Dr. Bruno Rodriguez, DPT, CSCS: Strength, Recovery, and Physical Therapy Expert

What is ego lifting? The gym habit that can wreck your joints and your gains

Dec 19, 2025 · 12 min read

Ego lifting is using a weight that exceeds your current capacity for that exercise on that day, forcing you to cheat form or shorten range of motion to complete reps. It may feel like progress, but it shifts stress off the target muscle and onto joints and passive tissues—setting you up for stalled gains and ...

Low calorie protein shakes: How to keep muscle while cutting fat

Dr. Bruno Rodriguez, DPT, CSCS: Strength, Recovery, and Physical Therapy Expert

Dec 17, 2025 · 11 min read

Low calorie protein shakes can help preserve lean mass during a cut by delivering essential amino acids (especially leucine) that stimulate muscle protein synthesis and support a positive nitrogen balance even in a calorie deficit; most lean, resistance-trained men need about 1.6–2.4 g/kg/day of protein to minimize muscle loss. Here’s how to use shakes to ...

The definitive guide to high protein fast food for men who lift

Dr. Bruno Rodriguez, DPT, CSCS: Strength, Recovery, and Physical Therapy Expert

Dec 16, 2025 · 11 min read

For muscle growth, a fast-food meal can “count” if it delivers roughly 20–40 g of complete, leucine-rich protein to trigger muscle protein synthesis (MPS) without dragging in excessive refined carbs and added fats that crush the protein-to-energy ratio. This guide shows how to order “surgically” — prioritizing grilled meats and simple sides while skipping the ...

The anabolic crunch: Are protein chips a viable tool for male metabolic health?

Dr. Bruno Rodriguez, DPT, CSCS: Strength, Recovery, and Physical Therapy Expert

Dec 13, 2025 · 10 min read

Protein chips can be a viable tool for male metabolic health when used as an occasional swap for traditional chips, because their higher protein and lower rapidly digesting carb load tends to increase satiety and better supports muscle repair than starch-heavy snacks. The trade-off is that most are ultra-processed and often high in sodium and ...

Creatine weight gain: What’s normal, what’s not, and how to stay in control

Dr. Bruno Rodriguez, DPT, CSCS: Strength, Recovery, and Physical Therapy Expert

Dec 11, 2025 · 10 min read

Creatine commonly increases scale weight by about 2 to 4.5 lb in the first week, mostly from osmotic water being pulled into muscle as creatine stores rise (especially with a loading phase). Learn how to tell normal water shifts from true fat gain and how to track performance and body composition so weigh-ins don’t catch ...