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…
Mixing powerlifting-style heavy training with bodybuilding-style moderate rep work is a proven strategy for building size and strength simultaneously. Below are four effective methods to structure your training for maximum results. HEAVY EARLY, MODERATE LATE IN A WORKOUT MondayA. DeadliftB. One-Arm RowC. Pulldown WednesdayA. Back SquatB. Leg PressC. Leg Extension FridayA. Incline Bench PressB. Flat…
Elevating the front or back of the feet during lower body exercises can significantly impact range of motion, body position, and muscle activation. Take squats, for example—raising the heels on a wedge, weight plates, or a 2×4 shifts more emphasis onto the quadriceps and helps those with tight hip flexors and calves squat deeper while…
To maximize intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) during strength training, research indicates that you should breathe deeply (about 75% of maximum) into your belly and hold that breath throughout the rep, exhaling only after completing the movement. This technique provides optimal spinal support, enhances strength, and reduces injury risk. Breathing and Athletic Performance Proper breath control isn’t…
If there’s ever a time not to draw in your navel, it’s during exercise. In fact, this practice should be abandoned altogether unless used for specific rehabilitation purposes. “Sucking in your gut” shifts emphasis away from the working muscles in most gym movements and can actually lead to injury. Yes, keeping the core tight is…
If you want to build a serious set of abdominals, make sure to include these foundational exercises—and their variations—into your routine: squats, deadlifts, pull-ups, and standing overhead presses. These multi-joint movements demand strong abdominal engagement to stabilize the core, especially under heavy loads. It’s not uncommon to hear people complain of abdominal soreness a day…
Can 10 sets of 3 build as much muscle as 3 sets of 10? The short answer is yes—but the type of hypertrophy you experience differs. In strength training, time under tension (TUT) reflects the total duration of a set and is calculated by multiplying the number of reps by the tempo or speed of…
If you’ve been in the muscle-building game for a while, you know that you can’t stay on one routine forever. No matter how well a program works initially, eventually, gains will plateau. When that happens, a change is necessary. However, selecting a random routine from your favorite training website won’t cut it—random workouts lead to…
The famous adage “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail!” applies to strength training as it does to just about any other endeavor. Arriving at the gym with no plan will lead to haphazard results. Tudor Bompa, considered by many as the father of periodization, puts it this way: “In training, nothing happens…
Falls are the leading cause of injury-related death among the elderly (1). In fact, elderly patients are three times more likely to die following a ground-level fall compared to young adults (2). This is often due to weak bones. The common misconception is that seniors fall and then break their bones, but the sad reality…