ZYRA

Articles & guides — page 13

212 pieces on the questions people actually search — how many calories, how much protein, how big a deficit, what a set at RIR 2 means, how the 1RM estimate works, how many sets a week — with every number derived from the formulas the apps use or cited to a source you can open. Training and nutrition education only; never medical advice.

212 articles

Training methods7 min

Unilateral vs bilateral training: which builds more muscle?

A 2025 meta-analysis of 9 studies found no difference in muscle growth between one-side and two-side training. Strength rose most on the style people trained.

Human trial dataTraining methods7 min

What happens if you double your training volume overnight?

In trained lifters, a leg jumped to +120% weekly sets grew about as much as a leg given +20% over 8 weeks: no extra growth, and no sign it blunted growth.

Human trial dataExercise guides5 min

Bench press: muscles worked, setup and progression

Which muscles the barbell bench press works, how to set up, the rep and RIR targets by goal, how the 2.5 kg progression step fires, and the ranked alternatives.

First principlesExercise guides5 min

Incline bench press: muscles worked and how it differs from flat

Muscles the incline bench press works, what changes versus the flat bench (nothing in the count, a lot in the setup), plus targets, steps and alternatives.

First principlesExercise guides5 min

Dumbbell vs barbell bench press: what changes?

Dumbbell vs barbell bench press: same muscles and targets — what changes is the step (2 kg per hand vs 2.5 kg on the bar), the rest timer and the logging.

First principlesExercise guides5 min

Overhead press: muscles worked (barbell, dumbbell, Arnold)

Muscles the overhead press works — shoulders first, triceps and core behind — across the barbell, dumbbell and Arnold press rows, with targets, steps and swaps.

First principlesExercise guides6 min

Lateral raise: muscles worked, dumbbell vs cable

Lateral raise muscles worked: shoulders only in the catalog. Isolation targets (10–15 @RIR 1), the 2 kg step, why the cable version logs per side, and swaps.

First principlesExercise guides6 min

Pull-up vs chin-up: muscles worked and how to progress

Pull-up vs chin-up: one catalog row, two grips (back; biceps, forearms, core). What the grip changes, how bodyweight counts, how a zero-step lift progresses.

First principlesExercise guides5 min

Lat pulldown: muscles worked and grip variations

Muscles the lat pulldown works (back; biceps and forearms secondary), what wide, close and underhand grips change, the 2 kg step and the ranked swaps.

First principlesExercise guides6 min

Barbell row: muscles worked, and the row variations compared

Muscles the barbell row works (back; biceps, forearms), then four catalog rows compared — barbell, single-arm dumbbell, T-bar, seated cable — steps and rest.

First principlesExercise guides6 min

Face pull: muscles worked and how it pairs with rear delt flyes

Muscles the face pull works — shoulders primary, back secondary — and why the rear delt fly is its dumbbell twin: same count, same targets, same 2 kg step.

First principlesExercise guides5 min

Dips: muscles worked — chest dip vs upright tricep dip

Dips muscles worked: two catalog rows — the forward-lean chest dip (chest first) and the upright tricep dip (triceps first). Same three muscles, swapped roles.

First principles

Zyra is a training and nutrition tracking tool. Nothing on this page is medical advice, a diagnosis, or an individual prescription. The numbers are estimates from published formulas and the apps' own rules — consult a qualified professional for decisions about your health, and a coach for your training.