You always hear about factors that affect musclebuilding, namely through optimizing conditions that drive optimal anabolic hormone release. Here they are:
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The Key Advantage of Cables over Free Weights
You don’t need to be Sir Isaac Newton to know that when you accidentally drop a weight, you should watch out for your feet! But, that same rule of gravity changes when you’re training on cables. Drop the handle and it immediately snaps back – to the position where you set the pulley (while the stack of plates comes crashing straight down).
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Shrugs: Straight Up and Down or a Rolling Shoulder Motion?
Many of us copy form that we commonly see others using in the gym, and that approach has clobbered many a good movement. Rotator-cuff exercises done with a dumbbell and the confusion between conventional and Romanian deadlifts come to mind. Another one is common to the family of shrug exercises: does it matter if you roll your shoulders or is it better to use an up-and-down motion?
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Skip Balance Training if Your Goal is Max Strength or Size
Not long ago, trainers inserted balance training into their strength and musclebuilding workouts. This was great if you were an athlete who performed in a highly unstable activity, but highly counterproductive if you were trying to maximize muscle or strength gains.
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Take this Pump Quiz on Your Leg Day Workout.
Leg presses are great multi-joint thigh and glute builders that not only support your back, but also take balance out of the equation and provide greater protection against lower-back rounding that’s more common in the squat. Idiot proof, right? Sadly, no.
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The Dumb Mistake You May Be Making on the Leg Press
Leg presses are great multi-joint thigh and glute builders that not only support your back, but also take balance out of the equation and provide greater protection against lower-back rounding that’s more common in the squat. Idiot proof, right? Sadly, no.
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The Universal Biceps Blunder and the Super-Easy Fix
Seems simple enough: flexing your biceps to bring a weight as high as possible. That generally defines the arm-curling movements that you do on biceps day. But, it’s not that simple. If you try it yourself, you’ll find that your elbows pull forward from your sides, and that’s problematic.
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The Big Problem with Lateral Raises Done with an EZ-Bar
Lateral raises are commonly done with a dumbbell or cable to target the middle delts, as your upper arms go directly out to your sides and up.
Read MoreSkip Balance Training if Your Goal is Max Strength or Size
Not long ago, trainers inserted balance training into their strength and musclebuilding workouts. This was great if you were an athlete who performed in a highly unstable activity, but highly counterproductive if you were trying to maximize muscle or strength gains.
Read More
The Fastest Way to Get Back on the Wagon
Do your training efforts fall off the bandwagon easily? Here’s a tip that can help.
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