Today’s workout reminded me of a very important lesson: Listen to your body! You’re probably expecting a sermon on how it’s best to hold back a bit in training to make continual progress and reduce the chance of injury. Nine times out of ten that’s true, but not always. Once in a blue moon the…
Q: In your article The Russian Approach to Size and Strength T-Nation Archive, you mention “decrease the load by 5% each set” in one section, but in others, no percentage is specified. When it’s left blank, does that mean the weight stays the same? A: It depends on the sequencing method used.
Legendary bodybuilders like Tom Platz and Robby Robinson built their incredible physiques by lifting heavy for high reps. That was one of the secrets to success back in the day—select a heavy weight and keep lifting it rep after rep until you absolutely can’t lift it anymore. As the Iron Guru, Vince Gironda, once said:…
The push-up is one of the most poorly executed exercises. One major issue is core stability—many people resemble a dolphin “swimming” through their reps. The core must remain tight and stable with a neutral spine throughout every repetition. If form breaks down, the set should be terminated. Another common mistake is inadequate depth. Every rep…
If there’s one constant in strength training, it’s variety. Those who vary their programs will often make consistent progress. What’s common in most programs, however, is a lack of variety! Most trainees do the same thing over and over, not only between routines but also within them. They perform the same exercises and set/rep schemes;…