In Part 1 of this article, we learned what metcons are, why people love them and why you might want to do them. We also discussed four rules to make metcons more effective. To recap: Pick simple exercises Use full body movements Utilize high-intensity, short-duration workouts Limit eccentric loading Here are three more rules to …
High intensity workouts are all the rage. CrossFit. P90x. Insanity. Boot camps. People love them, and it’s not surprising. People love instant gratification. That’s why the aforementioned workout programs are so popular. People want to feel like they went 10 rounds with Mike Tyson (pre-head tattoo and Hangover cameo) because they seek validation for the …
We all know the famous quote by bodybuilding legend Ronnie Coleman: “Everybody wanna be a bodybuilder, but nobody wanna lift this heavy-ass weight.” But something similar could be said about the bench press: “Everybody wanna bench press a house, but nobody wanna take care of their broken-ass shoulders.” Lots of people have really lousy posture …
Deadlifting is hard. That’s why not a lot of people do it. It’s uncomfortable. It takes practice. If you don’t do it right, you’ll probably get hurt. Planet Fitness won’t even let you do it in their gyms. Such is the price you pay for greatness. The deadlift is unmatched by any other exercise in its …
I used to be that guy. Every damn plate in the gym loaded on either side of the leg press. Hands on knees, quads quivering, spotter at the ready. That’s right, I used a spotter on the leg press. Knees locked, I unhinge the safety stops and the madness begins. Nearly half a ton, rep …
Well, it’s been over a month since I’ve posted, but with good reason. I just finished up finals for my last full semester of graduate school and I’m two summer classes away from having my Master’s degree. In celebration of being 99 percent done, I made my way to Ohio with one of my buddies …
The past week of lifting was extremely challenging for me, both physically and mentally. For the first time since November, I trained above 90 percent of my all-time best 1-rep maxes. And I pretty much fell flat on my face. I laid out a minimum amount of volume I needed to accumulate with such (relatively) …
My jaw dropped when I saw the number on the scale. I hadn’t weighed so little since I was in high school. But then I snapped out of it and remembered that it wasn’t the number on the scale that mattered. All I cared about were the numbers on the DEXA scan (used to measure …
“What gets measured gets managed” – Peter Drucker This quote holds true in so many aspects of life. Things that get written down tend to hold higher priority compared to things that are restricted to our memory. Written goals often get accomplished more quickly than goals simply spoken or imagined. It’s tough to live life …
Guns. Pythons. Pipes. Whatever you call them, there’s no denying that big biceps are perhaps the most coveted physical quality in the strength training world. For every person squatting or deadlifting in the average gym, there are 10 people ripping sets of curls, getting a big pump to fill out their schmedium shirt sleeves. Strong …
