Madison Freeman
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Writer📝 Book Lover📚 Fitness Enthusiast💪🏻
Articles by Madison Freeman
What Is Exertional Rhabdo? Symptoms, Causes, and Recovery for Runners and Lifters
In our 20s, most of us, myself included, wore post-workout soreness like a badge of honor. It was the ultimate proof we had pushed our bodies to the limit and a sure sign we were on our way to building real muscle . But there is a dangerous line between building new muscle and triggering a catastrophic internal breakdown.
When Severe Muscle Soreness Turns Deadly: Doctors Share the Critical Warning Signs of Rhabdomyolysis
In our 20s, most of us, myself included, wore post-workout soreness like a badge of honor. It was the ultimate proof we had pushed our bodies to the limit and a sure sign we were on our way to building real muscle. But there is a dangerous line between building new muscle and triggering a catastrophic internal breakdown.
Is Your Gym Soreness Actually a Sign of Life-Threatening Rhabdomyolysis?
In our 20s, most of us, myself included, wore post-workout soreness like a badge of honor. It was the ultimate proof we had pushed our bodies to the limit and a sure sign we were on our way to building real muscle. But there is a dangerous line between building new muscle and triggering a catastrophic internal breakdown.
Sitting at a Desk All Day? This Scapular Band Pull Retrains Slouching Shoulders
How to fix desk slouch and build better posture with a simple resistance band. Nov 2, 2026 5:30 PM EST Senior Health & Fitness Editor, Men's Journal One man, fit man exercising with strap in gym alone.
Sitting at a Desk All Day? This Scapular Band Pull Retrains Slouching Shoulders
If you spend eight hours parked in an office chair, you know the feeling. You stand up, your mid-back cracks, and that dull ache lingers no matter how many times you twist around against your seat. Getting out for a walk during lunch helps shake off stiffness, but walking does not fix weak upper-back muscles that give up after hours at a keyboard.
Inside Joe Burrow’s In-Season Routine: Why Stepping Away From the Gym Is His Secret to Fourth-Quarter Composure
If you follow sports at all, you know Joe Burrow. Before turning Cincinnati into a perennial contender, Burrow went from a backup at Ohio State to engineering an undefeated national title run at LSU, taking home the Heisman Trophy along the way. That historic stretch made him the consensus top pick in the 2020 draft, and he has spent the last few seasons proving the hype was real.
Inside Joe Burrow’s In-Season Routine: Why Stepping Away From the Gym Is His Secret to Fourth-Quarter Composure
If you follow sports at all, you know Joe Burrow. Before turning Cincinnati into a perennial contender, Burrow went from a backup at Ohio State to engineering an undefeated national title run at LSU, taking home the Heisman Trophy along the way. That historic stretch made him the consensus top pick in the 2020 draft, and he has spent the last few seasons proving the hype was real.
Inside Joe Burrow’s In-Season Routine: Why Stepping Away From the Gym Is His Secret to Fourth-Quarter Composure
1 hour ago Come to find out, as we approach the season of plump turkey legs and similar Santa Clauses, all is not well at ESPN. Turns out Joe Buck and Troy Aikman are having a hissy fit. Will sports broadcasting ever be the same? As the late Chick Hearn would say, “Oh me, oh my.” Buck and Aikman have broadcast …
Do Ultra-Processed Foods Really Destroy Your Gut Lining? Here’s What the Science Actually Says
Follow topic Few topics spark as much heated debate in nutrition as ultra-processed foods. While internet culture often labels them toxic, nutrition scientists are far more divided. Some researchers point to chemical additives that might irritate the gut lining, others focus on how industrial processing strips natural food structure to drive overeating, and many argue the real issue is simply hyperpalatability.
Do Ultra-Processed Foods Really Destroy Your Gut Lining? Here's What the Science Actually Says
Few topics spark as much heated debate in nutrition as ultra-processed foods. While internet culture often labels them toxic, nutrition scientists are far more divided. Some researchers point to chemical additives that might irritate the gut lining, others focus on how industrial processing strips natural food structure to drive overeating, and many argue the real issue is simply hyperpalatability.
Need More Athletic Power? This Explosive Full-Body Lift Hits Every Muscle
Reclaim fast-twitch muscle and explosive athletic power with this essential full-body compound movement. Oct 23, 2026 10:26 AM EDT Senior Health & Fitness Editor, Men's Journal Man performs overhead press with dumbbells Getty Images/Jun View post: The Isometric Wall Sit Challenge That Will Set Your Quads on Fire View post: Mark Dowdle Wins 2026 Big’s Backyard Ultra Team USA Title View post: We Asked a Trainer and a Life Coach Why 96% of Gym-Goers Fail.
Need More Athletic Power? This Explosive Full-Body Lift Hits Every Muscle
This Drink Could Be Silently Raising Your Risk of Kidney Stones, Urologists Warn Here’s how to enjoy it without putting yourself at risk. Your kidneys probably aren’t an organ you think too much about—unless you’ve ever had a …
Need More Athletic Power? This Explosive Full-Body Lift Hits Every Muscle
Loss of athletic power is one of the most brutal side effects of getting older. When you are young, sprinting across a court, firing a backhand, or beating out a throw to second base feels completely effortless. Years later, sitting in a desk chair and doing slow, isolated gym reps takes its toll. Your muscles lose their pop, and jumping for a layup suddenly feels like an injury risk.
Before You Light Your Fireplace This Fall, Check for This One Hidden Creosote Warning Sign
It’s almost that time of year again. Temperatures are starting to drop, and in just a few short weeks, it’ll be time to throw some logs in the fireplace, sit back with the Sunday game, and relax. But before you get too comfortable, you need to make one crucial safety check before striking a match by inspecting your chimney flue for glazed creosote buildup. Glazed creosote is a highly concentrated, rock-hard, and glossy form of tar residue that builds up inside chimney flues.
Before You Light Your Fireplace This Fall, Check for This One Hidden Creosote Warning Sign
It's almost that time of year again. Temperatures are starting to drop, and in just a few short weeks, it'll be time to throw some logs in the fireplace, sit back with the Sunday game, and relax. But before you get too comfortable, you need to make one crucial safety check before striking a match by inspecting your chimney flue for glazed creosote buildup. Glazed creosote is a highly concentrated, rock-hard, and glossy form of tar residue that builds up inside chimney flues.
Researchers Link Low Levels of One Common Mineral to a 33% Higher Risk of Dementia
One of the medical conditions most people want to avoid above all else is dementia. Categorized by a cluster of symptoms that cause a severe loss of cognitive functioning, such as thinking, memory, reasoning, and problem-solving, it is a devastating diagnosis for both patients and their loved ones. As the condition progresses, daily life becomes increasingly difficult, and the loss of independent function is almost inevitable.
Low Magnesium Levels Linked to Higher Risk of Dementia, Study Finds
One of the medical conditions most people want to avoid above all else is dementia. Categorized by a cluster of symptoms that cause a severe loss of cognitive functioning, such as thinking, memory, reasoning, and problem-solving, it is a devastating diagnosis for both patients and their loved ones. As the condition progresses, daily life becomes increasingly difficult, and the loss of independent function is almost inevitable.
This Plant-Forward Eating Style Could Help Older Adults With Kidney Disease Cut Down on Daily Prescriptions Original
As you age, the chance of taking at least one prescription medication becomes extremely high. In fact, statistics show that around 66 percent to 68 percent of U.S. adults, roughly 131 million people, currently rely on prescription drugs. If you manage a chronic condition like kidney disease, the likelihood of taking multiple medications for related issues like heart disease or metabolic conditions climbs even higher.
This Plant-Forward Eating Style Could Help Older Adults With Kidney Disease Cut Down on Daily Prescriptions
As you age, the chance of taking at least one prescription medication becomes extremely high. In fact, statistics show that around 66 percent to 68 percent of U.S. adults, roughly 131 million people, currently rely on prescription drugs. If you manage a chronic condition like kidney disease, the likelihood of taking multiple medications for related issues like heart disease or metabolic conditions climbs even higher.
This Plant-Forward Eating Style Could Help Older Adults With Kidney Disease Cut Down on Daily Prescriptions
As you age, the chance of taking at least one prescription medication becomes extremely high. In fact, statistics show that around 66 percent to 68 percent of U.S. adults, roughly 131 million people, currently rely on prescription drugs. If you manage a chronic condition like kidney disease, the likelihood of taking multiple medications for related issues like heart disease or metabolic conditions climbs even higher.
This Plant-Forward Eating Style Could Help Older Adults With Kidney Disease Cut Down on Daily Prescriptions
As you age, the chance of taking at least one prescription medication becomes extremely high. In fact, statistics show that around 66 percent to 68 percent of U.S. adults, roughly 131 million people, currently rely on prescription drugs. If you manage a chronic condition like kidney disease, the likelihood of taking multiple medications for related issues like heart disease or metabolic conditions climbs even higher.
This Plant-Forward Eating Style Could Help Older Adults With Kidney Disease Cut Down on Daily Prescriptions
As you age, the chance of taking at least one prescription medication becomes extremely high. In fact, statistics show that around 66 percent to 68 percent of U.S. adults, roughly 131 million people, currently rely on prescription drugs. If you manage a chronic condition like kidney disease, the likelihood of taking multiple medications for related issues like heart disease or metabolic conditions climbs even higher.
This Plant-Forward Eating Style Could Help Older Adults With Kidney Disease Cut Down on Daily Prescriptions
As you age, the chance of taking at least one prescription medication becomes extremely high. In fact, statistics show that around 66 percent to 68 percent of U.S. adults, roughly 131 million people, currently rely on prescription drugs. If you manage a chronic condition like kidney disease, the likelihood of taking multiple medications for related issues like heart disease or metabolic conditions climbs even higher.
When Should You Turn Off Your Outdoor Hose Spigots for Winter? Look for This Temperature Original
If you live in a warmer climate that gets hit with at least one cold spell a year, you probably know how important it is to leave your faucets on a drip. Growing up in the Midwest, this wasn’t something I heard about. We routinely had temperatures go well below freezing, especially during my years in Chicago, where the pipes could seemingly handle just about anything. When I moved South, everything changed.
The Common Fall Housecleaning Habit That Traps Rot and Mold Inside Your Exterior Walls
With winter right around the corner, it’s tempting to rush through all those exterior home projects you probably should’ve finished back in July. Top of that list is usually cleaning off your house siding. If you’ve ever looked at your home after a long winter and wondered why it looks ten times filthier than the year before, there’s a simple explanation. Dirt and grime trapped on your siding before the first snow hits hold moisture against your wood, stucco, or vinyl all season long.
How to Clean Your Siding for Winter Without Inviting Mold Into Your Walls
With winter right around the corner, it’s tempting to rush through all those exterior home projects you probably should’ve finished back in July. Top of that list is usually cleaning off your house siding. If you’ve ever looked at your home after a long winter and wondered why it looks ten times filthier than the year before, there’s a simple explanation. Dirt and grime trapped on your siding before the first snow hits hold moisture against your wood, stucco, or vinyl all season long.
Short on time but still want a great workout? Try this four-exercise kettlebell complex to build strength and fitness faster
Health 4 hours ago The Best Way to Respond to Passive-Aggressive Comments TIME - by Angela Haupt • 4h Have you ever left work at 5 p.m., only for a colleague to not-so-sweetly ask, “Going home already?” If so, you’ve probably been the target of a passive-aggressive comment.
Build Bulletproof Quads and Hamstrings With This Zero-Equipment Kneeling Move Original
If there’s one thing anyone who takes training seriously knows, it’s that as the years tick by and your heaviest PRs are behind you, protecting your joints becomes priority number one. Sure, years of heavy compound lifting make your bones stronger, but they also leave a trail of wear and tear on your lower body. If you spent your twenties trying your hand at powerlifting, your knees and hips have definitely taken the brunt of that beating.
No Barbell? This Wall-Ball Squat Will Still Light Up Your Quads
Heavy barbell back squats are easily one of the most effective ways to build lower body strength and size. If you have a gym right down the road and plenty of time to train, loading a bar on your back is as simple as driving over and jumping into a rack. But when your schedule’s packed and you’re lucky to squeeze in a quick home workout, getting to a barbell isn’t always realistic. On top of that, back squats simply aren’t the best fit for everyone.
No Barbell? This Wall-Ball Squat Will Still Light Up Your Quads
Heavy barbell back squats are effective for building lower body strength, but may not be suitable for everyone due to issues like lower back pain or mobility limitations. Swiss ball wall squats provide a joint-friendly alternative to traditional barbell squats for building quad strength, with proper form involving placing the ball against a wall and lowering into a deep squat.
Do This 2-Minute Wall Stretch After Work to Instantly Unlock Stiff Hips and Low-Back Tightness
Add Men's Journal as a preferred Google sourceUse your Google account to add this to your settings Add us on Google Working from home, there are days where I spend 10 to 12 hours sitting in a chair. And while I should invest in an actual ergonomic desk chair that fits the curves of my back perfectly, I opted for a fabric dining room chair that matches the aesthetic of my room and gives my cat somewhere comfortable to lounge on the off chance I’m not sitting at my desk.
Do This 2-Minute Wall Stretch After Work to Instantly Unlock Stiff Hips and Low-Back Tightness
Working from home, there are days where I spend 10 to 12 hours sitting in a chair. And while I should invest in an actual ergonomic desk chair that fits the curves of my back perfectly, I opted for a fabric dining room chair that matches the aesthetic of my room and gives my cat somewhere comfortable to lounge on the off chance I'm not sitting at my desk. Predictably, I am now dealing with real lower back pain for the first time in my life.
Constant Stress Is Wrecking Your Focus. Here’s How High-Performance Experts Reset Cognitive Fatigue Original
Add Men's Journal as a preferred Google sourceUse your Google account to add this to your settings Add us on Google Hot take: your mind is one of the most neglected parts of your overall health. If you’re anything like me, you struggle to slow down. If you’re anything like me, you probably struggle to turn your brain fully off. You live in a state of perpetual “on,” trying to optimize every single waking second. You obsess over meal prep to dodge chronic disease and fuel endless gym sessions.
Matt Hanson Started Triathlons Just to Check off a Bucket List Item. 15 Years Later, He Holds One of the Fastest Ironman Marathon Records in History
Add Men's Journal as a preferred Google sourceUse your Google account to add this to your settings Add us on Google While the exact number is unknown, it’s estimated that between 500,000 and one million people have ever completed a full, official Ironman. That means only 0.006% to 0.012% of the world’s population has ever crossed that finish line.
Matt Hanson Started Triathlons Just to Check off a Bucket List Item. 15 Years Later, He Holds One of the Fastest Ironman Marathon Records in History
While the exact number is unknown, it’s estimated that between 500,000 and one million people have ever completed a full, official Ironman. That means only 0.006% to 0.012% of the world’s population has ever crossed that finish line. And sitting at the absolute top of that ridiculously elite pyramid are the pros who make one of the most grueling endurance races on earth look like a casual weekend jog.
Nearly 28 Percent of MMA Fights End in Injury. Justin Gaethje Explains Why He Embraces the Risk
Add Men's Journal as a preferred Google sourceUse your Google account to add this to your settings Add us on Google Mixed martial arts is arguably one of the most dangerous sports on the planet. Combining striking disciplines like boxing, kickboxing, and Muay Thai with high-impact grappling like wrestling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, fighters face a brutal risk profile every time they step inside the cage. Knockouts, fractured bones, and torn ligaments are regular hazards of the job.
Nearly 28 Percent of MMA Fights End in Injury. Justin Gaethje Explains Why He Embraces the Risk
Mixed martial arts is arguably one of the most dangerous sports on the planet. Combining striking disciplines like boxing, kickboxing, and Muay Thai with high-impact grappling like wrestling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, fighters face a brutal risk profile every time they step inside the cage. Knockouts, fractured bones, and torn ligaments are regular hazards of the job. Research indicates that roughly 20 to 28 percent of all MMA fights result in an injury to at least one participant.
Skip the Floor Sit-Ups: Try This Weighted Move for Stronger Abs
Add Men's Journal as a preferred Google sourceUse your Google account to add this to your settings Add us on Google Everyone knows abs are made in the kitchen, but a low body fat percentage only reveals the muscle you have already built. Just like your biceps or quads, your abs need progressive overload to actually grow. And while standard situps have been crowned as six-pack royalty for decades, bodyweight reps without extra resistance will only take you so far.
Why Your Ab Workouts Are Failing to Produce Visible Growth
Everyone knows abs are made in the kitchen, but a low body fat percentage only reveals the muscle you have already built. Just like your biceps or quads, your abs need progressive overload to actually grow. And while standard situps have been crowned as six-pack royalty for decades, bodyweight reps without extra resistance will only take you so far. Real core hypertrophy requires heavy mechanical tension. That is why the cable crunch is my absolute go-to movement.
How men can lower their cancer risk without the hassle of a traditional colonoscopy
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Patrick Dempsey Warns Men to Stop Avoiding This Simple Health Screening Before It’s Too Late Original
Add Men's Journal as a preferred Google sourceUse your Google account to add this to your settings Add us on Google Men are notorious for avoiding the doctor until something completely breaks. A recent Cleveland Clinic survey revealed that nearly 60 percent of men skip regular checkups and only book an appointment when they are seriously ill. Less than two-thirds get an annual physical, and almost half admit that their health is a topic they simply refuse to discuss.
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