Self-Selecting

What's the best squat for glute growth?

In this episode, I explain why that's actually the wrong question to ask. Instead of ranking squat variations from best to worst, I walk through the framework I use to choose the right squat pattern based on loadability, stability, and injury risk. I break down the trade-offs of front squats, back squats, Smith machine squats, goblet squats, hack squats, reverse hack squats, Rogers pendulum squats, and leg press so you can choose the best option for your goals.

I also discuss why core stability and center of mass matter more than the exercise itself, when machine squats outperform free weights, and how selecting the right squat variation can improve glute growth, strength, and long-term progress.

Timestamps:

- [00:00 – 01:30] – Why There Isn't One "Best" Squat for Glute Growth
- [01:30 – 03:19] – The 3 Questions I Use to Choose a Squat Pattern
- [03:19 – 05:28] – Front Squats: My Top Choice for Stability & Progressive Overload
- [05:28 – 06:54] – Back Squats: Benefits, Limitations & Core Demands
- [06:54 – 09:19] – Smith Machine Squats: Fixed Bar Path Pros & Cons
- [09:19 – 13:43] – Goblet Squats: The Best Progression for Learning Squat Mechanics
- [13:43 – 15:02] – Hack Squats: When They Work (And When They Don't)
- [15:02 – 17:51] – Reverse Hack Squats: My Favorite Machine Squat Option
- [17:51 – 20:29] – Rogers Pendulum Squats & Choosing the Right Machine
- [20:29 – 22:19] – Why Leg Press Isn't a Squat Replacement

Links & Resources:

Purchase The Complete Fat Loss Guide: https://coryfit.com/product/the-complete-fat-loss-guide/

Purchase The Glute Building Blueprint: https://coryfit.com/product/the-complete-glute-building-program/

https://coryfit.com/

Coaching: Let's Chat⁠https://calendly.com/coryfit-coaching/15min

Consults: Book a Call⁠https://calendly.com/coryfit-coaching/one-time-consultation

For more content, follow along:⁠Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/cory_fit/

⁠Patreon⁠: https://patreon.com/CoryFit?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink

Why does fat loss feel so much harder than it should?

In this episode, I break down why your experience of dieting isn't determined by calories alone. I explain how your beliefs, expectations, and perception of your food can directly influence hunger, dietary adherence, and long-term fat loss success. Using the famous Yale milkshake study, I explore how mindset can change physiological hunger signals—and what that means for your own diet.

I also discuss why dietary fatigue builds long before most people realize it, how negative beliefs about food create unnecessary friction, why cheat meals often backfire, and practical ways to make dieting feel easier without sacrificing results. If you've ever felt like you're doing everything right but fat loss always feels impossible, this episode will help you change how you approach the process.

Timestamps:

- [00:00 – 05:16] – Why Dieting Feels Harder Than It Should
- [05:16 – 09:00] – Hunger, Self-Belief & Expecting Diets to Be Difficult
- [09:00 – 15:10] – Flexible Dieting, Restriction & Your Perception of Food
- [15:10 – 21:03] – Friction Costs, Food Judgement & Hunger Signaling
- [21:03 – 24:29] – The Yale Milkshake Study Explained
- [24:29 – 29:33] – Dietary Fatigue, Cheat Meals & Food Psychology
- [29:33 – 36:00] – Calories In vs. Calories Out (And Why Mindset Still Matters)
- [36:00 – 40:17] – Meal Prep Hacks That Make Dieting Easier
- [40:17 – 42:00] – The One Mindset Shift That Changes Everything
- [42:00 – 47:27] – Why Fat Loss Plateaus Aren't What You Think
- [47:27 – 48:20] – Final Thoughts & Coaching Takeaways

Links & Resources:

Purchase The Complete Fat Loss Guide: https://coryfit.com/product/the-complete-fat-loss-guide/

Purchase The Glute Building Blueprint: https://coryfit.com/product/the-complete-glute-building-program/

https://coryfit.com/

⁠Coaching: Let's Chat⁠https://calendly.com/coryfit-coaching/15min

⁠Consults: Book a Call⁠https://calendly.com/coryfit-coaching/one-time-consultation

For more content, follow along:⁠Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/cory_fit/

⁠Patreon⁠: https://patreon.com/CoryFit?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink

Should you lower your calories when fat loss stalls?

In this episode, I break down the decision-making framework I use with clients before ever reducing food. I explain why most people lower calories too quickly, the three data points you need before making any adjustment, and how inaccurate food tracking, poor adherence, and dietary fatigue often create the illusion of a plateau.

I also cover how to evaluate your weekly weight trends, when a slower rate of fat loss is actually a good sign, why sustainability matters more than creating the largest possible deficit, and how to know whether lowering food will actually move you closer to your goal. If you're wondering whether it's time to eat less—or if you're simply guessing—this episode will help you make smarter fat loss decisions based on data instead of emotions.

Timestamps:

- [00:00 – 02:40] – The 3 Data Points Before Lowering Calories
- [02:40 – 05:12] – Why Weekly Weight Averages Matter
- [05:12 – 06:56] – Can You Sustain a Bigger Calorie Deficit?
- [06:56 – 08:36] – Fat Loss Is Slow: Tighten Tracking Before Lowering Food
- [08:36 – 10:41] – Dietary Fatigue & Knowing When to End a Diet
- [10:41 – 12:37] – How Many Calories Do Most Women Lose Weight On?
- [12:37 – 14:58] – When You Should (And Shouldn't) Lower Food

Links & Resources:

Purchase The Complete Fat Loss Guide: https://coryfit.com/product/the-complete-fat-loss-guide/

Purchase The Glute Building Blueprint: https://coryfit.com/product/the-complete-glute-building-program/

https://coryfit.com/

Coaching: Let's Chat⁠https://calendly.com/coryfit-coaching/15min

Consults: Book a Call⁠https://calendly.com/coryfit-coaching/one-time-consultation

For more content, follow along:⁠Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/cory_fit/

Patreon⁠: https://patreon.com/CoryFit?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink

Should you train every set to failure if your goal is building muscle?

In this episode, I break down what training to failure actually means, the difference between technical failure and muscular failure, and why knowing the distinction can dramatically improve your results while reducing your risk of injury. I explain how movement quality, stability, exercise selection, and skill level should determine how close you train to failure—not simply pushing until you can't complete another rep.

I also discuss why feeling a muscle working doesn't always mean you're training it effectively, how compensations limit muscle growth, when it's appropriate to take an exercise to true failure, why filming your lifts is one of the best coaching tools available, and the biggest indicators I use to assess whether a set is productive.

If you're trying to build muscle, improve exercise execution, master reps in reserve (RIR), understand RPE, or make better training decisions for long-term progress, this episode will help you train harder—and smarter.

Timestamps:

- [00:00 – 02:42] - Introduction & Why Training to Failure Is Often Misunderstood
- [02:42 – 05:59] - What Training to Failure Actually Means (RIR vs. RPE)
- [05:59 – 10:28] - Technical Failure vs. Muscular Failure Explained
- [10:28 – 12:09] - Why Muscle Burn Doesn't Mean You're Training the Target Muscle
- [12:09 – 14:53] - Breaking Through Rear Delt Plateaus by Improving Stability
- [14:53 – 19:16] - Safety Considerations When Training Close to Failure
- [19:16 – 23:07] - When to Push Hard Based on Exercise Selection & Workout Order
- [23:07 – 30:44] - The Rep Speed Cue I Use to Gauge True Training Intensity
- [30:44 – 34:13] - Why Recording Your Warm-Up Sets Improves Technique
- [34:13 – 37:00] - High-Skill Exercises: Don't Push Past Technical Failure
- [37:00 – 40:52] - Building Better Technique, Confidence & Long-Term Progress

Links & Resources:

Purchase The Complete Fat Loss Guide: https://coryfit.com/product/the-complete-fat-loss-guide/

Purchase The Glute Building Blueprint: https://coryfit.com/product/the-complete-glute-building-program/

https://coryfit.com/

⁠Coaching: Let's Chat⁠https://calendly.com/coryfit-coaching/15min

⁠Consults: Book a Call⁠https://calendly.com/coryfit-coaching/one-time-consultation

For more content, follow along:⁠Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/cory_fit/

Patreon⁠: https://patreon.com/CoryFit?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink

When should you lower the weight instead of pushing through the set?

In this episode, I break down the eight biggest signs that the load you're using is limiting your progress instead of driving it. I explain how movement quality, stability, exercise execution, recovery, and proximity to failure should determine your training decisions—not your ego.

We discuss why poor positioning changes the muscles you're training, how to distinguish acceptable technique breakdown from compensations that reduce hypertrophy, when it's appropriate to push through imperfect reps, and why lowering the weight can actually lead to more muscle growth over time.

If your goal is building bigger glutes, improving exercise execution, maximizing hypertrophy, or making smarter progressive overload decisions, this episode will help you know exactly when it's time to reduce the load and focus on quality over quantity.

Timestamps:

- [00:00 – 05:18] – When Lowering The Weight Is The Smarter Decision
- [05:18 – 08:15] – Sign #1: You're Losing Position Early In The Set
- [08:15 – 16:49] – Sign #2: The Severity Of Your Technique Breakdown Matters
- [16:49 – 20:11] – Sign #3: You Can't Correct Your Technique (And The Important Exceptions)
- [20:11 – 24:10] – Sign #4: The Weight Is Controlling You
- [24:10 – 25:18] – Why You're Growing Hamstrings & Adductors Instead Of Glutes
- [25:18 – 28:23] – Sign #5: Your Exercise Has Become A Different Exercise
- [28:23 – 33:11] – Sign #6: You're Failing Too Early In The Rep Range
- [33:11 – 36:55] – Sign #7: Recovery Is Limiting Your Performance
- [36:55 – 42:35] – Sign #8: When The Weight Increases Your Injury Risk

Links & Resources:

Purchase The Complete Fat Loss Guide: https://coryfit.com/product/the-complete-fat-loss-guide/

Purchase The Glute Building Blueprint: https://coryfit.com/product/the-complete-glute-building-program/

https://coryfit.com/

⁠Coaching: Let's Chat⁠https://calendly.com/coryfit-coaching/15min

⁠Consults: Book a Call⁠https://calendly.com/coryfit-coaching/one-time-consultation

For more content, follow along:⁠Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/cory_fit/

Patreon⁠: https://patreon.com/CoryFit?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink