This morning marked the final medicine ball session of the year. Next week, I’ll be transitioning into a strength and hypertrophy phase—the first phase of Mass Explosion. I never eat before my early morning med ball workouts. I’m up at 5:00 a.m., take some BCAAs as outlined in Lean and Mean, and I’m on the…
Check out my heart rate variability (HRV) reading after receiving an adrenal IV drip yesterday—it’s one of the highest scores I’ve ever recorded! To put things into perspective, my average HRV typically sits in the 30s, and the max usually ranges between 50–70. Yesterday’s reading exceeded that range, and I felt the difference—my training session…
When performing back barbell step-ups, it’s essential to find the proper step height before adding any significant load. Begin with an empty bar and a low step, then gradually raise the step height until you reach a position that works best for your mobility, balance, and strength. Once you’ve determined the ideal height, slowly increase…
Here’s a simple way to reduce stress on your shoulders during pressing movements. Next time you’re in the gym, take a look around. Most people perform presses with a pronated grip (palms forward) and flared elbows—an approach that can put a lot of strain on the shoulders and eventually lead to injury. A healthier alternative…
Elastic resistance is a fantastic way to overload the top range of a lateral raise, placing more emphasis on the medial deltoid—an area often neglected in conventional pressing movements. One way to increase resistance is by widening your stance on the tube. But once a single tube no longer challenges you enough, it’s time to…
Yesterday we looked at a simple fix to reduce hip stress during wide-stance squats and deadlifts. Today, let’s shift our focus to decreasing shoulder stress during pressing movements. Next time you’re at the gym, take a look around—chances are, most people are pressing with a pronated grip (palms forward) and elbows flaring way out to…
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Franco Columbu were known for experimenting in the gym to overcome weaknesses. One of their discoveries: squatting with a wider stance helps develop the inner thighs (see page 123 of Total Recall, Arnold’s autobiography, for more details). This is an area I’ve been targeting over the past couple of years using a…
For several weeks now, 15-year-old Joseph has been working hard on hanging-band squats and assisted chin-ups. Friday night he was able to see what effect that type of training has had. After working up to 45 pounds per side on hanging-band squats, he was ready for conventional squats with the “big plates.” No problem! Now,…
The half-kneeling rope woodchop and reverse woodchop are two exercises that work your obliques in a “spine-friendly” manner. These anti-rotational movements are a solid addition to any program if you want to train your core safely and effectively. Give them a shot!
The Angles90 grips are a great tool to add variety and reduce joint stress during pull-ups. One challenge, however, is that their lower starting position can cause the plates from a chin/dip belt to hit the floor at the bottom of the movement. If that’s the case, switch to a weighted vest like the Xvest…