Emmanuel Acho, James Jones, Chase Daniel and T. J. Houshmandzadeh share what they each need to see from Caleb Williams as he looks to bounce back in Week 9 against the Arizona Cardinals.
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How impressive was the Jets’ 21-14 win vs. Texans? | The Facility
James Jones discusses the impressive New York Jets’ 21-14 win over the Houston Texans.
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Amazon Is Selling a $100 Kershaw Pocket Knife for Only $50, and Shoppers Say It’s ‘Sturdy and Stylish’
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While gear outfitters like REI and Huckberry may first come to mind when shopping for everyday carry essentials, Amazon is the place to look for high-quality but affordable pocket knives. Lately, the marketplace has been filled with incredible discounts on models from Gerber, Victorinox, Smith & Wesson, and more, but there’s one special knife from Kershaw that might be the best-looking of the bunch, and it just had its price cut in half.
The Kershaw Leek Pocket Knife is on sale for $50—a 50% discount on its normal price of $100. This slim, compact folding blade is a sure bet for both quality and style: Hundreds are sold on Amazon every month, and it has earned over 1,000 five-star ratings from shoppers who call it “sturdy and stylish” and note that it “feels good in the hand.” This knife is on sale in Kershaw’s BlackWash color—one of the brand’s most intricate-looking finishes—and right now, Amazon has the best price available.
Kershaw Leek BlackWash Pocket Knife, $50 (was $100) on Amazon
This Kershaw knife is made in the US and features a 3-inch, drop-point plain-edge blade. The blade is crafted from Sandvik 14C28N stainless steel, which gives it superior edge retention and also makes it easy to resharpen. It wears a black oxide coating for sleek looks and added scratch resistance. The blade is paired with a tough stainless steel handle that’s also coated in BlackWash, and the handle features a reversible pocket clip, so you can carry the knife on either side, tip up or tip down. The Leek is equipped with Kershaw’s SpeedSafe design, so you can safely open the blade with one hand, and the frame lock and tip lock keep the blade secure and in place whether it’s opened or closed. Like any good pocket knife, it’s also super portable: It measures just 4 inches long when closed, and weighs a paltry 3 ounces.
Amazon reviewers have heaped praise on the Leek in BlackWash, highlighting its sturdy build and excellent functionality. “For a daily carry, nothing compares to this little Kershaw,” one shopper said. “It’s simply the best pocket knife I’ve ever handled.”
Related: The 55 Best Amazon Gifts for Men of 2024 From DeWalt, Apple, and More
“It is a thin, no-BS efficient cutting tool,” said another shopper, who added that it’s “easy as hell to sharpen and effective at cutting.”
A quality blade like the Kershaw Leek will last for years to come, and at half off, it’s an especially worthy investment. But don’t wait around on this one: These knives are selling fast, and a deep discount like this likely won’t last much longer.
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Author: Michael Charboneau
Terry McLaurin on track to make the Commanders’ offense among the NFL’s best
After a slow start, Terry McLaurin is picking up steam for the Commanders, who are 6-2 and in first place in the NFC East.
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Meet UConn’s Sarah Strong, more of the top freshmen in women’s basketball
Here’s a look at some of the freshmen poised to make an impact this season, highlighted by Sarah Strong and Justice Carlton.
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7 of the best hiking trails in Vermont
Lush with hardwood forests that turn a rainbow of colors in spring and fall, splashed wildflowers and striped with autumn leaves, Vermont is made for hikers.
Jump in lakes, ponds or waterfalls to cool off and you’re never far from town at hike’s end. The locavore movement started in Vermont, and the state has more artisan cheesemakers per capita than anywhere else in the US, as well as a vibrant microbrewery and microdistillery scene. In other words, there’s always a tasty reward waiting when you’re out of the woods.
1. The Long Trail
Best thru-hike
272 miles (438km), 5-28 days, easy to challenging
The original thru-hike, the Long Trail is the oldest continuous footpath in the United States and the inspiration for the Appalachian Trail. Meandering along the spine of the Green Mountains, through northern hardwood forests and past alpine tundra, over and sometimes through mountain brooks and streams, the trail extends from Massachusetts to Canada.
Complete the end-to-end hike, and you’ll get bragging rights. But most people do day trips, “section hiking” it over years by hitting the trail for the weekend or even just for an afternoon. More than 166 miles of side trails provide access to the Long Trail and its 70 backcountry campsites.
In southern Vermont, the Long Trail and the Appalachian Trail share the same corridor for 100 miles. The trail gets increasingly rugged as it climbs north toward Mt Mansfield and Jay Peak. Some steep inclines in the north have permanent ladders to help hikers scramble up precipitous rock faces.
Every season on the Long Trail has its wonders and its challenges. Carpets of spring flowers can be accompanied by rainy weather and soggy or snowy summits; warmer summer temps can be crowded, humid and buggy. In fall, the weather is once again unpredictable, but the kaleidoscope of autumn leaves is like nothing else you’ll ever witness. Winter on the trail is beautiful and otherworldly but requires the right clothing and navigation skills.
2. Mt Hunger
Best hike for views of Mt Mansfield
4.2 miles (6.8km), 3 hours, challenging
For views of Mt Mansfield, Vermont’s highest peak, from a vantage point in a different mountain range, hike up 3,538ft Mt Hunger. The trailhead is about 45 minutes from Burlington, Vermont’s biggest city, and about 15 minutes from Stowe.
The first mile is mellow, then this out-and-back hike climbs consistently for 2,263ft to the top, and though it’s challenging you’ll be rewarded with panoramic views of the Green Mountain State. Along the way, you’ll step up rocky stairs, traverse under mossy waterfalls, splash in a swimming hole and finally top out on Mt Hunger’s rocky summit, with 360-degree views of New Hampshire’s Presidential Range to the east and the spine of the Green Mountains to the north, south and west.
The last mile is the steepest, but hikers agree that the bird’s-eye view of northern New England is well worth the effort.
3. Mt Philo
Best hike for spotting hawks
1.4-1.9 miles (2.25-3km), 1-1.5 hours, moderate
Champlain Valley, home to Lake Champlain, is called Vermont’s breadbasket for its fertile lowland soils and abundant agriculture. The hike up Mt Philo delivers sweeping views of the Valley, as well as Lake Champlain and New York’s million-acre Adirondack Park. Located in Charlotte (pronounced Shar-lot), 968ft Mt Philo stands proud inside Vermont’s 232-acre Mt Philo State Park.
In the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) planted trees and built roads, trails, a campground, ranger quarters, a picnic area and a summit lodge on top of this natural viewpoint.
Some hikers prefer to follow the paved road to the summit. Others seek out stretches of trail along the way. The paved road and the park’s trails both give walkers and hikers access to the park’s hardwood forests, a glimpse of Mt Philo’s mid-mountain cliff band and, of course, a summit to take in the surroundings.
It’s one of the best locations to spot hawks in Vermont, particularly at the end of September. Mt Philo has the state record for the largest number of migrating raptors seen in a single day – 3,688. Reserve one of the park’s 10 campsites and drive up the access road, or park at the bottom and pay a fee at the entry gate for day use.
4. Grout Pond Trail
Best hike for recreational opportunities
2.7 miles (4.3 km), 1-1.5 hours, easy
Altitude gain doesn’t define a great hike. Circumnavigate 80-acre Grout Pond, and you only climb 249ft, but you will spot loons, kayakers, wildflowers, mushrooms and mosses while cradled in the heart of the Green Mountains.
Located in the 1,600-acre Grout Pond Recreation Area, Grout Pond is an awesome place to take a dip, cast a line or put in for a paddle. The rec area has 10 miles of multi-use, nonmotorized trails that connect to the Somerset Reservoir trail system, which in winter is home to Vermont’s end-to-end ski trail, the Catamount. The low-lying trails can be wet, so there are boardwalks in sections. There’s also camping, canoeing, kayaking and fishing if you want to mix it up.
5. Mt Mansfield via Sunset Ridge
Best hike for altitude
5.9 miles (9.5km), 3.5 hours, challenging
If you come to Vermont to hike, don’t leave until you’ve conquered Mt Mansfield. At 4,395ft, Vermont’s highest peak stands sentry over Stowe to the east and Underhill to the west. It’s one of three rocky mountaintops in Vermont where Ice Age alpine tundra still survives.
Legend holds that it was named for its profile, which looks like the forehead, nose, lips, chin and Adam’s apple of a man in repose; the chin is the peak’s summit. There’s also a legend of a mythological deer/wild boar monster that roams Mansfield’s flanks in one direction only. The Wampahoofus is said to have short legs on one side and long ones on the other from traveling through Mansfield’s steep terrain.
There are numerous routes to Mt Mansfield’s summit. Set out from Underhill and hike the open rock ramp called Sunset Ridge, or one of the more challenging trails that parallel it, for the inspiring views. Athletes looking for a challenge should tackle Hell Brook from the Smuggler’s Notch side. The most mellow approach is to drive up the 4.5-mile hairpin-turn Toll Road near the mountain’s “forehead” and traverse to its “chin” (or as far as legs, weather and ambition allow).
6. Mt Abe from Lincoln Gap
Best hike for far-ranging panoramas
5.1 miles (8.2km), 4 hours, challenging
Mt Abraham, dubbed “Mt Abe” by locals, may have been named for former President Abraham Lincoln, but it also may have been named after Revolutionary War hero Benjamin Lincoln, like neighboring Lincoln Peak. Located in Lincoln, Vermont, the peak has also been dubbed Potato Hill and Lincoln Mountain, as well as Mt Abraham Lincoln Mountain.
Whatever you want to call it, the 4,006ft peak is Vermont’s fifth-highest, and the approach to its alpine-tundra-dotted summit ridge is stunning, challenging and breathtakingly beautiful. The most popular trail to the summit follows Vermont’s Long Trail from the summit of Lincoln Gap.
The trail traverses along a rocky path until it hits a lean-to-style shelter with a picnic table and a privy. Then it’s a stout scramble to the summit and one of the best panoramas on the Long Trail. On a clear day, hikers can see New York’s highest peak, Mt Marcy to the west, the slopes of Killington Resort to the south, and 80 miles to the east Mt Washington dominates the skyline of New Hampshire’s Presidential Range.
7. South Trail, Mt Pisgah
Best hike for mountain lakes and nesting falcons
4.1 miles (6.6 km), 2.75 hours, moderate
In Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, Lake Willoughby is one of Vermont’s coldest and deepest bodies of water. Glaciers carved the slash of a lake and pushed up peaks on either side. Mt Pisgah forms the east side of Willoughby Gap, and its sister peak, Mt Hor, towers over the lake’s west side.
Start on the South Trail and you’ll hike for a mile to Pulpit Rock, a peregrine-falcon nesting area and one of the mountain’s best panoramas of Lake Willoughby. Hikers who just want a view sometimes turn around here, while others take the side trail to a rocky perch that feels like it overhangs the lake from 650ft above.
Continue on and it’s a moderate-to-challenging dirt path to the summit ridge and more views of northern Vermont and southern Canada as the ridge veers eastward away from the lake.
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Split Squat vs Lunge: Which Is Better for Gaining Size and Strength?
Ask the strongest man in the world what the best leg workout is to build strength and stability, and they’d probably say you need barbell back squats and deadlifts. But ask someone like Ben Patrick, Knees Over Toes Guy, and he’d point to the split squat. While back squats can help develop brute strength, there’s something to be said about a functional workout that focuses on longevity and quality of movement. In light of that, we’re focusing on the benefits of lunge exercises, and highlighting the difference between the split squat vs lunge and Bulgarian split squat vs lunge—riffs on a foundational movement.
For athletes just starting out, split squats can help build basic strength, coordination, and balance before advancing to more intense variations like reverse lunges and walking lunges, which are more demanding and dynamic, requiring a greater degree of balance and coordination. From here, you can further advance to Bulgarian split squats. This step-by-step approach builds stronger legs and creates a solid foundation for more advanced, goal-specific training.
Below we’ll show you how to perform each with perfect form, and the unique benefits. By the end, you’ll know the difference between split squat vs lunge and Bulgarian split squat vs lunge; how to incorporate these leg-day staples into your workouts; and learn advanced lunge variations.
Split Squat vs Lunge
The split squat and lunge might look similar—both use a split stance, working one leg at a time while emphasizing glutes, quads, hamstrings, and even some core stability. However, key differences affect how they load your muscles, joint stability, and overall workout outcome.
Split squats keep your feet stationary while lunges introduce a forward or backward step, which adds dynamic movement that requires more balance and control. When comparing the split squat vs lunge, the split squat focuses on isolated strength and stability, while lunges deliver a functional approach to lower-body training.
As noted, a lunge is more dynamic. You’ll typically step forward (or backward) with each rep, adding movement through the lower body while training stability and control as you balance through each step. Lunges are versatile, with variations like walking lunges, reverse lunges, or side lunges, each offering unique benefits and muscle emphasis.
Choosing between these exercises often depends on your fitness goals. Want to isolate muscles with control? Split squats are your friend. Looking to train for power and better coordination? Lunges can offer that dynamic edge. Read on to learn how to do a lunge and master split squat form.
Split Squat
Beth Bischoff
How to Do It
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your left foot behind you so you’re in a staggered stance, to start
- Bend both knees to drop into a lunge; they should make 90-degree angles.
- Drive through your feet to stand.
- That’s 1 rep.
Pro Tip
Keep your feet pointed forward and focus on moving straight up and down.
Lunge
Beth Bischoff
The lunge exercise adds dynamic movement, giving you a great option to train balance and coordination alongside strength.
How to Do It
- Start by standing tall with your feet hip-width apart and arms relaxed at your sides.
- Step forward with one leg, bending both knees to lower your back knee toward the ground.
- Aim for a 90-degree angle in both knees, keeping your front knee in line with your ankle.
- Keep your torso upright throughout, engaging your core to avoid leaning forward.
- Push through your front heel to rise and return your stepping leg to the starting position.
- That’s 1 rep.
- Alternate legs with each step for a forward lunge or step back for a reverse lunge.
Pro Tip
Try walking lunges for a full lower-body workout or reverse lunges to focus more on stability with reduced knee stress and hip-focused strength.
Bulgarian Split Squat vs Lunge
If you want an even more intense activation of your glutes, quads, and hamstrings, elevate your back foot to perform a Bulgarian split squat. This version not only works said muscles to a greater degree but also has an added stability challenge.
Bulgarian Split Squat
James Michelfelder
How to Do It
- To start, position yourself with one foot forward and the other foot behind in a staggered stance.
- Engage your core to keep your torso upright, ensuring stability.
- Lower yourself by bending both knees and dropping the back knee straight toward the floor to a 90-degree angle.
- Keep your weight focused on the front heel, engaging your quads and glutes.
- Pause briefly at the bottom, then push through the front heel to return to the start.
- That’s 1 rep.
Related: Push, Pull, Legs Program: Simple Regimen to Build Muscle
Benefits of Split Squats
Split squats are a fantastic tool for building leg and glute strength, especially when you want a controlled, stationary movement.
Isolated Leg Strength
Since split squats are stationary, they emphasize strength in a fixed position, allowing you to target the quads and glutes without as much need for coordination or balance as with a lunge.
Enhanced Muscle Activation
Variations like the Bulgarian split squat significantly activate the glutes, hamstrings, and quads, especially with the elevated foot, adding resistance. It’s an excellent go-to for hypertrophy.
Less Strain on the Knees
With controlled movement and focus on form, split squats are easier on the knees than lunges, making them safer for people with knee sensitivities.
Improved Mobility and Flexibility
The deep stretch on your back leg’s hip flexor promotes hip mobility, making split squats a great choice to enhance flexibility in your lower body.
Related: Master the 5×5 Workout to Build Strength, Muscle, and Power
Benefits of Lunges
Lunge exercises are one of the best moves for building functional strength. It engages the glutes, quads, hamstrings, and core while training balance and coordination. Variations like reverse lunges allow for reduced forward knee strain, making them ideal for those with knee sensitivities, while walking lunges give a full-body conditioning boost.
Lunges are more dynamic than the split squat because they not only require balance but coordination with the muscle groups in your legs, glutes, and core.
Increased Functional Strength
Lunges mimic everyday movements, like walking up stairs or getting up from a seated position, making them a highly functional exercise that improves daily strength.
Coordination and Balance
The forward or reverse movement of lunges engages stabilizer muscles and the core, training you to control your balance and coordination with each step.
Variety of Modifications
With options like walking, reverse, or side lunges, you can adjust this move to target different muscles or fit various workout goals. Reverse lunges are particularly beneficial for those with knee concerns, as they reduce forward knee stress.
Cardio Conditioning
Lunges in a series or circuit can increase your heart rate, serving as a cardio component while strengthening your lower body.
Improved Power
Training lunges with the intent of driving through the concentric phase (contracting your muscles as you rise) with speed will enhance lower body power.
Related: 15 Best Lunge Variations to Build Muscular Legs
The Main Takeaways
Split squats and lunges both offer unique benefits, but which you choose should align with your specific goals. Split squats (especially Bulgarian split squats) are invaluable for isolated strength and control. On the other hand, lunges are excellent for dynamic balance and functional strength. Integrating both exercises into your routine is your best bet if you want a leg workout targeting stability, mobility, and power.
Split Squat Variations
Whether you want to grow your legs, improve balance, or get a full lower-body workout, split squats can take your training to the next level. Once you advance, try these advanced split squat variations.
ATG Split Squat
Forrest Conner
How to Do It
- To start, place your left foot on a wedge atop a weight plate and step your right foot far back into an exaggerated split-squat position, heel lifted.
- Keep your chest tall and back straight as you bend your left knee to lower into a deep split squat.
- That’s 1 rep.
- Perform all reps on one side, then switch.
Swiss Ball Split Squat
Justin Steele
How to Do It
- Hold a light (15- to 20-pound) kettlebell beneath the chin.
- Start in a split-squat position, left foot back and top of foot on stability ball, right foot forward, a slight bend in right knee.
- Keeping chest high, drop left knee toward ground, then reverse for one rep.
- Do all reps with the right foot on the ball, then switch sides.
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Author: Jarrod Nobbe
Election Violence Is Already Here
With bombs, brawls, and stolen mail-in ballots already in play, the 2024 election is shaping up to be exceptionally chaotic. WIRED is tracking these incidents as they unfold.
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Author: Tess Owen
My first DIY phone fix made me a self-repair believer
My first DIY smartphone repair project was off to an inauspicious start.
I’d successfully removed the back of the HMD Skyline, but the next instruction called for a T3 screwdriver bit. I had a T4 bit, which worked well enough to turn the screw that popped the corner of the phone’s back panel up. But a T4 was just too big for the tiny screws holding the battery connector cover in place. I needed that T3.
The Skyline is one of HMD’s latest user-repairable phones. It’s a midrange phone, one of the first Android phones with Qi2 wireless charging, plus a 6.55-inch OLED panel, three rear cameras, and a big 4,600mAh battery for $449. In my limited use, the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 seems prone to lagginess, and the 1080p screen resolution really…
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Author: Allison Johnson
Matthew Lillard Names the Movie Which Made His Career ‘Irrelevant’
Actor Matthew Lillard has reflected on the one movie he thought would put him on the A-list, but in fact turned his career “irrelevant.”
The film he was referring to was, perhaps unsurprisingly, the 2004 sequel Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. Lillard was impeccably cast as Shaggy in the live-action reboot of the popular Hanna-Barbera cartoon. The 2002 original overcame disastrous reviews to gross $275 million worldwide, or $481.9 million adjusted for inflation. A sequel was all but guaranteed, for which Lillard earned his biggest payday to date. In his mind, he had made it.
“I thought I’d be No. 1 on the call sheet for the next 10 years of movies,” Lillard explained in a recent interview with Business Insider. “And the reality was the exact opposite happened.”
Monsters Unleashed grossed a comparatively paltry $181 million worldwide against a reported budget of $80 million, not including press and marketing costs. It was such a disaster that Warner Bros. axed plans for a third installment. The disappointing returns brought Lillard’s career to a swift and unexpected halt.
“I was caught up in the success of what I was doing, I was caught up in the parts I was getting, I was caught up in this drive to be quote-unquote famous,” Lillard admitted. “I was going to do Dancing with the Stars. And I was like, if I do Dancing with the Stars, I’ll never win an Academy Award. If I do Dancing with the Stars, I’ll be famous and not a great actor, and I really just wanted to be a great actor.”
Lillard wasn’t exactly on fire before Scooby-Doo, but he had enough successful, teen-centric credits such as Scream (1996) and She’s All That (1999) to be on a path to leading man opportunities. Unfortunately, after Monsters Unleashed, his career lay dormant for the better part of a decade. Instead, he voiced Shaggy in a series of animated Scooby-Doo installments and took frequent guest roles on network shows and in low-budget movies.
“I’ve gone through good patches and bad patches. I’ve been irrelevant and thought I was never going to work again,” Lillard admitted.
His next major theatrical release would not be until 2011 with a key role in Alexander Payne’s Oscar-winning dramedy The Descendents. Lillard earned rave reviews for playing the man who had an affair with the lead character’s comatose wife (George Clooney). The role resurrected Lillard’s career and bequeathed him with acting opportunities for which he wouldn’t have been considered in the Scooby-Doo days.
He went on to appear in David Lynch’s Twin Peaks revival and as the bad guy in the massively successful Five Nights at Freddy’s film adaptation. Lillard is currently shooting the sequel, due out next year.
The actor said that his career prospects changed only when his outlook on the business changed and he stopped focusing solely on recognition and salary. “I said, ‘I just want to be an actor. I just want to be in movies. I want to reset my expectations,'” he resolved.
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Author: Declan Gallagher