I figured I’d spend a few hours scouring the web for some videos that demonstrate good form for three critical weigh training exercises: deadlifts (regular and Romanian), squats, and standing military press. I wanted to brush up on my own form and thought you’d be interested too. I found some (more…)
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Continue reading about Videos For Major Weightlifting Exercises
Imagine what the world would be like if you were to wake up one morning, and all of the exercise machines were eliminated from the face of the earth and all of the isolation exercises were outlawed. What would the world look like?
If all of the machines and isolation exercises were to disappear from the face of the earth this very moment, 90% of all trainees would see their workouts improve.
Why is this? Are isolation exercises completely useless then? Should I avoid them at all costs?
No, isolation exercises are not useless… they are overused. Newer trainees should focus a majority of their workouts on the compound movements. This doesn’t mean that isolation exercises don’t ever have their place, it just means that if all the isolation exercises disappeared today, most people would do more of the exercises that they really need the most.
There are 4 main reasons that a trainee might want to use isolation exercises:
1. To strengthen your weakest link: Let’s use the analogy of a chain. If you’ve ever seen a construction crew working with a crane to build a large building, you’ll see the crane with a cable and a hook at the bottom. Construction (more…)
Continue reading about When Should a Beginner Use Isolation Exercises?
Trying to figure out the perfect routine can be tough. It’s especially tough when you consider the fact that there’s no such thing as a perfect routine.
Instead, you’re going to have to assess your personal needs and decide which muscles to work on which days. A number of factors will go into this decision, such as:
- What your current training level is, i.e. beginner, intermediate, or advanced
- What type of routine motivates you to work out in the gym
- Which muscle groups are lagging or will require special attention
- What type of routine your training partner is on
- How your body is responding to the workouts you have in place
There are many ways you can divide up your muscle groups to achieve the best workout for you. There are so many combinations, in fact, that I couldn’t possibly cover them all here. Instead, I’m going to point out a few principles that can be used as guidelines to help you choose the routine that’s best suited for you. (more…)
Doing squats is one of the best ways to increase your overall lean body mass and power. Squats involve more muscle groups than almost any other exercise, and if you’re not already doing squats, adding them to your routine can help you to add strength quickly.
Learning the correct squatting stance will go a long ways in helping you to avoid injury. Lower back and knee injuries can happen if you’re not careful to use correct technique, and having the correct stance is necessary to help prevent these injuries. If it’s done correctly, the squat can be a very safe exercise.
Taking the correct stance
One mistake that you should avoid is to place your feet directly forward when you take a shoulder-width stance. This causes your knees to travel directly forward and makes it very difficult to squat all the way down. Take a look at the picture below.
This is about as far down as you’ll probably get with a narrow stance and the knees straight forward. The awkward stance causes the weight to shift forward and away from your correct center of balance. This is bad for both your lower back and your knees. (more…)
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