Inserting strategic pauses when lifting weights is an excellent way to break inertia and increase muscular involvement. Pausing in the bottom position of a lift helps dissipate the stretch-shortening cycle, reducing elastic rebound from tendons and forcing the muscles to do more of the work. If you rest the bar for a solid two seconds…
Question:Hello John Paul, I purchased your ebook Lean and Mean (available here) and over the past 6 weeks have had great success gaining strength, building muscle, increasing energy and endurance, and have lost 10 pounds. Basically, I feel really good and ready to move on to the next phase. I’m wondering where the definitions for…
A sandbag is a fantastic tool for outdoor training. It provides a unique form of resistance that challenges stability, grip, and coordination. In this video, you’ll see 16-year-old Joseph performing sandbag squats and rows, and 61-year-old Jane doing sandbag good mornings: There’s no shortage of lower-body exercise options with a sandbag—think bear hug squats, Zercher…
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…
This is a great time to increase the number of push-ups you can do. Let’s say your goal is to hit 20 strict push-ups, but right now you can only manage about half that. Try this… Do 4 sets of 5 reps with 3 minutes of rest in between. That should be fairly easy given…
The concept of accommodating resistance using chains has gained popularity over the past two decades—and for good reason. Exercises like the front squat follow an ascending strength curve, meaning you’re stronger at the top of the movement than at the bottom. Chains are an effective way to match resistance with your natural strength curve. Here’s…
I’ve had some trouble finding a high-quality safety squat bar that actually fits my power rack. Every year, I do a “fitness equipment” shopping spree, and on my last one, I came across a bar that looked great—solid build, good padding, the works. My power rack is four feet wide, so I asked the clerk:…
One of the most effective ways to structure a strength training session is by pairing exercises for antagonist (opposite) muscle groups or movement patterns. This method not only saves time but also enhances performance and recovery between sets. Today’s workout featured two antagonist exercise pairings: A SeriesA1. Standing Military PressA2. Semi-Pronated-Grip Pull-Up B SeriesB1. Standing…
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…
The Angles90 grips are a great tool to add variety and reduce joint stress during pull-ups. One challenge, however, is that their lower starting position can cause the plates from a chin/dip belt to hit the floor at the bottom of the movement. If that’s the case, switch to a weighted vest like the Xvest…