Here is a sample clip from the Warm-Up To Strength Training DVD. Plyometrics can be useful prior to weight training if incorporated properly.
Psychologically, counting reps down is easier than counting up, according to Charles Staley, creator of the Escalating Density Training System. Knowing how many reps remain keeps you focused on the task ahead rather than what’s already been done. Strength and conditioning coach Charles Poliquin also advocates for counting reps down to maintain concentration during a…
In this article, we’ll explore posture improvement through strength training. 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 some tips on how to correct so-called “poor” posture. Corrective exercise should involve movements to…
Unless a planned layoff is scheduled after a training routine, you should always taper in the final workout by doing 30-50% less sets than the previous workout. If you play your cards right, even at half the number of sets, the total workload will not drop much (if at all), but determining the right load…
Much like writing software or music, a universal language of program design is required for strength training. Trainers need to have a consistent prescription format in order for trainees to obtain consistent results. Your program may be exceptional, but a haphazard interpretation will lead to haphazard results. To remove the variability, specific training parameters must…
In the strength world, you have volume proponents (VPs) and intensity proponents (IPs). The VPs push multiple sets as the optimal method to train, and the IPs insist that one set taken to the utter limit is more than enough. This debate has been going on for years and to be honest, both camps have…
“Chin up… Chest out… Look straight ahead… Brace the abdominals… Grip the bar tight… Push the ground away through all four corners of your feet… Drive the hips forward as you clear your knees… Stand tall… Control the lowering… Gently touch the ground, pause and go again…” “Oh yeah, don’t forget to breathe!” Strength training…
A common concern from many female clients involves gaining too much size in their legs from strength training. Here’s how to deal with that issue.
The state of strength training in North America is outdated. We seem to be many years behind the Europeans in this field. Most of the curriculum in our schools today deals with aerobic training spurred by the Dr. Kenneth Cooper movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s. To make matters worse, the value of…