Dips on rings significantly increase stabilizer muscle activation. If you include a training phase with ring dips and then switch back to parallel-bar dips, don’t be surprised if your strength gets a noticeable boost. That said, ring dips are highly advanced and not for everyone. Beginners should master ring push-ups before attempting dips to build…
Believe it or not, many lifters get injured not during a set, but while getting in and out of position—either before the exercise starts or after it ends! The lying dumbbell press is a classic example. It can be tricky, especially when you’re handling heavy weights. Unless you have two strong, experienced spotters to hand…
Do you know what the most common injury in the gym is? It’s a weight dropping on your foot. Don’t let it happen! Here’s the right way to load and unload a bar when squatting or bench pressing: There’s a risk involved with any weight training exercise, and deadlifts are no exception. You might get…
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…
If you constantly scratch the scab, you’ll never heal. That applies to any injury, but it’s especially true for shoulder injuries. The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body. It can move the arm into thousands of positions—16,000, to be exact! If you don’t set the scapula and stabilize the joint properly, you…
Every seasoned weight lifter should incorporate bodywork into their restoration regimen. It’s a crucial element for staying strong, mobile, and injury-free. I personally work with five professionals on a regular basis for bodywork: I’ve created a five-part video series to give you a glimpse of what each of them does. Enjoy the behind-the-scenes look at…
You go to an accountant to do your taxes, a lawyer for legal work, and a mechanic to fix your car—so shouldn’t you approach a professional for your fitness needs? Why do so many people think they can do it on their own? Would you do a root canal on yourself? I didn’t think so!…
The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) is popular with many personal trainers—but not so much with researchers. A recent systematic review suggests the FMS isn’t a great tool for predicting injury: Do Functional Movement Screen (FMS) Composite Scores Predict Subsequent Injury? A Systematic Review with Meta-AnalysisAuthors: RW Moran, AG Schneiders, J Mason, SJ Sullivan Aim: To…
For years we’ve been told to avoid behind-the-neck pulldowns and pull-ups. They place tremendous stress on the shoulders when lifting a heavy load with the humeri abducted and in a position of maximum external rotation. It’s a problem waiting to happen. Furthermore, it’s not a natural movement. We’re not really meant to pull things behind…
Staying up to date with scientific research can give you a competitive edge as a personal trainer. Here are some recent findings that can enhance your knowledge and improve your clients’ results: A New RPE Scale for Resistance Training Ratings of perceived exertion are a valid method of estimating the intensity of a resistance training…