The fitness world is exceptionally prone to the overreaction/under-reaction phenomenon. That is, fitness-minded people often fall victim to an all-or-nothing view of certain foods, exercises or training methodologies. Remember how scary dietary fat was in the 80’s? How about evil carbs in the 2000’s? Spinal flexion sure was terrible 10 years ago, but now extension …
The Pull-over is an old-school bodybuilding exercise that was favored by greats like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ronnie Coleman for its back-and-chest-building benefits. It’s pretty versatile, and just a few tweaks to your arm and elbow position can completely transform how this exercise hits your muscles. But there are a few problems with traditional Pull-overs, specifically …
Bodybuilding.com – 2 Pull-Over Variations Your Back Day Needs Read More »
Pick up something heavy. Carry it around. Put it down. Rest. Repeat. Can something this simple be too good to be true? Not in this case. Farmer’s walks build head-to-toe strength and coordination in a way that other weight room exercises can’t. What’s more, farmer’s walks are limited only by your imagination (and possibly grip …
Stack.com – 7 Farmer’s Walk Variations for Improved Core Strength Read More »
I consider myself a bench press guy. I’m built for it. I’ve got T-Rex arms and have always been better at pressing than pulling. And while the bench press is one of my favorite exercises, I’d be lying if I said the simple push-up wasn’t a fantastic exercise for building upper body strength and muscle. …
If you’re reading up on the bench press, you’re bound to come across a handful of consistent recommendations. If you want to press more weight, you have to do X, Y and Z. It almost sounds like there’s a one-size-fits-all solution for a handful of problems. Not true. Just like a baseball player’s swing or a …
Everybody wants a bigger bench press. And if you want a big bench press, you need big triceps. And if you want big triceps, you’d better read my latest article on Stack.com. Don’t be fooled by the skinny, polo-and-Vibrams-wearing trainer who says that arm exercises aren’t “functional.” Avoiding direct arm work is a surefire way …
Since starting my internship at Cressey Sports Performance, my knowledge of shoulder anatomy and function has grown by leaps and bounds. Which is great, because we work with dozens of professional baseball players on a daily basis. But we also see tons of non-athletes who have shoulder issues from overuse, poor posture or less-than-great lifting technique. …
Stack.com – Are You Making These 3 Shoulder Press Mistakes? Read More »
I’m not an expert on many things. But if I had to list the top three things I’m most knowledgable about, it’s: Metallica history One-liners from Jaws and Jurassic Park The bench press And since my target audience doesn’t read any websites regarding the first two topics, I prefer to write about the bench press. And most …
Nothing is more frustrating for a lifter than a stubborn sticking point. And for the bench press, that’s almost always two to three inches off the chest. You bring the bar down and press it back up, only to hit an invisible brick wall and miss the lift. Before you throw a temper tantrum or abandon …
Get It Off Your Chest: 3 Tips to Shatter Your Bench Press Sticking Point Read More »
A few weeks ago, I was training a client and had a funny interaction with my co-worker Steve. I was explaining to the client the difference in rep ranges for building strength and building muscle. “To build muscle,” I said, “you want to stick with high reps, like 8 to 12 per set.” Steve guffawed …
My 3 Favorite Set and Rep Schemes for Fast Muscle Gains Read More »
