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

Neutral grip pulldown: How to build your back while protecting your shoulders

Nov 26, 2025 · 9 min read

A neutral-grip pulldown builds back width with lat activation comparable to a wide, palms-forward pulldown, but it’s more shoulder-friendly because it avoids the “high five” position (abduction + external rotation) and maintains more subacromial space for the rotator cuff. Here’s how turning your hands to face each other can “unjam” the joint so you can ...

Hydrogen water bottle benefits: Hype, risks, and what the science actually says

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

Nov 24, 2025 · 15 min read

Hydrogen water bottles dissolve extra molecular hydrogen (H₂) into water, and early small human studies suggest modest reductions in oxidative-stress markers and post‑exercise fatigue via a “selective antioxidant” effect—not the dramatic recovery, focus, or anti‑aging results often marketed. Here’s how these devices generate H₂, what the research and real-world risks show, and how to decide ...

Does creatine help you lose weight or just add water weight?

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

Nov 24, 2025 · 14 min read

Creatine doesn’t directly burn body fat, and it often causes a small early increase on the scale because it pulls water into muscle cells as muscle creatine stores rise about 10%–40%. That same ATP-recycling boost can help you train harder and retain lean mass during a cut, improving body composition even if the scale doesn’t ...

Rowing machine muscles worked: How one stroke trains almost your entire body

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

Nov 23, 2025 · 10 min read

A proper rowing stroke trains roughly 86% of your body’s muscle mass by generating power through knee and hip extension (quads and glutes), transferring it through a braced core, and finishing with the upper back and arms. This guide breaks down which muscles fire in each phase—catch, drive, finish, recovery—and how to tweak form so ...

Can my body use 100 grams meat protein in one sitting for muscle growth?

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

Nov 20, 2025 · 8 min read

A 100‑gram protein meal after resistance training can support muscle protein synthesis for longer rather than being “wasted,” because the body slows gastric emptying and releases amino acids into the bloodstream for roughly 12 hours (vs. a quicker rise-and-fall with 25 grams). That finding challenges the old 30‑grams‑per‑meal rule and reframes how to time bigger, ...