By Will Duru, BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science, Award-winning Personal Trainer with over 10 years of experience in strength training
I grew up watching action films.
Arnold Schwarzenegger in Predator. Sylvester Stallone in Rocky and Rambo. Jean-Claude Van Damme kicking through walls. Carl Weathers standing toe to toe with the best of them. These men were giants on my television screen. They looked powerful. They looked strong. They looked like they could do anything.
I wanted to look like them.
But I was young. I had zero knowledge of the bodybuilding world. I did not know what to do in the gym. I did not know how to eat to build muscle. I did not know what exercises I should be doing. I was completely lost.
Building muscle can be a confusing journey. But having the right people to guide you is amazing. And for me, that guidance came from fitness blogs.
Now, after over 10 years as a personal trainer and founder of the 12REPS app and just12reps.com, I want to share the blogs that helped me most. These sites taught me everything from how to squat properly to how to eat for muscle growth.
The Top 10 Fitness, Strength and Nutrition Blogs
1. Bodybuilding.com
This was the first fitness website I ever found. Bodybuilding.com taught me the basics of strength training and nutrition. Their exercise database is massive. Every exercise has videos and written instructions. When I did not know how to do a Romanian deadlift, I looked it up here. When I did not understand protein timing, I read their articles.
Best for: Complete beginners who need step-by-step guidance on exercises and nutrition basics.
2. Muscle and Strength
Muscle and Strength became my go to site for workout programmes. Their free workout plans are excellent. They have programmes for beginners, intermediate lifters, and advanced athletes. I used their 12-week programmes when I first started training seriously. The site also has great articles on how to build specific muscle groups.
Best for: Finding free workout programmes and learning how to structure your training.
3. Men’s Health
Men’s Health covers more than just muscle building. They write about overall health, mental wellbeing, and lifestyle. Their workout articles are practical and easy to follow. I like that they test products and give honest reviews. The site helped me understand that fitness is about more than just lifting weights.
Best for: Men who want practical fitness advice mixed with lifestyle and health content.
4. Women’s Fitness
Women’s Fitness is essential reading for any trainer who works with women. The site addresses the specific concerns women have about strength training. They bust myths about getting bulky. They explain how hormones affect training. As a trainer, reading this site helped me understand my female clients better.
Best for: Women who want strength training advice written for their specific needs.
5. BarBend
BarBend is brilliant for strength sports. They cover powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting, CrossFit, and strongman. Their equipment reviews are thorough and honest. If you want to know which barbell to buy or which protein powder works best, BarBend has the answer. The site also features news from the strength sports world.
Best for: Serious lifters who want in-depth coverage of strength sports and equipment reviews.
6. Precision Nutrition
Precision Nutrition changed how I think about food. Their articles are based on science, not fads. They explain nutrition in simple terms that anyone can understand. I learned about portion control, meal timing, and how to help clients change their eating habits. This site is gold for anyone who wants to understand nutrition properly.
Best for: Anyone who wants to understand nutrition deeply without confusing jargon.
7. Nerd Fitness
Nerd Fitness makes fitness fun. Steve Kamb created a site that speaks to people who do not fit the typical gym bro mould. The articles are funny and motivating. They break down complex topics into simple steps. Their beginner guides are some of the best on the internet. If you feel intimidated by fitness, start here.
Best for: Beginners who feel intimidated by traditional fitness culture.
8. Breaking Muscle
Breaking Muscle provides quality content from fitness professionals. Their articles go deeper than most sites. They cover training science, movement quality, and coaching techniques. I read this site to improve my knowledge as a trainer. The information is reliable and well researched.
Best for: Fitness professionals and serious enthusiasts who want science-based information.
9. T Nation
T Nation has been around for decades. They publish articles from top coaches and athletes. The training advice is advanced and effective. I learned about periodisation, programming, and advanced techniques from this site. Be warned, some articles are quite hardcore, but the information is solid.
Best for: Intermediate to advanced lifters who want cutting-edge training information.
10. MyFitnessPal Blog
MyFitnessPal Blog is packed with practical nutrition advice. They focus on making healthy eating simple. The recipes are easy to follow. The tips are realistic for busy people. I recommend this site to clients who struggle with meal planning and calorie tracking.
Best for: Anyone who wants simple, practical nutrition tips and healthy recipes.
Why These Blogs Matter
When I started my fitness journey, I made every mistake possible. I trained chest every day because I wanted a bigger chest. I did not eat enough protein. I skipped leg day. I had no plan.
These blogs saved me years of wasted effort. They taught me that consistency beats intensity. They showed me how to structure my training. They explained why nutrition matters as much as training.
Now I am a personal trainer. I help others avoid the mistakes I made. And I built the 12REPS app to make strength training simple for everyone.
Start Your Journey Today
You do not need to be confused about fitness. The information is out there. Read these blogs. Learn from the experts. Apply what you learn.
And when you are ready to put your knowledge into action, download the 12REPS app. It is the workout tracker I wish I had when I started. Track your workouts. Follow proven programmes. Build the body you want.
Start your free trial today and begin your muscle-building journey.
Arnold, Stallone, Van Damme, and Carl Weathers inspired me to start. These blogs taught me how to train. Now it is your turn.
About the Author: Will Duru holds a BSc (Hons) in Sport and Exercise Science and is an award-winning personal trainer with over 10 years of experience in strength training. He is the founder of the 12REPS app and just12reps.com, helping people build muscle and get stronger with simple, effective training programmes.
