The Biggest Loser…
NBC’s The Biggest Loser started a couple of weeks ago and I’ve been watching. I’ve caught a few episodes here and there over the past seasons, and sometimes hang on for a full season.
I’m liking this show right now, and I’ll tell you why.
In a society where pills, surgery, and other shortcuts seem to be the norm, the show’s trainers (Bob and Jillian) emphasize a good diet and hard exercise. And they work their victims to the bone too.
On top of that, they use real exercises for strength training. I don’t think I’ve seen them doing concentration curls or tricep extensions. They do squats, deadlifts, thrusters, etc.
This season I think I’ve seen kettlebells in each episode. They have also used Read more
Popularity: 23% [?]
Long time, still no posting…
Hey guys,
Once again I have gone too long without adding new content to this site. I’ve also been slacking off in my training as well.
However, I’ve recently decided to make some commitments, and part of that involved getting back into my training, as well as beginning to post here again.
I’ve always had an interest in “old time” stuff, and strength training is no different. Strength athletes from the late 1800’s up to the 1950’s and 1960’s have interested me almost since I started training.
These guys built crazy strength (and also had the physiques to show it) with remedial equipment, little to no nutritional supplements, and no steroids (until the 1950’s I believe).
So, I’m thinking about maybe starting a new category just for this stuff. I’m not going to turn this into an “old time strength training” site, but do plan on posting more methods, advice, and techniques from the old days.
Popularity: 28% [?]
Functional Strength Training…
“Functional strength training” has become a buzzword. However, as popular as it seems, there are still people everywhere who don’t get it. So, let’s take a quick look at what it is, why it’s important, and how to do it.
Functional strength training is basically using exercises in your workouts that transfer to real life in a practical way. Think about your training program – especially if you’re into bodybuilding. Will tricep extensions carry over to real life? What about chest crossovers? Leg extensions? Leg curls? No, they won’t. Even the ever-popular bench press offers very little in the way of practical use. None of these will be much use to you as you Read more
Popularity: 76% [?]
Gaining Size… Why?
I’ve had this thought on and off over the years and thought I’d post.
I remember when I was 18. I saw some photos of bodybuilder Achim Albrecht in a muscle magazine and thought, “Man, I’d love to look like that.” If I remember right, he was about 5′10″ (my height), and weighed about 250 (about 100 pounds more than me). But, I really wanted to look like that.
I just looked up some photos of him (same photos, in fact) and, well… Read more
Popularity: 30% [?]
Proper Squatting Form
Even though I’m an advocate of working out at home, I still go to the gym once in a while. I’ll get the occasional urge to do something a little different that I don’t want to do (or can’t do) at home, or maybe just want a change of scenery. It’s also a good opportunity for me to get a chance to see what others are doing, and see some common mistakes.
The squat rack is, sadly, one station that doesn’t get much action. And when it does, it’s often by people who could use some help. So, here are a few pointers on cleaning up your squatting technique.
- Don’t rest the bar too high on your traps. Let it sit comfortably low. Too high and it’s too close to your neck. This can hurt your neck, as well as put an awkward tilt in your upper body, which is bad form.
- Toes should be about shoulder-width apart, pointed slightly outward, and your knees should track over them.
- Bend at the hips first, sticking your butt out back. Don’t bend your knees first.
- Sit back rather than down. Imagine you’re going to sit in a chair that’s slightly too far behind you.
- Squat between your legs. As Dan John said long ago, your body doesn’t fold like an accordion. You’re not accordion-folding your hips, thighs and knees. Squat down between them. To get the idea, try to squat (bodyweight only) all the way down, sitting on your haunches. To do this, you’ll have to squat between your legs. If you “accordion-fold”, your balance will likely be off and you’ll fall backwards. Remember this “between the legs” thing.
- Keep your shins fairly vertical. If you’re doing everything else right (hips first, sitting back not down, between the legs), then your shins will automatically remain relatively vertical.
- Squat below parallel. Be honest with yourself – did your hip joint get level with your knees or lower? If you’re just dipping down a few inches, you’re kidding yourself. Take some weight off of the bar so you can go below parallel.
- Drive the weight up with your hips, glutes and thighs. Think of them as one unit to create the hip-drive necessary to lift the weight.
The above is a description of how to do a standard squat for normal trainees. There are more advanced methods that don’t exactly fit this model, which I won’t discuss here. You also may notice that the overall method is similar to the kettlebell swing. It all centers around proper body mechanics to create a powerful hip drive.
If you’ve been squatting with poor form, take some weight off the bar and start from the beginning. You’ll be better off in the long run, with better gains and an overall safer lift. Leave your ego at the door.
One issue that sometimes comes up is whether squats are bad for the knees. The answer is yes and no. If you are squatting with poor form – especially if you’re bending at the knees first – then you’re putting your knees at risk. Another indicator is your shins. If your shins are moving significantly forward of vertical, then you are likely putting undue stress on your knees.
Another potential knee problem is squatting all the way to the ground if you don’t know what you’re doing. Squatting all the way to the ground, with added weight on your back can damage your knees if you release tension. You need to hold tension in the knee in this position. Relaxing in this position (with a barbell) can put extra stress on the tendon/ligament structure of the knee because of the stretching effect caused by the leverage of your leg musculature and the weight. It takes a conscious effort to hold tension in this position, so I don’t recommend it without an experienced trainer.
Given that, most people will be fine using the guidelines listed above for proper squatting technique. The squat is an excellent exercise, and is one of the best if your goal is overall size and strength. But be sure you’re doing it right!
Popularity: 58% [?]
