Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from March, 2020

The Importance of the Jerk Balance For Footwork

This video from Bob Takano is especially valuable for those lifters who are having difficulty “feeling” the position of the bar overhead and the effects of proper footwork.  The split jerk is actually a two-step with the back foot landing first and thus gaining traction first. This has the effect of pushing the bar forward under the bar as it locks out overhead.   This exercise teaches the proper “prancing” action of the front foot while reinforcing the drive from the shoulders in front of the neck. If this is a problem of yours or one of your athletes, include the movement early in the session until the footwork becomes well ingrained.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2yfZ4Cl via IFTTT

The Importance of the Jerk Balance For Footwork

This video from Bob Takano is especially valuable for those lifters who are having difficulty “feeling” the position of the bar overhead and the effects of proper footwork.  The split jerk is actually a two-step with the back foot landing first and thus gaining traction first. This has the effect of pushing the bar forward under the bar as it locks out overhead.   This exercise teaches the proper “prancing” action of the front foot while reinforcing the drive from the shoulders in front of the neck. If this is a problem of yours or one of your athletes, include the movement early in the session until the footwork becomes well ingrained.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2wPw1oP via IFTTT

Morning Mobility Check-In

Your true mobility is only as good as it is when you first roll out of bed in the morning.   Last week, I wrote about how mobility—the ability to move and be moved freely and easily—is not a separate facet of fitness . Rather, mobility is an expression of your fitness, and informs your moment-to-moment reality.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2ocrNAp via IFTTT

Morning Mobility Check-In

Your true mobility is only as good as it is when you first roll out of bed in the morning.   Last week, I wrote about how mobility—the ability to move and be moved freely and easily—is not a separate facet of fitness . Rather, mobility is an expression of your fitness, and informs your moment-to-moment reality.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2C75xjY via IFTTT

Training at Home During the COVID-19 Pandemic

With three to 8 weeks completely off training, you will lose some muscle. The good news it only takes 2-3 weeks to retain it. Right now, we all need to stay home, stay safe, stay healthy, and try to stay strong. The final part of that sentence might be something you are anxious about. Many stressed-out people have contacted me worrying about losing their gains. So, are they right to be worried?   My answer is emphatic…no!   There are two parts to that answer:   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/39kbtCk via IFTTT

Good Mornings Are an Excellent Auxiliary Movement

The Good Morning is an exceptional exercise for stretching the hamstrings and in some cases the ankles. It also helps for developing the hamstrings for athletic movements. Strict good mornings with the feet placed wide, the knees locked and the back held straight is an excellent movement that solves a number of problems for beginning lifters. They also provide supplemental strengthening for veteran lifters.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2UJ0LQk via IFTTT

Training at Home During the COVID-19 Pandemic

With three to 8 weeks completely off training, you will lose some muscle. The good news it only takes 2-3 weeks to retain it. Right now, we all need to stay home, stay safe, stay healthy, and try to stay strong. The final part of that sentence might be something you are anxious about. Many stressed-out people have contacted me worrying about losing their gains. So, are they right to be worried?   My answer is emphatic…no!   There are two parts to that answer:   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/3bwpZbk via IFTTT

Good Mornings Are an Excellent Auxiliary Movement

The Good Morning is an exceptional exercise for stretching the hamstrings and in some cases the ankles. It also helps for developing the hamstrings for athletic movements. Strict good mornings with the feet placed wide, the knees locked and the back held straight is an excellent movement that solves a number of problems for beginning lifters. They also provide supplemental strengthening for veteran lifters.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/3dtzr18 via IFTTT

The 8-Minute Bodyweight Circuit: Does It Actually Work?

An 8-minute, no-equipment workout that actually works - sound like a gimmick? Researchers reviewed the literature on bodyweight exercise and came up with this new circuit. I love research that makes exercise more accessible to everyone. An article published by the American College of Sports Medicine [1] does just that. read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2vPsW7Z via IFTTT

The 8-Minute Bodyweight Circuit: Does It Actually Work?

An 8-minute, no-equipment workout that actually works - sound like a gimmick? Researchers reviewed the literature on bodyweight exercise and came up with this new circuit. I love research that makes exercise more accessible to everyone. An article published by the American College of Sports Medicine does just that. Researchers reviewed the literature on high-intensity circuit training and designed a circuit of bodyweight exercises that can be performed anywhere in a little less than eight minutes.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2UC4fEf via IFTTT

Individualizing Training: Structural Balance, Intensity and Autoregulation

Adopt a general training framework and use these methodologies to adapt our programming to take into account factors influenced by individualization. Writing programs is easy. You just need to do between 1-20 sets of 1-100 reps per muscle group at between 5-120% of your 1RM and rest for 1-300 minutes between sets. It’s science. This is obviously an exaggeration of what is written in most textbooks, but most textbooks provide general guidelines but fail to explain how to individualize those numbers for your client.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2xk09sD via IFTTT

Individualizing Training: Structural Balance, Intensity and Autoregulation

Adopt a general training framework and use these methodologies to adapt our programming to take into account factors influenced by individualization. Writing programs is easy. You just need to do between 1-20 sets of 1-100 reps per muscle group at between 5-120% of your 1RM and rest for 1-300 minutes between sets. It’s science. This is obviously an exaggeration of what is written in most textbooks, but most textbooks provide general guidelines but fail to explain how to individualize those numbers for your client.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2Ug0xRF via IFTTT

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Plank but Were Afraid to Ask

Bet you didn't know how much history we have on the plank. Here's what it’s good for, its variations, and debunking some of the myths surrounding this ideal pandemic-friendly exercise. Let’s start with the first and most commonly known thing about the plank and that is how to perform one. A standard plank is performed with arms shoulder-width apart and toes on the ground, raise your body until your body is in a line, from the top of your head to the top of your heels. If you are interested in learning more about the plank and its history and variations, continue reading below.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2y4CjBt via IFTTT

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Plan but Were Afraid to Ask

Bet you didn't know how much history we have on the plank. Here's what it’s good for, its variations, and debunking some of the myths surrounding this ideal pandemic-friendly exercise. Let’s start with the first and most commonly known thing about the plank and that is how to perform one. A standard plank is performed with arms shoulder-width apart and toes on the ground, raise your body until your body is in a line, from the top of your head to the top of your heels. If you are interested in learning more about the plank and its history and variations, continue reading below.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/33HAtSU via IFTTT

16 At-Home Workout Plans For All Levels and Ages

Stuck at home while the gym is closed? Check out these exercises and workouts. Some require no equipment and others would be make-shift by design. It is almost the first day of spring but, unfortunately, it is not a time of celebration or renewal. For many people, a number that increases every day, there is isolation and quarantine while the COVID-19 pandemic, also known as coronavirus, spreads through the world and our communities. It's out of our hands. We must try and do the best we can with what we have. Exercise, movement, a focus on some sort of routine can be essential to one's physical, as well as mental, well being. Lord knows there are plenty of coaches and trainers telling you the same thing online. read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2Wt6gp0 via IFTTT

16 At-Home Workout Plans For All Levels and Ages

Stuck at home while the gym is closed? Check out these exercises and workouts. Some require no equipment and others would be make-shift by design. It is almost the first day of spring but, unfortunately, it is not a time of celebration or renewal. For many people, a number that increases every day, there is isolation and quarantine while the COVID-19 pandemic, also known as coronavirus, spreads through the world and our communities. It's out of our hands. We must try and do the best we can with what we have. Exercise, movement, a focus on some sort of routine can be essential to one's physical, as well as mental, well being. Lord knows there are plenty of coaches and trainers telling you the same thing online. read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2WpBkFU via IFTTT

Training Load: Find Your Right Volume

Working way too hard is as detrimental as not working hard enough. Which type of athlete are you ?   The one who never stops training? The athlete who tries to out grind the competition?   Or are you the one constantly looking for a way to hack the system?   Which is better?   From a health perspective, which increases injury risk: overtraining or undertraining?   The answer? Both.   Working way too hard is as detrimental as not working hard enough.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2x0oYcW via IFTTT

Training Load: Find Your Right Volume

Working way too hard is as detrimental as not working hard enough. Which type of athlete are you ?   The one who never stops training? The athlete who tries to out grind the competition?   Or are you the one constantly looking for a way to hack the system?   Which is better?   From a health perspective, which increases injury risk: overtraining or undertraining?   The answer? Both.   Working way too hard is as detrimental as not working hard enough.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/38YPmkC via IFTTT

The Steel Mace: The First 3 Moves to Learn

With these three movements you’ll be able to start on the road to mastering the mace. The steel mace (mace bell or gada) has been used by Hindu warriors for over 2,000 years. It has recently found new popularity in the fitness world for its benefits in strengthening and stabilizing the shoulders, back, core, hips, and grip.   Even though the mace can be intimidating due to its aggressive looking nature, getting started with the mace is pretty easy.   With these three movements you’ll be able to start on the road to mastering the mace.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2TA7Rav via IFTTT

The Steel Mace: The First 3 Moves to Learn

With these three movements you’ll be able to start on the road to mastering the mace. The steel mace (mace bell or gada) has been used by Hindu warriors for over 2,000 years. It has recently found new popularity in the fitness world for its benefits in strengthening and stabilizing the shoulders, back, core, hips, and grip.   Even though the mace can be intimidating due to its aggressive looking nature, getting started with the mace is pretty easy.   With these three movements you’ll be able to start on the road to mastering the mace.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/3cLqWOr via IFTTT

All Lifts Are Technical So Learn to Do Them Right

Time in the gym, any gym, will involve doing exercises and movements under load. Without an understanding of form and technique, you might as well be playing chess to grow muscle. Most people don't know how to pick up a heavy box off the ground without straining their back so, why do we think that most people understand the nuances of barbell, kettlebell and, even, dumbbell movements? And of all the people who you see lifting in gyms around the world, most are self-taught. The vast majority of people lifting are not learning to lift but are self-taught or are tagging along in group classes where there is limited supervision or support.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2TtY31I via IFTTT

All Lifts Are Technical So Learn to Do Them Right

Time in the gym, any gym, will involve doing exercises and movements under load. Without an understanding of form and technique, you might as well be playing chess to grow muscle. Most people don't know how to pick up a heavy box off the ground without straining their back so, why do we think that most people understand the nuances of barbell, kettlebell and, even, dumbbell movements? And of all the people who you see lifting in gyms around the world, most are self-taught. The vast majority of people lifting are not learning to lift but are self-taught or are tagging along in group classes where there is limited supervision or support.    read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2TIvbBS via IFTTT

An Introduction to Running Cadence

Cadence is the number of steps a person takes per minute, so make sure your cadence is working for you. Among all things tech-lovers, data junkies, or sports science nerds like myself can track, running cadence is one that can be easily monitored on a GPS device. A 2016 study showed that using a commercially available watch like a Garmin is a reliable, valid way to track cadence, among other factors. 1 , 9     read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/3arxnEJ via IFTTT

An Introduction to Running Cadence

Cadence is the number of steps a person takes per minute, so make sure your cadence is working for you. Among all things tech-lovers, data junkies, or sports science nerds like myself can track, running cadence is one that can be easily monitored on a GPS device. A 2016 study showed that using a commercially available watch like a Garmin is a reliable, valid way to track cadence, among other factors. 1 , 9     read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/2Ic010n via IFTTT

8 Unusual Olympic LIfting Cues That Get Results

The right coaching cues can get a room full of novices on the same page. Try these non-traditional cues to get past common lifting errors. Olympic lifting is one of the most high-level, skill-based, athletic activities one can perform. No other style of lifting demands the same level of coordination, concentration, and detail than a heavy clean and jerk or snatch.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/3cwIaPM via IFTTT

8 Unusual Olympic LIfting Cues That Get Results

The right coaching cues can get a room full of novices on the same page. Try these non-traditional cues to get past common lifting errors. Olympic lifting is one of the most high-level, skill-based, athletic activities one can perform. No other style of lifting demands the same level of coordination, concentration, and detail than a heavy clean and jerk or snatch.   read more from Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/39fH1dl via IFTTT