“There’s nothing sexy whatsoever with good old-fashioned weight training!” – Charles Staley Strength coach and athlete Charles Staley made this point during an interview on the Super Strength Show. He believes that, to an outsider, weight training seems boring. “That’s why you can’t make a reality show out of it,” he says. “If you try…
In this article, we’ll explore how strength training can improve posture. I won’t bore you with why so-called “ideal” posture is important—you can read my article Woman’s Posture from a Man’s Perspective for that—but I will offer practical tips to correct poor posture. Addressing Muscle Imbalances for Better Posture Effective corrective exercise should focus on:✅…
Common Weight Training Injuries JP: What are the most common weight training injuries you see in your practice? Dr. S: The biggest issues I see stem from muscular imbalances—particularly between the superficial front and back lines (for more on this, check out Anatomy Trains). Tight hamstrings are a major culprit, but just as often, injuries…
For those who have read my article The Variable Recovery Training System, an advanced version exists. The routine is exactly the same as outlined in the article, except the major A exercises are rotated over three variations. The movement pattern remains similar, but recovery is extended even further between specific movement patterns. Day 1 (Vertical…
If you think the anti-ice movement is gaining steam, you’re right! Here’s a recent study on the topic: Does Regular Post-exercise Cold Application Attenuate Trained Muscle Adaptation?Yamane M, Ohnishi N, Matsumoto T. Int J Sports Med. 2015 Mar 11. This study examined the effects of regular post-exercise cold application on muscular and vascular adaptations induced…
Here are two common questions in the strength world: You’ll find experts on both sides of the debate, but the truth is that any stimulus works for a period of time until you adapt. However, there’s a way to combine these methods within a single workout for a powerful response. Here’s how to do it……
Recent research has shown that strength, rather than endurance, is the key to maintaining functional capacity in aging adults. One of the biggest concerns for seniors, especially women, is osteoporosis. We often hear about seniors falling and breaking bones, but the reality is that their bones often break first, causing them to fall. Weight-bearing exercise…
Dutch exercise physiologist Dr. Jan Voss was one of the early researchers of muscle fiber types. As part of his research, Voss performed numerous muscle biopsies on himself and observed that the color of his gastrocnemius muscle tissue would change from week to week. Sometimes, there was a predominance of red (slow-twitch) fibers; other times,…
Before you read on, watch this video: Now, you may be asking yourself—what’s the big deal? A few chin-ups, so what? Well, those few chin-ups were a big deal to me. That was the first set of supinated-grip chins I performed after my distal biceps surgery. Trust me, it’s been on my mind ever since….
For volume training with intermediate and advanced athletes, legendary strength and conditioning coach Al Vermeil recommends wave-like loading when performing squats and presses. Too much high-volume, low-intensity work can detrain the nervous system over time. This scheme works well to counter that effect: Wave 1set 1: 8-10 repsset 2: 4-6 reps Wave 2set 3: 8-10…