Category: Weight training (Page 25 of 26)

The power of dumbbells

May 1, 2007 / Anthony Stalter

It’s often understated just how effect dumbbells can be to one’s workout. While a complete workout should tailor to barbell, machine and dumbbell exercises, the benefits of packing your routine with dumbbell movements are highly beneficial.

Just some of the key benefits to using dumbbells:

? Range of motion. Unlike most barbell exercises, which lock you into a fixed plane of movement, dumbbells require more of the smaller, stabilizing muscle groups to come into play. When you strengthen and build the stabilizing muscle groups, you can max the value of doing core exercises such as the bench press and squat.

? Isolation. When using dumbbells, you’re more apt to target the muscle group you’re trying to workout. When using a barbell during exercise, people have the tendency to overcompensate on one side just to get the bar moving. Dumbbells force you to isolate the muscle group you’re working out.

?Relatively inexpensive. Anyone looking to build a home gym or someone who just doesn’t have the time to get to the gym can benefit from a couple of inexpensive dumbbells. Depending on weight, dumbbells usually only range from $20 to $100, so there’s no excuse not to have a couple stored under the bed for quick workouts if you can’t get to the gym.

As previously noted, a complete workout should have exercises ranging in barbells, dumbbells and machines, but don’t be afraid to overload your routine with dumbbell movements. Click here to learn more information on dumbbell workouts and their benefits.

Exercise, General fitness, General training, Weight training, Workout programs

Mastering the Pull-up

April 25, 2007 / Anthony Stalter

As a beginner – or even if you’re experienced – nothing can be more embarrassing than jumping up on a bar and only banging out one pull-up. In fact, the average person approaches the pull-up bar like he or she is about to steal something, looking around to see if anyone else is watching before hammering out a sloppy, uncontrolled couple of sets.

Well, stop it, because you’re only hurting yourself by not maximizing the value the pull-up can bring. Your latissimus dorsi (back) is the biggest muscle in your body and if you want a V-shape torso, the pull-up can’t be viewed as the red headed stepchild of your workout any longer.

Here is an article from Men’s Health magazine dedicated to mastering the pull-up. It has a step-by-step guide on helping you improve add reps to your pull-up routine. It doesn’t matter if you can do 0 to 1 reps or 8 to 12, this article should help you maximize the benefits of the pull-up.

Here’s a taste of what the article offers. For the entire column, click here.

Your Best Effort: 0 TO 1
The problem: You’re not strong enough to lift your body weight.
The fix: Turn your weakness into an advantage with heavy “negatives.” Doing only the lowering portion of an exercise with a heavier weight than you can lift is a fast way to build strength.
How to do it: First, a couple of definitions.
– Chinup: This is the same movement as a pullup, but you’ll use a shoulder-width, underhand grip. Because your biceps are more involved, it’s a little easier than the pullup.
– Neutral-grip pullup: Again, it’s the same basic movement, but you’ll grip the parallel bars of the pullup station so your palms are facing each other. This is harder than a chinup, but not as hard as a pullup.
Now follow the workout schedule below, using this method of performing negatives: Place a bench under a pullup bar and use it to boost your body so your chin is above the bar. Then take the prescribed amount of time — either 5 to 6 seconds or 8 to 10 seconds — to lower your body. Once your arms are straight, jump back up to the top position and repeat. Rest for 60 seconds after each set.
Week 1: Chinup : 3 sets : 5–6 reps : 5–6 seconds
Week 2: Neutral- grip pullup : 3 sets : 5–6 reps : 5–6 seconds
Week 3: Neutral- grip pullup : 2 sets : 5–6 reps : 8–10 seconds
Week 4: Pullup : 2 sets : 5–6 reps : 8–10 seconds

Back, Bodybuilding, Exercise, Specific workouts, Uncategorized, Weight training, Workout programs, Xternal Fitness, Xternal Furci

Growth Zone my ass

April 4, 2007 / Mike Furci

Time under tension is a great tool to use when trying to make gains in size and strength.? It’s well accepted that in order for one to stimulate muscle to induce gains the optimum time under tension is 20 – 60 seconds for the vast majority of people.? In the April 2007 issue of Ironman magazine William Litz has written an article on extending time under tension using partial, burns and X-reps.

Let me start by addressing the before and after pictures included on the second page of the author.? Underneath the pictures it states, “William Litz took his physique from a soft 220 to a hard, abs blazing 210 in only eight weeks using X-reps partials and stretch overload.”?

Does he really think the readers of this magazine are that deficient in their reasoning ability they wouldn’t see how ludicrous the caption under the pictures is?? In a word, YES.? Remember that magazines primarily exist to sell product and could care less about dispensing valid training advice.? Most of what is found in muscle magazines is nonsense filler, like this article.

In this worthless article Litz states, “Why burns fell out of favor is beyond me.? It clearly produced amazing builds in the decades before chemical warfare.”? Yet performing burns and partials for over ten years proved ineffective for him.? He used partials and burns sice the early 90’s, but didn’t make “ab blazing” gains until using X-reps, which are a variation of partials and burns.?

Litz also claims new research indicates that bottom, or stretch position burns are more beneficial, but to keep variety alive.? No research is sited in the article.? Litz would like you to keep in mind that stretch position partials can activate a lot of fibers and may even lead to fiber splitting, if such a phenomenon exists.? It may lead to, if such a phenomenon exists?? Are you kidding me?? You could actually transport yourself from place to place within seconds if such a devise existed.

The fact is, we humans have a finite ability to recover from physical stress.? Stress induced by high intensity training is no exception.? There is no reason what-so-ever to take a set beyond momentary positive failure.? In fact, partials, negatives and other forms of extending sets fell out of favor because they do more to over-train individuals than anything else.? Top bodybuilders are always sited as proof a certain training program works, but what about the 10’s of thousands who use these vary programs and get nowhere.

You can not force growth.? If your progress has come to a halt, you’re not recovering.? Using partials and burns should only be used by advanced lifters wth low frequency.? Pushing beyond, doing more without allowing recovery, will only exacerbate the problem.?????

Bodybuilding, General training, Magazine Hype, Weight training, Workout programs

Five common exercises you should never do

March 27, 2007 / Anthony Stalter

In a recent Best Life article posted on MSN.com, exercise physiologists listed five exercises that should be taken out of daily routines.

The five:

– Posterior (Behind-the-Neck) Pull Downs
– Behind-the-Neck Shoulder Presses
– Straight Ball Curls
– Leg Extensions
– Sit-Ups

I’ve heard sit-ups are bad for the back and some personal trainers aren’t big on posterior pull downs, but avoiding straight ball curls and leg extensions are news to me. Regardless, the article gives a brief description of why the exercise should be avoided, as well as safer alternatives.

To read the entire article, click here.

Exercise, General fitness, General training, Magazine Hype, Xternal Fitness

Bringing back an old abs favorite

March 7, 2007 / Anthony Stalter

After sifting through a magazine about a month ago, I came across an abdominal exercise that I hadn’t done for awhile: the hanging leg raise.

For about three weeks now, I’ve done the hanging leg raise at the end of my workouts, every few days. It has done wonders for me, not only targeting my lower abs, but also working my entire midsection. A bonus is that it has also helped me with my grip, which is obviously used in other exercises.

While this exercise is great for strengthen your midsection, don’t forget that abs aren’t made in the gym; they’re made in the kitchen. Like Mike Furci always says: Working your abs is not the key to attaining abs.

Abs, General training, Specific workouts, Xternal Fitness, Xternal Furci