint. Learn what an isometric is, why holds are useful for…
Read · 3 min
Hotel carpet is a gym
A simple no-equipment hotel room workout for travel weeks: 20 minutes, a floor, a wall and a chair. Includes a quiet…
Read · 3 minBand, wall, floor, chair
You don’t need a home gym. Learn what a resistance band, a wall, the floor and a chair can each train, with a simple…
Read · 3 minRecover
Sleep, breath, mobility and hydration.
Tendon health basics
Why tendons need patience, how to read pain while you recover, and why your treating clinician leads…
Read · 3 min
Rest is training
Rest days are when training turns into results. Learn how sleep, easy days and deloads work, how much sleep adults…
Read · 3 min
Breath, then decide
Slow breathing is a simple way to settle stress before you train, eat or decide. Learn a 1-minute 4-6 breathing…
Read · 3 min
Hydration for long shifts
How much water you need (about 13 cups for men, 9 for women from drinks, per the National Academies), how exercise…
Read · 3 minEat
Protein, meal prep and a whole-food grocery list.
Food is a pattern, not a personality
Healthy eating is the pattern you repeat, not one perfect day. Learn the plate pattern used by U.S. dietary…
Read · 3 min
Protein basics
How much protein you need per day by goal (0.8 to 2.0 g/kg), how to spread it across meals, and what 30 grams looks…
Read · 3 min
A meal-prep system in 90 minutes
A simple 90-minute meal-prep system: what to cook, in what order, how long it keeps (USDA), and a free planner that…
Read · 3 minThe whole-food grocery list
A nutrient-dense, budget-friendly whole-food grocery list: proteins, carbs, vegetables, fats and pantry staples, plus…
Read · 3 minLibrary
47 how-to guides: exercises, nutrition basics and recovery.
Short, sourced answers to the questions people search most. Each guide is written by Joshua Baskin, founder, and checked against the sources listed on the page. See our editorial policy.
Strength exercises
- How to do a dumbbell Romanian deadlift
- How to do a dumbbell row
- How to do a farmer’s carry
- How to do a glute bridge
- How to do a lunge (and the split squat to start with)
- How to do a pull-up: a progression from zero
- How to do a push-up (and how to build up to one)
- How to do a squat with good form
- How to do a step-up
- How to do a wall sit
- How to do calf raises
Core exercises
Training basics
Cardio and walking
Nutrition basics
Recovery and injuries
- Achilles tendinitis basics
- Ankle sprain recovery basics
- Foam rolling for beginners
- How to stretch your hamstrings
- How to stretch your hip flexors
- Plantar fasciitis basics
- Shin splints: causes and what to do
- Should you stretch before or after a workout?
- Sleep tips for night shift workers
- Sore muscles after a workout: what helps
Free: the 7-Day Starter Plan PDF
One small step a day for a week, plus a printable grocery list.
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Free 7-day resistance band lessons
New guides
How to lose weight: a plan that works for real life
How to lose weight safely: a modest calorie deficit, enough protein, strength training, daily steps and sleep.…
Weight lossHow to lose belly fat (and why crunches alone won’t)
How to lose belly fat: you cannot spot-reduce, but overall fat loss, strength training, cardio, sleep and less…
CardioHIIT for beginners: a safe first workout
HIIT for beginners: what high-intensity interval training is, a safe 20-minute first workout, how often to do …
NutritionIntermittent fasting: what the research says
Intermittent fasting explained: 16:8, 5:2 and time-restricted eating. What trials show for weight loss compare…
ProgrammingWorkout splits explained: full body, upper/lower, push/pull/legs
Workout splits compared: full body, upper/lower and push/pull/legs. Which fits 2, 3, 4 or 6 days a week, and w…
WomenStrength training for women: a beginner guide
Strength training for women: why it matters for bone and muscle, a simple 3-day plan, myths about bulking, and…
Over 50Strength training over 50: safe, simple and powerful
Strength training over 50 and for seniors: why muscle and balance matter, a safe 2-day plan, balance drills, a…
BackExercises for a cranky lower back: a gentle routine
Gentle exercises people use for everyday lower back discomfort: walking, bird dog, dead bug, bridges and hip h…
KneesKnee-friendly exercises: strengthen around the knee
Knee-friendly exercises people use to build strength around the knee: wall sits, step-ups, bridges, split squa…
NutritionGLP-1 medicines and muscle: what to know (education only)
Education on GLP-1 weight-loss medicines like semaglutide: why some of the weight lost can be lean mass, and t…
NutritionProtein powder: do you need it and how to choose
Protein powder explained: when it helps, whey vs plant, how much per scoop, third-party testing, and why food …
NutritionHigh-protein vegetarian foods (Indian kitchen guide)
High-protein vegetarian foods for an Indian kitchen: paneer, dal, soya chunks, curd, chana, peanuts and more, …
ProgressHow long does it take to see fitness results?
A realistic timeline for fitness results: what changes in 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks for strength, muscle, fat loss …
Exercise library
Exercise library: form guides for every key move
Free exercise library with muscles worked, step-by-step form, coaching cues, common mistakes, easier and harde…
Barbell or dumbbells + benchHow to do the bench press
How to bench press with good form: setup, bar path, grip width, safe spotting, common mistakes, and dumbbell a…
Barbell or dumbbellsHow to do the overhead press
How to do the overhead press (shoulder press) standing: grip, bar path, ribs down, head through, mistakes, and…
One kettlebellHow to do a kettlebell swing
How to do a kettlebell swing: a hip hinge, not a squat. Hike, snap, float, with common mistakes and drills to …
One dumbbell or kettlebellHow to do the goblet squat
How to do a goblet squat: the easiest loaded squat to learn. Hold the weight at your chest, sit between your h…
Barbell or dumbbellsHow to do the Romanian deadlift
How to do a Romanian deadlift (RDL): soft knees, hips back, flat back, feel the hamstrings. Barbell and dumbbe…
Bench + barbell, dumbbell or bodyweightHow to do the hip thrust
How to do a hip thrust: bench at shoulder blades, chin tucked, ribs down, drive through heels. Barbell, dumbbe…