Spotting The Bench Press
I’m going to cover two types of bench presses in this article because there’s a difference in spotting a barbell as opposed to dumbbells. When spotting the barbell bench press, the first thing you want to do is make sure that you have a sturdy base from which to work. This usually involves adopting a nice wide stance with a fair amount of bend in your knees and lowering your center of gravity. You’ll also want to position yourself fairly close to the bar so all you have to do is offer a slight amount of vertical assistance to the weight on the way up. By contrast, keeping your feet together and standing a foot or so behind the bar not only causes you to lean forward excessively, putting strain on your lower back but it also fails to give you the leverage you need in case you have to lift the bar off some one whose lost control of the weight.
You’ll also need to consider your hand spacing. Try to position your hands approximately 12 inches apart in the middle of the bar so that you can give the lifter a nice balanced spot. Never mind this grabbing the bar with one hand garbage. It might look cool, but besides throwing the lifter off balance it can also be incredibly dangerous to those around you. If by some chance the person you’re spotting forgot to use collars, allowing the weight to tip to one side ever so slightly can result in weights flying all over the place. So do us all a favor and always spot with two hands.
How you choose to hold the bar is entirely up to you and often depends on how much weight the lifter is using. The most common way is to use a palms-up, or supinated grip. This way you can just give the slightest bit of assistance with your fingertips, yet still be in good position to grab the bar and help the lifter rack the weight in the event they’re unable to finish the repetition. There are those however who prefer to position themselves directly over the bar and use a palms-down, or pronated grip. This is best suited for someone who is going fairly heavy, since this grip puts you in better position to pull the weight off of him or her if they fail. I should point out though that if someone is using extremely heavy weights it is best to use multiple spotters; with one positioned above the lifter and one at each end of the bar.
Will of Iron: Principles for Healthy Living
From The Back Cover:
A mysterious intestinal disorder nearly killed Peter Nielson at the age of 15. After doctors were finally able to diagnose Chrohn’s Disease, after he finally confronted and beat self-pity, the fragile Brooklyn teen dedicated his life to fitness and health.
The story of his journey from pumpimg iron at a gritty Flatbush gym to posing at Studio 54 to winning the Mr. International Universe title is riveting and inspiring chronicle of success forged from adversity.
In Will of Iron, Nielson reveals a passion for fitness far beyond the narrow scope of bodybuilding, He shows how the principles of nutrition, exercise, and mental toughness that won for him more than 70 trophies, can translate to a healthy lifestyle for anyone.
Gym rate will find a “clean” path to success without steroids. Readers who have never pumped iron or never even jogged a block will find themselves determed to put true quality in their quality time by getting, and staying, fit. And young and old alike will discover a fascinating, compelling, and inspiring story.
My Take on the Book:
I really liked this book. It is a very inspirational read. After seeing what this person went through, you can appreciate how good you really have it. This book shows what a person can go through and still make it. There are also sections on nutrition, conditioning and training.
The Truth about Thermogenic Supplements
Thermogenics supplements, a term is used in the fitness industry, refers to a class of drugs and/or herbs that stimulate the central nervous system and/or thyroid gland. The idea is to decrease a person’s appetite so that they consume fewer calories while at the same time attempting to increase the body’s ability to burn more fuel. Thermogenic fat burning supplements range from Hydroxycitric acid (HCA) to the deadly Dinitrophenol (DNP) and everything in between.
Before you go and pop any supposed fat loss wonder drug supplement, you need to have enough information to make an intelligent decision. Consider the total picture, not just the fact that in two months, you wish to look good at the beach.
The critical thing that you must be kept in mind is that taking a thermogenic in and of itself will not cause a human to lose body fat. If supplement manufacturers were more honest, they would admit that these compounds are only beneficial for fat loss when they are combined with a calorie restricted diet and exercise.
They would increase their credibility if they would stop declaring with the utmost certainty that 40 pounds of fat could be lost in 15 days while you also gained 10 pounds of muscle mass. They know this is not true and is the reason that in miniscule print somewhere in the ad you will find words to the effect that not everyone will respond in the same manner as the model in the pictures. I’d venture a guess the model didn’t respond like that either.
Much of the problem is that everyone wants a 30-minute quick fix solution to weight loss when really solving the problem requires many weeks, and maybe more than a year (depending on the amount of body fat which needs to be lost), of effort. There are better ways to go about this and leave thermogenics (if even needed) to the very last option.
Considering that you are required to reduce your calorie consumption and exercise more frequently for healthy weight loss, it makes sense to start doing this before turning to supplements for some extra help. Thermogenics alone will not make you lose weight!
The best advice I can provide is that before you leap toward what is so common in our culture – a solution in a pill – take a realistic look at all the ramifications before you spend your hard earned money. Thermogenics, like many other drugs, have their pros and cons and you need to consider all of them carefully before you make the decision to use them.
Body For Life Review
From The Back Cover:
Imagine, just 12 weeks from now, having the lean, healthy body you’ve always wanted and not having to turn your life upside down to get it.
Imagine having the energy to be at your peak from dawn to dusk, having the confidence to do all the things you’ve been putting off, having the certainty to make the right decision at the right time, knowing that you really do have the power to change-not just your body but anything in this world you set your mind to.
If this sounds unlikely, or even impossible, it’s time you were introduced to Bill Phillips and his Body-for-Life Program-it’s time you join those who have experienced breakthroughs with the help of his expert advice.
Written by:
Bill Phillips, founder of EAS supplements.
My Take on the Book:
This book is a great book for getting into shape. Just follow the steps and you can improve your appearance, gain muscle, and improve your self esteem. This book was on the bestseller list for many weeks.
Strength Training Strategies that Work
Over the years there has been a surge of different strength training techniques that have come onto the market and just faded away. Here we discuss the training strategies to gain the maximum amount of muscle in the shortest time possible that have stood up to the test of time.
Most of these strength-training strategies have been around for years but are not followed by many training systems these days. Lets look at a few below that actually work.
1. Training Frequency
The two main components of strength training are the intensity of the exercise and the recovery after the exercise. Infrequent, short, high intensity weight training sessions, followed by the required amount of time to recover and become stronger is what is needed to increase functional muscle size in the shortest period of time.
The latest research has repeatedly shown that muscles over-compensate (become stronger) up to a week after the previous workout, provided that the muscles are trained to failure.
Remember it’s not the training volume but the intensity and recuperation that are important when it comes to gains in strength and muscle.
2. Exercises Per Session
Tests under strict gym conditions have revealed that you’ve only got a limited amount of (readily available) energy to use for a weight training session. Blood tests on individuals have also revealed that blood sugar levels (available energy) drop dramatically after 20 to 30 minutes of high intensity training.
As you only have a short period of time to train before our blood sugar level drops, “Exercise Selection” is crucial. You have to use Multi-Joint or Compound movements, as these offer the most training stimulus for the available amount of time. In other words, we can train many muscles simultaneously and thus use our energy more efficiently.
Performing three to four exercises with high intensity during a session are what most people are capable of. All the main structures of the body are worked hard during this time. Working on these big compound movements has a knock-on effect throughout the whole body; there is no need for specialization techniques or isolation movements.
The fact is, the whole body is worked hard, rest and recuperation is allowed to take place and at the next exercise session we push out a few more reps than before with the same weight, then we have gotten stronger i.e. more muscle.
3. Number of Sets per Exercise
After performing one complete set a compound exercise to total failure, it should be just about impossible to generate the same force and intensity for another complete set of the same exercise.
If you’re able to generate the same force and intensity for this second set then it’ll be pretty obvious that not enough effort has been put into the first set. Thus you’ll have to raise the intensity level you put out for the first set.
If you give the first set 100% effort and work the exercise hard to total failure (eg. you cannot move the bar after the last rep) then there will be not more requirement for further muscle stimulation on that specific exercise.
If you think that volume training (multiple sets) is more effective then you’re wrong! The latest research shows that single set training is as beneficial as multiple set training. Training one set will decrease the chances of over-training. It will also allow you to save more energy for other exercises required during the workout.
4. Number of Repetitions per Set
The development of muscle and strength is interrelated, it always has been. Strength training Sessions produce increases in strength that is equal to increases in functional muscle. (You’ll become stronger and grow muscle).
Cycling intensity through changes in repetitions and weight throughout a ten-week program is an effective way to maintain progression and avoid training plateaus (slumps in strength).
Repetitions can be cycled, the higher repetition range will stimulate the slow twitch muscle fibres and promote endurance. Moving further down the scale, the lower repetition range will activate the fast twitch muscle fibres and increase strength and muscle size.
Gary is the author of several ebooks, including “Maximum Weight Loss in Ten Weeks” – the complete ebook and time-saving solution for burning away unwanted fat, and “Maximum Weight Gain in Ten Weeks” – easy-to-use and follow techniques that serve as a guide to muscle growth without having to “live in the gym”.
Visit Gary’s website at http://www.maximumfitness.com/
