Training

Q: What kind of diet would you recommend for someone training to build strength?

A: If you are interested in increasing your maximum strength, I believe that supplements play a bigger role than diet - which of course is only true if you are following a diet that is more balanced than the typical American or Western European average person's diet.

Nutrition for strength building is very specific to the individual and trying to recommend a universal strength building diet is a risky endeavor. One of the most important things to keep in mind when eating for maximum strength is that you should immediately eliminate anything that interferes with your focus from your daily diet. I personally have to avoid carbohydrates until after my workout, which is even for low glycemic index carbs, whereas some professional bodybuilders can eat enough pasta before their workout to save a small country in Africa from starvation and still have an excellent training session afterwards.

Things that I have personally found to help me increase my strength include:

• Acetyl-L-Carnitine, 3-7 grams per day
• Glutamine, 30-70 grams per day
• Branched-chain amino acids/glutamine consumed during training
• A ribose/creatine combination, four servings per day
• Adequate protein, 4.5 grams per kilogram of body weight (most people will need liquid meals to reach this level)
• Plenty of healthy fats such as CLA and fish oil
• Certain forms of tocotrienols in high doses (these can also dramatically lower cholesterol levels)
• Various herbal preparations (this is beyond the focus of this column. I would consult a trainer who knows about naturopathy)

I'm not saying you have to use all of these things at once, but I would recommend experimenting with some of these - either on their own or in combination - and see what works best for you personally.

Q: What do you think of jump squats? If you like them, how would you incorporate them into a training program?

A: Jump squats are great for improving vertical jump height and shortening the phase during the sprint when your feet are in contact with the ground (the shorter this phase is, the faster you can run).

The problem that most people have with this exercise is that they use weights that far exceed their so-called "stretch-shortening cycle" capacities. In other words, they spend too much time on the floor, which negates the positive carryover of this exercise to other athletic activities. Obviously, you can't load a safe on your back and expect to sprint with explosive power.

Studies conducted with track and field athletes tend to suggest that an athlete should never use more than 40% of their maximum weight for power snatches in this exercise. I usually use 5 to 10 sets of 6 to 10 repetitions of this exercise. Ground contact time must be kept to a minimum. If the weight you use doesn't allow you to move explosively back up immediately, then your vertical jump height is doomed to stay in the low range.

Q: I would like to have a trapezius like the WCW wrestler Goldberg. I've never heard of a trapezius specialization program. Should I just do plenty of shoulder lifts and rowing upright or is there something better?

A: Yes, you can do a trapezius specialization program. This muscle tends to have a very fast growth response.

Martial artists like wrestlers do plenty of trapezius training to improve their specific skills. Ultimate Fighting Champion Ken Shamrock has trapezius development that would make most bodybuilders envious.

Powerlifters achieve their trapezius development through years of deadlifting, while Olympic weightlifters achieve it through Olympic weightlifting exercises and their derivatives. British powerlifter and world record holder Vanessa Gibson has trapezius development that makes Goldberg look weak. Her breasts are prettier too, but that's beside the point.

I would consider power snatches to be the best exercise for trapezius development. This is followed by power cleans and then various forms of shoulder raises. Here is a good 12 workout trapezius cycle that should help you build mass in your trapezius area:

Workout 1-6 (The trapezius is trained every fifth day)

A) Power snatch from medium height

• 5 sets of 5 reps with a 10X0 tempo and 3 minutes rest between sets.

Editor's note: The tempo numbers refer to how many seconds it should take to perform a repetition, with the first number representing the duration of the lowering phase of the repetition and the second number representing the length of the pause at the lowest point of the movement before lifting the weight. The third number represents the duration of the lifting of the weight (an "X" represents an explosive upward movement), while the last number represents the duration of the pause until the weight is lowered.

B) Trapezius triple set

• Dumbbell shoulder lift seated, 3 sets of 6 to 8 repetitions with a 2022 tempo
• 10 seconds rest
• Barbell shoulder raise, 3 sets of 10 to 12 repetitions at 1110 tempo (note the pause at the highest point of the movement)
• 10 seconds rest
• Rowing upright on cable pulley, 3 sets of 12 to 15 repetitions with a 2010 tempo
• 10 seconds rest
• Repeat all steps twice more

Workouts 7-12

A) Power cleans from an elevation

• 10 sets of 2 to 3 repetitions with a 10X0 tempo and three minutes rest between sets

B) One-arm dumbbell shoulder lift

• 5 sets of 6 to 8 repetitions with a 2011 tempo and three minutes rest between sets (one-arm shoulder raises allow a greater range of motion)

Additional training for the neck muscles is recommended if you want to develop a thicker neck.

Q: Could you give us some general guidelines on how an athlete should train during the season and off-season? I know this topic can get complicated and quite sport specific, but are there any rules of thumb?

A: Here are some rules of thumb regarding in-season strength training: there is no need for so-called specific training. You as an athlete will already do plenty of this on the field or on the ice. I know a team that has decided to do sport-specific training during the season. 11 out of 14 athletes developed patellar tendinitis within a short period of time.

It takes very little work to maintain strength - especially when the sport itself provides a lot of external resistance. For example, we found with our alpine ski team that training the quadriceps every 21 days was sufficient to maintain 90% of the gains previously achieved during the so-called off-season.

I believe that an athlete should be more interested in staying as healthy as possible during the off-season. Using our alpine skiers as an example, we found that training the leg flexors once every 5 to 7 days was critical to keeping the incidence of knee injuries low.

My general guidelines include the following: A loss of muscle mass will cause a loss of maximum strength. For this reason, you should make sure to maintain as much muscle mass as possible. The best way to do this is to perform one or two sets of 6 to 10 repetitions every 7 to 10 days. The training sessions should be very short, e.g. 20 to 40 minutes.

One approach that works very well for maintaining strength and muscle mass is the "one exercise after technical training" approach. Judokas and other martial artists use this approach with great success. For example, they do a few sets of pull-ups on Monday after training on the mat. On Tuesday, they might train squats. Wednesday might be dedicated to incline bench presses, etc. I think you know where I'm going with this. You will do an average of five sets of an exercise in a day.

Additionally, the more muscle mass you have, the easier it is to maintain maximum strength. Therefore, lighter individuals need to strength train more often during the competition phase.

Q: Squats are the queen of leg exercises. The problem is that I'm getting tired of squats. Can you tell me a quadriceps dominant exercise that I can use to break the monotony and that is almost as good as squats?

A: Sorry, but I'm sure even my colleagues Al Vermeil and Ian King will agree with me when I say that there is no substitute for squats. Squats not only recruit a lot of motor units, but they also generate a hormonal response unmatched by other exercises that puts you in anabolic mode. And they allow you to get closer to the ground to see if there are any dust flakes under the rack. No amount of leg presses or lunges can replace classic squats.

The near-best alternative would be deadlifts with a trap bar, performed on a platform. This exercise can give you a welcome change from squats. However, if you want to perform more than three repetitions per set, I would recommend using grip aids so that your isometric strength does not become a limiting factor in overloading the muscles.

Make sure to keep the upper arms relaxed during the exercise and initiate the exercise through the legs and not the lower back.

After a three-week cycle of this type of deadlift, you can return to squats with renewed interest and will most likely set a new personal best within a short period of time.

And if you're bored, you can also try the following method. The next time you do squats, pause for eight seconds three times during the upward movement of your last repetition. You'll curse me for this, that's for sure.

Q: I've often heard that athletes should perform their exercises standing when appropriate. For example, they should always stand when doing shoulder presses. One coach even said the following:

"You fight on your feet, you play sports on the field on your feet, so why should you train sitting down?"

Most guys I know sit down and use some kind of support for their back when they train shoulders. Is that wrong? What if it feels uncomfortable in the lower back when I do these exercises standing up?

A: The problem with seated training is that you are inviting problems because you are eliminating the structural training for the lower back. To paraphrase Fred Hatfield, seated training limits the support and the need to use stabilizing muscles. This basically reduces their ability to work synergistically with the primary muscles to stabilize the body. Hatfield says that training while standing, as opposed to training on machines, helps you build a more injury-resistant body. He also notes that standing Olympic weightlifting exercises teach the athlete how to perform explosive movements, accelerate objects under varying degrees of resistance and apply force in the correct sequence. In other words, if you are a competitive athlete, you had better perform your exercises standing when appropriate.

I would also support my colleague Charles Staley's view that bodybuilders could increase their gains by doing more standing workouts on a platform. Most bodybuilders would gain significant muscle mass in the posterior chain and trapezius with some of the variations of Olympic weightlifting exercises.

If you experience lower back pain when performing standing exercises, I would recommend that you consult a competent sports medicine practitioner to help you eliminate the problems causing this pain.

There are also plenty of exercise alternatives for exercisers with lower back pain. Safety bar squats, for example, are a good alternative for someone who experiences lower back pain when performing regular squats. This is a specially designed bar that makes it easier for you to get low enough to perform squats and keep your back upright while minimizing stress on your knees and lower back. The design of the bar provides a lower center of mass for resistance on the bar and therefore generates less leverage forces acting on the lower back.

Another alternative for leg development is the Gerard Trap Bar. This was developed by Al Gerard, a powerlifter from North Carolina who suffered from chronic back problems. To alleviate his pain and reduce the number of lost training days, he developed and patented this special diamond-shaped bar that allows you to stand inside the bar. This improves balance and eliminates leg interference. In other words, this means no more bloody shins. This bar also allows you to maintain a more upright posture so that your spine will be exposed to less shear forces.

Q: Do you think acupuncture has any applications for training athletes? And how does acupuncture actually work?

A: Yes, acupuncture can definitely be helpful for athletes. I know many world-class athletes and professional athletes who have used acupuncture as an adjunct to their training. Over the years, I have seen Olympic medal winners in weightlifting, track and field athletes, alpine skiers and ski jumpers use acupuncture to give them an edge - an edge that cannot be detected by drug testing.

Acupuncture is used both to enhance performance and to treat injuries. Usually acupuncture is used in combination with other therapies such as chiropractic, soft tissue manipulation, naturopathy, etc. I know of athletes who have successfully used acupuncture for the following conditions:

• Neuralgia (nerve pain)
• sleep disorders
• Consequences of overtraining
• Low androgen/growth hormone production
• Muscle tears (particularly effective in this context)
• Bursitis
• Priapism (a prolonged 8 hour erection)

In terms of performance, athletes are known to use acupuncture to get into the "training zone". If they are too nervous, certain acupuncture points are used to get them ready for competition. If an athlete is lethargic on competition day, acupuncture can be used to activate their nervous system and get them into the zone for optimal performance. I currently have a personal acupuncture therapist who sticks me in the butt repeatedly to keep me in my "meet the deadline" zone.

Acupuncture works by encouraging the body to promote its natural healing processes. It does this by inserting needles and applying heat or electrical stimulation to precisely selected acupuncture points. There are two ways to explain the effect. The first is the classical Chinese explanation:

Channels of energy, known as meridians, run through the body and across its surface in a regular pattern. These channels can be merged into rivers that flow through the body to irrigate and nourish the tissues. Any disruption to the movement of these energy flows can be likened to a dam, holding back the flow in one part of the body and restricting it in other areas. According to acupuncture dogma, any blockage and deficiency of energy, blood and neural pulses will eventually contribute to disease. The Chinese also say that acupuncture balances the negative yin forces and the positive yang forces. The needles basically serve to remove these dams that block the flow of energy.

And now the Western explanation: inserting needles into the acupuncture points stimulates the nervous system to release chemicals into the muscles and at certain points of the central nervous system. These chemicals, which include serotonin and endorphins, either alter the pain threshold or stimulate the release of other chemicals involved in healing. Instead of using the yin and yang construct, Western experts say that acupuncture balances the electrical charges at the electron level in the cells.

Regardless of the explanation used for how it works, acupuncture can be a helpful tool for the athlete.

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/question-of-strength-32

By Charles Poliquin

Bulldozer training combines rest-pause sets with progressive resistance. The workouts are shorter but more intense and will produce impressive gains in muscle mass.

I started playing around with rest-pause training a few years ago. This involved loading the bar with weight, doing a set and then pausing only briefly before doing another set. It didn't take long for me to realize one thing - rest-pause style training is both brutal and effective.

I spent less time working out in the gym, but felt amazing muscle soreness. Limited rest between sets also made my workouts far more challenging. I had no time to pause and think. Every training session felt like a war. I'd do a set, take a short break (without ever fully recovering) and move on to the next set.

Fast forward 12 months into the future. I was still using rest-pause training (which I now refer to as bulldozer training, as I was slowly and continuously plowing through my workouts like a bulldozer) and was more muscular than ever. I refined my set and repetition approaches in a way that I felt maximized the gains of my efforts in the gym as much as possible.

This article outlines the basics of bulldozer training. Keep in mind that this style of rest-pause training can be used both as a stand-alone training system, as well as a tool that you can incorporate into your current training structure. I will describe some example training programs in a follow-up article.

Make every repetition count

The first few repetitions of a muscle building set can feel quite easy. On the other hand, the last few repetitions of a set are the most intense and these repetitions are generally considered to be the repetitions that induce the most growth. With this information in mind, let's take a look at how muscle fibers are recruited.

Small muscle fibers contract before large muscle fibers. Smaller muscle fibers are slow contracting fibers, also known as endurance fibers. Slowly contracting muscle fibers can contract very often and for a long time - think of endurance athletes. Fast contracting fibers are the "strength or power fibers" and are important for training with weights, strength training and high-intensity sports like sprinting?

Slow-contracting motor units have about 100 fibers, while fast-contracting motor units have up to 10,000 fibers. As you can see, there is a distinct difference between the two types of muscle fibers, with the fast-contracting fibers being the larger of the two.

Slow contracting fibers are more likely to be activated than fast contracting fibers. For example, a 10-20:1 ratio of activation of slow-contracting fibers to activation of fast-contracting fibers would not be unusual. Furthermore, the recruitment of a motor unit occurs on an all or nothing basis. It is therefore understandable that the larger fast-contracting motor units are more difficult to activate than the slow-contracting motor units and are therefore reserved for more intensive tasks.

There are several studies that indicate that the greater the effort involved in a repetition, the stronger the response. Dr. Ralph N. Carpinelli, a faculty member of the Human Performance Laboratory at Adelphi University in Garden City, New York has conducted an exhaustive meta-analysis of the scientific literature on training with weights and gains.

Dr. Carpinelli had this to say:

"The size principle states that when the central nervous system recruits motor units for a specific activity, it starts with the smallest, most easily excitable, weakest motor units and progressively moves to the larger, more difficult to excite, more powerful motor units to maintain or increase strength."

Why does any of this matter? Simple... More intense repetitions activate more muscle fibers. So if you increase the average load a muscle is exposed to per repetition, then you also increase overall muscle fiber recruitment and can theoretically make your training sessions more productive and efficient.

This is where rest-pause training comes into play. By limiting the rest between sets, you never allow a muscle to fully recover, making each repetition more demanding. So you perform a higher percentage of more demanding repetitions.

Bulldozer training - art or science?

During the time I've spent refining my bulldozer training set and repetition schemes, the science behind each repetition has been what I've given the least thought to. Training is as much an art form as it is a science, and I certainly didn't develop the Bulldozer Training approach based on hard science. While it makes sense to mention average intensity per repetition, the adjustments I made were based more on my gut.

I don't want to make it seem like bulldozer training is some sort of magical or ultimate form of training. There are many ways to effectively build muscle and I personally have used many approaches over the years. However, I still believe that bulldozer training is extremely effective and something you should definitely try.

The basics of bulldozer training

Bulldozer training is based on the following principles:

• Limited rest between sets. The breaks between sets are typically 15 to 30 seconds long, but can be up to 60 seconds long for certain basic exercises or extended set patterns.
• Shorter but more intense training sessions. Due to the limited rest between sets, you will spend less time in the gym on any given day, but your workouts will have a higher intensity per repetition.
• Fewer exercises per muscle group. You won't need 4 to 5 (or more) exercises to train a muscle group hard. Bulldozer training uses a higher number of sets per exercise than most other training systems, so you generally won't perform more than 2 to 3 exercises for a given muscle group.
• Weight progression using total repetitions. You will add up the total reps you perform on a given exercise and increase the weight on the next training session when that total rep count has reached a predetermined goal.
• Mini sets and macro sets. Groups of sets for a given exercise are called mini-sets. They are characterized by a different nomenclature because they are not performed like most sentences - i.e. in a fully rested state. Macrosets are groupings of mini-set clusters.
• No muscle failure. Do not perform your sets to muscle failure. Finish each mini-set when you feel you can't do the next repetition. If you are not sure, finish the set.
• Use the same weight. Use the same weight for each mini-set of a given exercise.

*Intensity in this context does not refer to absolute strength, but rather to the load placed on a muscle in terms of muscle fiber recruitment.

Notation macro sets and mini sets

Bulldozer sets will use the following style of notation:

• Exercise x 5 mini-sets - 30/30/30/30

"Exercise" obviously means the exercise performed. "5 mini-sets" means that you have to perform 5 sets with the specified rest intervals between sets - in our example 30 seconds.

• Perform set 1 and then pause for 30 seconds
• Perform set 2 and then pause for 30 seconds
• Perform set 3 and then pause for 30 seconds
• Perform set 4 and then pause for 30 seconds
• Perform set 5 and then move on to the next exercise

Bulldozer workout examples

I recommend performing no more than 7 sets for a specific exercise. 7 mini sets can be pretty damn brutal - especially with heavy basic exercises. An exercise of which 7 sets are performed is generally enough to cause painful muscle soreness. Use the following mini-set guidelines for each type of exercise:

• Barbell and dumbbell multi-joint exercises - 5 to 7 mini-sets per exercise
• Machine multi-joint exercises - 5 to 7 mini-sets per exercise
• Barbell and dumbbell isolation exercises - 3 to 7 mini sets per exercise
• Machine isolation exercises - 3 to 7 mini sets per exercise
• Bodyweight exercises - 5 to 7 mini sets per exercise

7 sets bench press example

The combination of a heavy multi-joint exercise and limited rest intervals is intense. This 7 set example limits the rests between sets to 30 seconds and is extremely challenging to say the least. Remember that each mini set is completed just before reaching muscle failure.

• Bench press x 7 mini sets x 30/30/30/30/30/30/30

The sets will look like this:

• Perform set 1 and then pause for 30 seconds
• Perform set 2 and then pause for 30 seconds
• Perform set 3 and then pause for 30 seconds
• Perform set 4 and then pause for 30 seconds
• Perform set 5 and then pause for 30 seconds
• Perform set 6 and then pause for 30 seconds
• Perform set 7 and then move on to the next exercise

7 sets bench press example with increasing rest intervals

This is another great way to train multi-joint exercises. The rest intervals start at 30 seconds and gradually increase as you fatigue more and more.

• Bench press x 7 mini sets x 30/30/45/45/60/60

The sets will look like this:

• Perform set 1 and then pause for 30 seconds
• Perform set 2 and then pause for 30 seconds
• Perform set 3 and then pause for 45 seconds
• Perform set 4 and then pause for 45 seconds
• Perform set 5 and then pause for 60 seconds
• Perform set 6 and then pause for 60 seconds
• Perform set 7 and then move on to the next exercise

7 sets bench press example with extended rest intervals

In some cases, it may be more comfortable to pause for up to 60 seconds between sets. Certain multi-joint exercises are extremely demanding and require longer rest intervals. In some cases, a continuous rest of 60 seconds can provide a good balance between rest and effort.

• Bench press x 7 mini sets x 60/60/60/60/60/60

The sets will look like this:

• Perform set 1 and then pause for 60 seconds
• Perform set 2 and then pause for 60 seconds
• Perform set 3 and then pause for 60 seconds
• Perform set 4 and then pause for 60 seconds
• Perform set 5 and then pause for 60 seconds
• Perform set 6 and then pause for 60 seconds
• Perform set 7 and then move on to the next exercise

5 sets bench press example

5 set structures can be a perfect choice for secondary exercises or for exercisers who prefer fewer sets per exercise but more exercises per training session or muscle group.

• Bench press x 5 mini sets x 30/30/30/30

The sets will look like this:

• Perform set 1 and then pause for 30 seconds
• Perform set 2 and then pause for 30 seconds
• Perform set 3 and then pause for 30 seconds
• Perform set 4 and then pause for 30 seconds
• Perform set 5 and then move on to the next exercise

5 sets bench press example with increasing rest intervals

You can also work with increasing pause lengths in a 5 mini-set approach, which could look like this:

• Bench press x 7 mini sets x 30/30/45/60

The sets will look like this:

• Perform set 1 and then pause for 30 seconds
• Perform set 2 and then pause for 30 seconds
• Perform set 3 and then pause for 45 seconds
• Perform set 4 and then pause for 60 seconds
• Perform set 5 and then move on to the next exercise

The repetition target system

Bulldozer Training uses the repetition target system. This system is a progressive approach that tells you when it's time to increase the weight on a given exercise.

The repetition target system looks like this: You simply count the total repetitions on a given bulldozer mini set pattern and when the total number of repetitions reaches a predetermined target, you increase the weight on that exercise for the next training session.

The whole thing looks like this:

1. Step 1 - Determine an appropriate repetition goal for a given exercise and a bulldozer set pattern.
2. Step 2 - Count your total repetitions for this exercise and if it reaches the previously determined target, increase the weight the next time you perform this exercise.

Repetition targets for multi-joint exercises

The following repetition targets are intended as guidelines only. Feel free to adjust these values based on how you feel during a given exercise. Also, remember that the average repetition in bulldozer training is more demanding, so it's perfectly fine to keep the number of reps per set at 3 to 5. I tend to keep this average number of reps higher for machine exercises, moderately heavy multi-joint exercises and isolation exercises.

7 mini sets and multi-joint exercises: A repetition goal of 25 to 35 repetitions works well for training regimens with 7 mini-sets and multi-joint exercises.

5 mini sets and multi-joint exercises: A repetition goal of 20 to 25 repetitions works well for training regimens with 5 mini-sets and multi-joint exercises.

Repetition goals for isolation exercises or moderate exercises performed on machines Isolation exercises work better with slightly lighter weights and a higher number of repetitions. Simply put, performing 3 repetitions of an exercise like dumbbell side raises is not the most efficient way to build muscle. An average of 6 to 8 reps per mini set works well for isolation exercises, but even this number is only a rough guide. Adjust your repetition goals based on your needs.

7 mini sets and isolation exercises: A repetition goal of 40 to 50 reps works well for training regimens with 7 mini sets and isolation exercises.

5 mini sets and isolation exercises: A repetition goal of 30 to 40 repetitions works well for training regimens with 5 mini sets and isolation exercises.

3 mini sets and isolation exercises: A repetition goal of 20 to 30 repetitions works well for training regimens with 3 mini sets and isolation exercises.

Repetition targets for leg exercises

Certain leg exercises such as squats, leg extensions and calf raises are usually performed using higher repetition sets. For these types of exercises, you could use a repetition range of 8 to 10 repetitions per mini set.

Example bulldozer chest workout

The following is an example of a chest training session using the bulldozer training system. I have found that 15 total mini sets is plenty of work for large muscle groups and that 7 to 10 mini sets is plenty of work for smaller muscle groups. But feel free to adjust your total number of sets based on how you feel and what you need.

These 15 mini-sets can be performed in the following way:

• 7 mini sets per exercise, 2 exercises - Generally 2 basic exercises or one basic exercise and one challenging isolation exercise. I recommend multi-joint exercises or challenging machine exercises for this approach, although it is certainly possible to build muscle with a basic exercise and the right isolation exercise.
• 5 mini sets per exercise, 3 exercises. This scheme is far more flexible and allows for exercise variations such as bench presses, hammer strength machine exercises and butterflies. (One heavy basic exercise, one moderate machine exercise and one challenging isolation exercise). You can also use a 17 mini-set scheme, which could look like this:
• 7 mini sets for one exercise, 5 mini sets for 2 additional exercises. However, I wouldn't go any higher with the total number of mini-sets.

Example of a chest training session - 7 mini sets per exercise, 2 exercises

Example of a chest workout - 5 mini sets per exercise, 3 exercises

Example of a chest workout - 17 mini sets, 3 exercises

Final words

Bulldozer training may seem deceptively simple. Try a moderately light day to get a feel for this system before going all in. Resist the temptation to use too high a volume. Trust the process and train with common sense. The combination of rest-pause and progressive resistance will result in some pretty impressive muscle gains.

Source: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/bulldozer-training-rest-pause-muscle-building-system-tool

Following the basic introduction to strength training in the first part of this article series, in this second part we will take a closer look at the correct form for performing heavy multi-joint exercises.

The basics of form - a look at the heavy basic exercises

Correct exercise form is essential for making progress and avoiding injury. If you are not healthy, you will not be able to give 100% during training. Sub-optimal exercise form will lead to sub-optimal progress and limit your ability to get strong.

Even though many exercisers have good exercise execution form, we all have areas that could use improvement. It is wrong to think that at some point you will have excellent exercise execution form and never need to work on it again. As you put more and more weight on the bar, mistakes in exercise execution will be exposed. It's safe to say that an experienced exerciser should work on their form more rather than less than a beginner.

This part of the article series will focus on advice for good exercise execution form for the following 6 exercises. The Romanian deadlift has been included in this list as it is one of the most misunderstood exercises for building strength.

• Squats
• Deadlift
• Bench press
• Standing shoulder press
• Power clean (power transfer)
• Romanian deadlift

The basics of squat form

It's rare to walk into a gym and not see someone performing squats - and just as rare to see someone using passable form when performing squats. Over the years, bodybuilding magazines have become known for publishing pictures of poor squat execution form. The exercisers in these pictures generally have their knees pointing directly forward, which is pretty much the worst possible way to perform squats.

The movement of squats is a natural movement. Most children are able to perform squats - and with good form. Over the years, we lose some mobility and squats become more difficult to perform, but when performing classic squats with a barbell, we should still aim to perform squats as naturally as possible.

If you are just learning how to perform squats correctly, then the following two methods can help you gain a better understanding of the basics of correct exercise execution form.

The "pick up an object" method

One of the most common mistakes when performing squats is the tendency to perform squats with a narrow knee spacing. This is not a natural movement and the human body is not designed to perform squats in this way.

When we did squats as a child, it was often to pick something up. Watch a child and you will notice that they squat with their knees apart. We should do squats in the same way. You can practise this as follows:

Place your feet shoulder-width apart on the floor as if you were going to jump into the air. When you look down, your toes should be at more or less a 30 degree angle.

Now imagine that there is an object lying on the floor in front of you. Bend your knees and try to pick up the object with both hands at the same time. You will notice that when you bend your knees, you first bend them and then spread them. Look closely... the angle between your hips and knees should be roughly the same as the angle of your feet.

The goblet squat method

The term "goblet squats" is nothing more than a fancy name for a simple exercise. It works in a similar way to the 'pick up an object' method and will help you learn the basics of performing squats correctly.

Take a relatively light dumbbell or kettlebell and hold it comfortably at chest height, preferably leaning against your chest. Do not place your elbows out to the side in this position, but hold them at an angle of about 45 degrees to your body.

Place your feet shoulder-width apart on the floor as if you were going to jump into the air. When you look down, your toes should be at more or less a 30 degree angle.

Look straight ahead and keep your lower back under tension. Then bend your knees until your elbows are between your knees. Look closely...the angle between your hips and knees should be roughly the same as the angle of your feet.

Tips for good squat form

The following tips can help you dramatically improve your squat form. It should be noted that this is not a complete, all-inclusive list.

Knee/foot angle

In the lowest position, the angle between your knees should be approximately the same as the angle between your feet. If the angle between your knees is less than the angle between your feet, then it will be harder to go down far enough and you will probably bend forward during the downward movement, putting unnecessary strain on your lower back.

Lead with your hips

Once you have reached the lowest position, perform each repetition by lifting the hips (gluteus) and finish a repetition by moving your hips forward. The hips and gluteus are the leading muscles and they are amazingly strong muscles. By maximizing the use of your hips, you can move heavier weights and reduce stress on your knees and lower back.

Bar over the feet

From a lateral perspective, the bar should remain over the center of the foot while performing squats. If the bar is not in this position, then some aspect of the exercise form needs improvement. Film yourself from the side and pay close attention to the position of the bar and feet.

Head position

As you move up from the lowest point of the movement, it is of utmost importance that you maintain a good head position. You should be looking forwards or slightly upwards. If you start to look down during the upward movement, your body will follow this movement and you will bend forward.

Other important tips and information for correct squat form

• High bar squats - In this variation of squats, the bar is placed on the upper part of the trapezius.
• Low bar squats - In this variation of squats, the bar is placed on the lower part of the trapezius.
• Hand position - To find the right position for your hands, start with a wide grip, pull your shoulder blades together and then move your hands inwards until you have reached a comfortable grip position.
• Firm grip - Maintain a firm grip throughout the exercise.
• Elbow position - Once you have found a comfortable position for your hands, rotate your elbows downwards and hold them in this position throughout the exercise.
• Hold your breath - Inhale at the start of the eccentric phase of the movement and hold your breath throughout the repetition.
• Check the position of your feet - After removing the bar from the rack and taking a step backwards, look down and make sure your feet are positioned correctly.
• Downward movement - Move your hips back as you move down and keep your torso in an upright position.

The basics of deadlift form

It is rare to see novice exercisers using correct form when performing deadlifts. Far too many exercisers perform this exercise with a mechanical disadvantage by trying to move the bar with their hips lifted. This is reminiscent of Romanian deadlifts or straight-leg deadlifts and puts a lot of strain on the lower back.

Tips for good form when performing deadlifts

Feet

Position your feet halfway under the bar. Seen from the side, it should look like the bar is directly over the middle of your feet. If you are looking down, it is difficult to judge whether your foot position is correct, so you should ask another exerciser for help or video record your deadlift set.

Foot spacing

Your feet should be a comfortable and natural distance apart, but not too wide. The toes can point a little outwards, but you should not perform deadlifts with your feet pointing clearly outwards.

Grip the bar

Grip the bar with your feet correctly positioned, using either an overhand grip or an alternating grip (one hand in the overhand grip and the other in the underhand grip). An alternating grip will allow you to hold more weight.

Lower your hips

Move your hips down until your shins touch the barbell. You should feel that your hips are in a natural position and allow for maximum leverage, which means that you may need to move your hips slightly up or down. Performing deadlifts with your hips in too high a position will put you at a mechanical disadvantage and will also put more strain on your lower back. If you start with your hips too low, you will reduce your lever arm and lose strength.

Head

Next, make sure you are looking at least directly ahead. During the deadlift, your body will follow your head. If you start the upward movement with your head tilted forward, there's a good chance you'll lift your hips, worsening the form of the exercise execution and moving the weight with your lower back. This is a very common mistake when performing deadlifts.

Back

Make sure you don't round your back. You should never start the deadlift upward movement with a rounded back.

Now that you are in the correct starting position, it is time to perform the upward movement. Do not try to pull the weight away from the floor. Although deadlifts are often referred to as a pulling exercise, exercisers who mentally focus on pulling the weight away from the floor often lift their hips too much at the beginning of the movement. They also tend to move their head down as they pull, which further contributes to lifting the hips. As a result, deadlifts are performed like Romanian deadlifts. This means a position with poor leverage and can put unnecessary strain on the lower back.

Instead of pulling the weight off the floor, you should therefore focus on standing up with the weight in your hands. Standing up is a natural movement and by keeping the deadlift movement as natural as possible, you will tend to maintain better form and leverage throughout the exercise.

Start this get-up movement with the head. Lead with the head. Think of moving the head up explosively as you try to stand upright. The body will follow the head.

As soon as the bar is above your knees, try to push your hips forward. Many deadlift max attempts fail because the trainee pulls on the bar to the highest point of the movement. Concentrate solely on this at the top of the movement:

1. Standing up - which is a natural movement
2. Moving your hips forward

Remember that deadlifts are not really a pulling exercise. Picking up objects from the floor in a bent-over position is not a natural movement - standing up is.

The basics of bench press form

Bench presses can be a frustrating exercise. A small percentage of exercisers are naturally able to move a ton of weight, while the rest struggle to perform a few reps with 100 kilos. Is there anything you can do to increase your bench press weights? Absolutely.

Tips for good form when performing bench presses

Place your feet correctly

One of the hidden keys to increasing weight on the bench press is leg pressure. Learn to place your feet firmly on the floor in a position that allows for optimal leverage and maximum strength. Start each repetition with a push against the floor. If you focus on turning the bench press into a full-body exercise, your weights will go up.

The right grip

Once you have found the correct grip width, you should grip the bar firmly and imagine that you are trying to bend the ends of the bar towards your feet. This will help you to keep your elbows in a better position, improve your eccentric movements and help you to keep your upper body tight and strong.

Stop pointing your arms out to the side

This is by far the biggest mistake in the bench press. Stop placing your arms out to the side. This is terribly bad for your shoulders, is poor exercise form and is not good for your strength. It is far better if your elbows form a 45 degree angle with your torso. This is a good starting point from which to make minor adjustments to your form.

Row the bar

Row the bar? Yes, row the bar. Row the bar towards your chest. We all know that keeping your back tight is an essential aspect of good exercise form. To achieve a tight back, you should focus on rowing the weight towards your chest as if you were doing barbell rows or lat pulldowns.

Look up at the ceiling

Look up at the ceiling after removing the weight from the rack. Try to push the bar to the same point on the ceiling with each repetition.

Explode

Speed strength involves speed and speed requires explosive power. Therefore, focus on moving the bar upwards in an explosive manner. This will not only help you perform one or two extra repetitions, but will also help you build strength in the long run.

Train correct alignment

When the bar is at chest height, your forearms should be perpendicular to the floor. Also make sure that your wrists are directly above your elbows and that your ankles are pointing towards the ceiling. This is the correct alignment for the bench press.

The basics of form for shoulder presses / push presses

The standing shoulder press and push press are two variations of the same exercise. Both exercises are performed standing upright with a barbell at shoulder height in front of the body. The standing shoulder press is performed in a more rigorous manner, while the push press is performed more explosively with momentum from the legs.

Many exercisers mistakenly avoid overhead presses because they believe that this exercise is inherently bad for the shoulders. In reality, however, training imbalance is the biggest threat to shoulder health. In recent years, it has become commonplace for exercisers to overdo it with variations of the bench press while paying little attention to overhead pressing exercises. This lack of balance is not good for the shoulder girdle and can lead to strains and injuries.

Don't be afraid of overhead pressing exercises and instead aim for a better training balance between chest presses, shoulder presses and rowing exercises for the back.

Tips for good form when performing shoulder presses / push presses

Foot position

The position of your feet should be as if you were about to jump into the air. The distance between your feet should be about shoulder-width apart or a little wider. Your stance should be stable and balanced. If necessary, you can also place one foot further back to stabilize your body.

Hand spacing

Place your hands in a comfortable position and move the bar from the rack to chest height. Your forearms should be pointing almost vertically downwards. This angle should be roughly the same when you hold the bar above your head with your arms straight.

Bend your knees

Perform standing shoulder presses with your knees slightly bent. This will help you to achieve better stability. For push presses, bend your knees a little more and then move the weight upwards, starting with your legs.

Lean back

Keep your chest up as you press and lean back slightly if necessary. This will help you with stability and balance.

Eyes forward

Try to look forward during the press. If you move your eyes upwards, you will tend to lift your head. This can affect your exercise form and lead to instability.

The basics of Romanian deadlift form

The Romanian deadlift and the related straight-leg deadlift are two commonly misunderstood exercises. You should be aware that they are not the same exercise. Below you will find a list of some important differences between these exercises, as well as a few tips on correct exercise form.

Deadlift with tucked legs

The deadlift with straight legs is performed with slightly bent knees but without moving the legs. You can also perform this exercise with your knees fully extended.

During this movement, the bar is moved downwards in a natural way, keeping a certain distance between the bar and the legs. Start the downward movement with the lower back in a tight, curved position. Finish the downward movement when you feel your lower back rounding out.

Romanian deadlift

Romanian deadlifts are performed in a similar way to straight-legged deadlifts, although there is one big difference. When you move the bar down, it should be held close to your legs. Move your hips backwards as the weight moves down and stop the downward movement when you feel your lower back rounding.

In the third part of this article series, we will look at some popular strength training systems.

Source: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/expert-guides/strength