Fitness Distilled

The Best Of What's Out There Is On Here

sideBio

I’m the Group Training Director for Muscle&Fitness and Men’s Fitness magazines. I write about and edit workouts, diets, exercise trends, and the regimens of celebrities and athletes. I’m the author of The Men’s Fitness Exercise Bible (aka 101 Best Workouts Of All Time), an Amazon.com best-seller, and the e-book The Truth About Strength Training. I’ve also been the fitness editor at Muscle & Fitness Hers and Sly magazine, and I’ve done fitness and nutrition segments for several television and radio stations, including WNYW Fox 5 in New York City and ESPN AM1000.

How It all Started…

Looking back at all of the above, it’s nothing short of miraculous, because there’s no one who knew me as a child who ever would have imagined I’d get involved with muscles and health. I was a sickly, scrawny kid with no acumen for sports, which made me an easy target for bullies. I took up martial arts to gain some self-defense skills and confidence, but I still didn’t like what I saw in the mirror. In college, I discovered weight training and have been immersed in it ever since. I became a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (C.S.C.S.) and nutrition fanatic, bulking my way up as high as 245 pounds, then back down to 205, and up again (about 225 as of this writing). I’ve competed in strongman and dieted down to single-digit body fat—in the same year. Using my own methods, I lost 35 pounds in 10 weeks while maintaining a 450-pound squat.

Where I am Now

These days, I’m living a longtime and hard-earned dream working in Los Angeles, just miles from where some of my fitness heroes trained, and where my favorite 80s action movies were shot.

After years of working with practically every top expert in the fitness industry and sifting through the enormous volume of training programs, diets, and supplements that have come across my desk—and being a guinea pig for more than a few of them—I’ve come to a few conclusions. On this site, I’ll share with you the ones that worked, and offer fair warning about the few that absolutely sucked. I’ll get to the root of what you really need to know to improve your body and your life.

It’s long been my job, but it’s always been my passion. This is fitness distilled.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

“Sean has put together a fantastic collection of workouts [The Men’s Fitness Exercise Bible].”

Arnold Schwarzenegger
7-time Mr. Olympia, movie star, and former governor of California

Jake Steinfeld

“Sean understands that fitness isn’t just sets, reps, and protein shakes. To change someone’s body, you have to get them to change their mind, too. Sean is a great motivator with a tremendous passion for helping people, and he has the right ideas about what they need to achieve their goals.”

Jake Steinfeld
founder, Body By Jake, and creator of the personal fitness training industry

Joe Defranco

“Sean Hyson’s 101 Best Workouts is an invaluable resource for any athlete, coach, or lifter. He literally has workouts in there for every situation imaginable. If you’re stuck in a rut, or just want some new workout ideas, this is the book for you. Trust me, I know this first hand; I used the book as a resource when designing the workouts for Triple H and Stephanie McMahon’s WWE workout DVD’s!”

Joe Defranco
strength and conditioning coach, co-creator of CPPS certification

Jason Ferruggia

“Sean has learned from all the masters. He’s trained under or with the top trainers in the world.”

Jason Ferruggia
Fitness expert, life coach, and author

“Sean Hyson may well be the most knowledgeable fitness editor in the business.”

David Zinczenko
author of The Abs Diet and Eat This, Not That!

Nate Miyaki

“Sean cuts through the complication and fluff of the fitness industry and gets down to what really works—straightforward yet comprehensive training programs, and effective yet flexible diet programs.”

Nate Miyaki
Nutrition coach and author

“Working with Sean I was able to lose over 15 pounds in 3 months despite a very hectic schedule without losing muscle. Sean cares about his clients and is motivated to see them succeed.”

Darren Chiappetta
coordinating producer for WWE