Strength

The Ultimate 7 Exercises for a Strong Back

When I started in the gym, the main focus was on the muscles on the front of the body; these were easiest to see in the mirror. But now, we’re living in the age of the strong back.

Training for well-rounded back strength should encompass the following areas:

  • The back of the legs (hamstrings);
  • The bottom muscles (glutes);
  • Lower back muscles (the erector spinae, among others)
  • A wide range of upper back muscles.

Why a Strong Back is Important

  • Strong hamstrings are often recommended for building knee resilience and hamstring injury prevention;
  • A strong lower back and glutes will prepare you for daily lifting tasks and reinforce many of your compound exercises;
  • Upper back strength can help with posture and support the lower back.
  • It’s just really satisfying to be strong in these areas!

The muscles of the back comprise a variety of movements, angles, and functions, so your back training has to be well-rounded. A lot of back exercises will also take a toll on your grip, so pepper your back training exercises across multiple workouts and cycle them between training programmes.

The Best Exercises for a Strong Back

Table of Contents
(more…)

Continue ReadingThe Ultimate 7 Exercises for a Strong Back

How to Get The Most Out Of Your Deadlifts

In the Gym

Now that you’ve made the majority of your choices regarding how to perform your deadlifts, it’s time to get to the gym. This part of the guide will help you make the most of the workout.

Not sure what to start with deadlifting? Check out 10 Things You Need to Know About the Deadlift.

Table of Contents
(more…)

Continue ReadingHow to Get The Most Out Of Your Deadlifts

Take Your Squat to New Levels – Part 2

In the Gym

Previously, we discussed the decisions you have to make when adding squats into your routine. I answered some of the most common questions that will prepare you for the best squatting workout. In this post I’ll be discussing the finer details of performing the squat itself.

Although anyone can learn how to squat from a Youtube video, the devil is in the detail.

Was there something I didn’t cover? Let me know!

Table of Contents

How Should I Warm Up for Squats?

When preparing for squats, you should focus on mobility for the ankles, hips, and back. You can dedicate more focus to the areas you struggle with. I have attached a sample warm-up, including variations for back and front squats.

(more…)

Continue ReadingTake Your Squat to New Levels – Part 2

5 More Great Reasons You Should Try Strength Training

Spotting Bench Press

The benefits of strength training for women and men have been listed a million times by a million different coaches. I’m going to list them again – hopefully, with a new twist.

There’s two reasons I’ve decided to rehash this post:

  1. No matter how many times it has been said, it always needs to be said again.
  2. Strength training has been mislabelled in common gym parlance.

If you have ever performed a challenging resistance workout that made you stronger over time, then technically you have engaged in strength training. However, in my opinion dedicated strength training is more than just lifting weights – it’s a completely different workout to the ones you’ll usually see in your local gym. This distinction can cause you to miss out on some of the benefits of a committed strength training period.

So What is Strength Training, Really?

Dedicated strength training is characterised by the following features:

  • Increasing the weight you can lift at low (1-8) reps;
  • Exercises that use multiple joints and muscle groups through a long range of motion;
  • Fundamental movement patterns such as squatting, hinging, pushing, pulling, single leg work and carrying;
  • An emphasis on free weights or bodyweight (although this can be tweaked for the individual);
  • A strong focus on your technique, tweaking exercises to suit your leverages;
  • Long rest periods (usually 2-5 minutes).

Unfortunately, strength training is usually confused with:

  • Lifting the heaviest weight you can every session;
  • Spontaneously maxing out without strategy;
  • Chasing failure/soreness;
  • One resistance exercise in the middle of a circuit;
  • Going so heavy that you only move the weight a couple of inches;
  • An overreliance on machines.
Strength Training Benefits
By Victor Freitas on Unsplash
(more…)

Continue Reading5 More Great Reasons You Should Try Strength Training

9 Training Methods You Need to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse

Prepare for the Zombie Apocalypse
By Nathan Wright on Unsplash

You’re surrounded by zombies on all sides. You’re cut off from your fellow survivors. All you have for company is a rusty shovel. The zombie apocalypse is here – and if you want to survive, you’re going to have to get out of this yourself.

As the zombies close in, you think back to a time before the dead began to walk the earth. How could you have been better prepared?

One of the most rewarding signs of progress in training is feeling like you’re prepared to face any physical challenge. But if you’re training for the zombie apocalypse, then some training methods are better than others. 

Count how many of these training methods you use, and check your score at the end to learn what your odds are of surviving a brush with the living dead…

(more…)

Continue Reading9 Training Methods You Need to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse