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Articles by Skip Hill
Ask Yourself These 3 Questions
Most people who have trained for any significant length of time typically do not make resolutions for the new year. Our trite response is that if we want to make a change in our lives, we will do it at any point during the year instead of waiting for January 1st. As a collective, we tend to think we are better than everyone else; making a gym resolution is below us.
Skip's Favorite Exercise For Each Muscle Group
If I had a dime for every time I have been asked what my favorite exercises are, I would be driving an Urus instead of my M5. The question gets thrown around a lot, but how someone feels and responds to a specific exercise is individual. This is exactly why I do not like to program training plans with specific exercises for my clients. I prefer to give a list of exercises for the client to choose based on the area of the muscle they are trying to target.
Dear Natties, Don't Be Delusional
I find it odd that people will always look for and find the things that separate or divide us and use them against another group, no matter the demographic. It happens with politics, religion, and judging the police, and it happens within marginalized groups of people, as well. As a society, we find those differences and judge others for those differences. I have been involved in bodybuilding for over forty years.
When is the Dream Dead?
I have been processing a lot of my thoughts over the last couple of months. I have felt lost, scattered, and confusingly scared. It certainly has been a rollercoaster of emotions—not cathartic, but certainly peaks and valleys. Depression? No, not necessarily, but the realization that time is a limited commodity, and the clock is ticking. I am fifty-four, and I rarely feel it. I sometimes prove that I am not fifty-four by getting involved in banal discord on social media.
Why I Think RIR Training Sucks
I am sure more than a few of you are already worked up after reading the title, and you can not wait to get to the comment section. Slow down, take a deep breath, and try to read the entire article before you get yourself bothered. Then, you can let me have it. I will state the obvious and go on record by saying that I do not believe stopping a set before you can get as many reps as possible is the best approach if maximum hypertrophy is your goal.
How To Save Your Lower Back and Knees Into Your 40s and 50s
Training legs with the intensity needed to cause hypertrophy and progress in the gym is difficult enough when you are in your 20s or 30s; doing this in your late 40s and into your 50s is considerably harder. However, suppose you have a game plan that is both logical and sensical. In that case, training your legs intensely is entirely possible well into your 50s and beyond without putting yourself in a high-risk situation for injury.
Take the 2024 Dick Challenge
Many people in our industry seem to be against New Year's resolutions. It is as if we look down on those who do not prioritize their physical appearance and health throughout the year. During the holidays, we complain about people who want to make a life change after the first of the year. After seeing so many condescending posts on social media over the last few weeks, I realized that some of us SHOULD make a New Year's resolution.
40 Years of Gym Pet Peeves
I am spoiled as I have trained in a lot of well-equipped gyms over the last forty of my fifty-three years. I know what I want out of a gym, and I have developed pet peeves that drive me nuts. Some might think my pet peeves are trivial, but I expect a gym owner to maintain equipment and provide the best experience for novice to advanced lifters.
The Real Reason You Are Not a Pro Bodybuilder
(Hint: It is not the hormones.) I have mediocre genetics, at best. Of course, everything is relative, so you might think my genetics are better than yours. If you feel this way, your genetics absolutely suck because I know how bad mine are. But what does it really mean when someone says someone else has great genetics for bodybuilding? Most would respond with an answer related to how a physique looks—a visual—and that is only a small part of the equation.
When To Train And When NOT To Train
I take a very different stance when it comes to training motivation. Most people will fall back on the ever-popular concept of forcing a training session—or three or ten—when motivation is in the shitter. Some usual responses are to "suck it up and train", or to train light that day, etc. No matter the response, the vast majority of people will tell you to train, no matter what. You only slept for three hours last night? TRAIN. You only had one meal all day instead of your usual five meals? TRAIN.
Back to the Future
I am an old head; I have been around a long time. I started training in 1984, right before the summer break. That fall, I started my freshman year of high school. I honestly believe (and so do a lot of other people) that I started training in what I consider the best era of bodybuilding ever, and this has nothing to do with competitors' physiques or the level of the sport at that time.
Master These 5 Things Before Hiring a Trainer
It might seem a bit counterintuitive because I have been an online trainer for over twenty years. That being said, I am just being honest with you. If you have or can develop these five traits, you will not need my expertise, experience, or knowledge, or anyone else's for that matter. I will concede that someone could still save a lot of time by hiring an experienced trainer. Someone like myself, who has trained hundreds of people over the last two decades, can fast-track a client's knowledge.
How to Not Get Injured While Training Over 50
I would have used the term "masters competitor," but I hate that term. It just sounds old. It IS old, but I don't like to remind myself that I'm old. Most guys over 50 don't want to, either. In my mind, it might as well be called "geriatric training." Not many of us feel old, per se, because we still train very hard, and the vast majority of us are in great condition. Still, please don't kid yourself; there are those days when we all feel closer to 80 than 30.
Do LESS of These 10 Things to Increase Your Progress
When progress lags, most people will do more of something—sometimes more of everything. I've been in this game for almost four decades, and I can't tell you how many times articles or videos explain how people need to do MORE to progress. More intensity... More supplementation... More calories... More cardio... What if the answer to making better gains was exactly the opposite?
This Gym is Like No Other
I assume most of you reading this would train at the elitefts compound if you had the chance. I will also assume very few of you, if any, have actually trained there. I am 100% certain that not one of you has accidentally or purposely driven past elitefts. I visited for the first time last week, so I wanted to explain what it was like for those of you who will likely never get to see it.
The TEAM SKIP Training Protocol of 2022
I came up with the TEAM SKIP Training Protocol back in 2012. Over the years, it has remained relatively unchanged as far as what is available to the public. Behind the scenes, I have made changes for my clients based on their individual needs and the feedback I have received from them—hundreds of them—in the last ten years. Obviously, many more have used my training protocol, but I don't embellish numbers.
Counting Trace Macros Is Overrated
Whether it's training, nutrition, or supplementation, methods evolve. Usually, this evolution makes processes more optimal, efficient, and ensures more progress with less wasted time—"streamlining," if you will. However, sometimes a process is good as it is, and changing it only makes it more complicated, less user-friendly, and unnecessary. Most of us are aware of trainers who overcomplicate things to appear or sound intelligent, articulate, and impressive. I'm not that guy.
3 Training Rules to Throw in the Trash
Rules and guidelines are for newbies. Rules are needed by those who don’t know how to read their body’s feedback, understand the rudimentary concepts behind training, and don’t have the experience to program their training optimally. If you have spent years training, the rules no longer apply. First, let’s understand that the vast majority of people who weight train think they have it all figured out. Most have it wrong, while some have it so wrong that it’s laughable.
Skip’s 10 Questions for God
I had the opportunity to speak with God the other day. I had a little downtime and I decided to ask him some questions—important questions—that I have had on my mind for a very long time. I know there are people dying who need his attention, too, and I know that somewhere there is a sports team that needs his support, but I just had to ask him these questions. My questions for God: 1. Why does healthy food taste so bad and shitty food (oops, my bad, God) taste so good?
5 Things Bodybuilders Should NOT Do After 50
I always love writing articles like this one because they piss people off. Instead of accepting my opinions as an over-50 bodybuilder who has been training for almost 40 years, I get nasty comments about how stupid I am from people who have a fraction of my experience. I'm not bitter, though; I understand it comes with the territory.
Have Enough Competitors Died Yet?
We have a problem in competitive bodybuilding, a big one, and too many of us are in denial. To be fair, I was in denial until recently. Matt Porter? His situation was hereditary. Dallas McCarver? He choked on his food, or it was from insulin, or anything other than steroids. Andy Haman? He had triceps surgery—an infection or something not related to steroids. John Meadows? It couldn't have been steroids. Phil Hernon? Do steroids cause kidney problems? Mike Matarazzo?
Is Bodybuilding Worth It?
I don't know how you think, but I like to shoot things from different angles. That's how I've always been—a thinker, a planner. There is little to no spontaneity in me—ask my wife. So, I have pondered questions like these for years. The question was easy to answer but was two-pronged. One of the things I have to consider when answering this question is the fact that I make a living in the industry due to my extensive training history, reputation, knowledge, etc.
Exorcising the Demons
Whether you are a competitor or want to become one, you will be forced to face your demons. We all have them—veteran competitors and newbies alike. Awareness is the first step, and the second step is learning how to deal with them. If you have never prepped, don’t try to pretend that you know what’s coming. Getting lean for the beach or a vacation, no matter how hardcore you think you are, is tropospheric shit.
I Know Shit
I am going to sound arrogant, but this is not my intent: I know shit that you don't. You know shit. You might know a lot of shit. You might know some of the shit that I know. When I tell you some of the shit that I know, you might say, "I know that shit, too." However, you likely do not know all of the shit that I have compiled in my brain over the last 35 years.
3 Relationship Red Flags for Bodybuilders
I have said it too many times to count, but I will say it again, "I have pretty much seen it all in the last 35 years." I'm not just talking about training methods, nutrition, and supplementation. I can lend my expertise in other areas that most would not even consider. One of those areas that I have counseled clients over the years is relationships.
It’s Not Just About Shredded Glutes
We hear it, and a lot of us say it all of the time, "You need shredded glutes" or "I'm not stopping until my glutes are shredded." I have always taken issue with these statements and this mindset. If this is your approach to a cutting phase for a show, you are likely slitting your wrists. There is no question that the focus of a cut phase is to get body fat levels as low as possible. I think we can all agree.
I Didn’t Learn a Thing From My Father
I remember being a teenager and my father telling me that, one day, I would be just like him. That's a horrible thing to say to a teenage boy, so I made sure that I repeated this sentiment to my kids – especially my son. When I was young, I had no idea that part of being a parent is unknowingly, psychologically victimizing your kids every chance you get. I took it a step further, though, and KNEW I was doing it.
5 Things Online Trainers Should Do To Be Successful
Those who know me, know that I refer to the online-training world as a giant sea of turds. The industry is rife with people who are worthless and don't know what the hell they are doing. Within this giant sea of turds, there is a small percentage of trainers who are very good at what they do. If you want to be successful in what has become a super-saturated market, heed my advice.
How to Get Huge in Less Than 1,000 Words
As an industry, we have come to a place where we feel that unless we complicate things, it won’t seem advanced or “science-y” enough. Our ideas won’t sound revolutionary if we don’t use acronyms, big words, and long explanations. My position has always been that training is simple or more rudimentary than nutrition or supplementation.
Next Level Pec Training
I don’t write articles about training to make people feel stupid, and I don’t write articles to make people feel like I have all of the answers. I DO write training and nutrition articles for elitefts because I have 35 years of experience. In that time, I have made numerous mistakes and learned most all of what I know from trial and error. I have also never accepted what others have told me or things that I have read without first putting them to the test.
The Art of the Carb
Based on your interpretation of the title of this article, I would assume you are expecting some Zen-like, very deep, and verbose explanation of carbohydrates. If so, you are wrong. I’m not deep, I’m not Zen-like, and I’m not verbose. The obvious being stated, I do believe that most people have a very warped (or at least very poor) understanding of how carbs work, what carb timing really means, and how to not get fat eating carbs.
The Truth About Protein Powders
We've all been there: you walk into your local supplement store or peruse online shops looking for that protein powder that's just right for you. Shouldn't be too hard, there are only eleventy-billion brands, formulas, flavors, and sizes. By the time you read all the labels you may starve to death, so it’s best to only do a quick glance.
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