Using a Weightlifting Belt
It has been found that using a weight lifting belt during deadlifts by a certain study increase the muscle fiber activity within the abdominal region. At the same time though, it did decrease oblique activity. Other research confirms the use of a lifting belt during squats increased spinal erector activity compared to not using a belt. This evidence shows the idea that belts weaken with plenty of rest between. After doing bent over rows he does bench presses and T-bar rows followed by incline dumbbell presses. Does he have attention deficit or could he know something you don’t? Let’s find out.
By training opposing muscle groups like chest and back (or shoulders and back, bi’s with tri’s, hamstrings with quads), he’s actually enhancing his strength on the second exercise. It’s pretty clear in research that a muscle will be stronger if it’s antagonist, or opposing muscle group, is contracted immediately beforehand. Not many techniques in the gym specifically allow for a particular muscle to be able to make a gain in strength by indirect means. So if you do an overhead press followed by a lat pulldown, you’ll be stronger on the lat pulldown move.
The reason behind the increase in strength of the second muscle group is that there’s an innate limitation of an agonist muscle by its antagonist. For example, during a few standard sets of barbell curls, the triceps inhibit the contraction of the biceps to a degree. But if you precede the barbell curl with a set of pressdowns, it will lessen the inhibitory effect, so your biceps can contract with greater force. And that phenomenon can be applied to virtually every body part, with only one major limitation: your ability to get out of your comfort zone and use exercises you may not currently be using. For some of you, a root canal procedure sounds more appealing. But trust me, priming the pump by doing an agonist/antagonist scheme in your workout will really shock your system into new growth.
One key factor to remember when training opposing muscle groups in this fashion is to not take the first exercise to failure. Doing so will not allow you to benefit from the technique with as much success. Rather, the first exercise in the superset should be done with light weight (a weight with which you can do about 15 reps, of your 15rm), but do only 5-6 reps. Each light rep should be done with explosive power, but don’t go to failure. Rest about a minute or so before beginning the next exercise where you’ll crank up the weight and go for a set of 4-6 reps with 80-85% of your 1RM. After about 3-4 sets of this technique, do one set to failure of the first exercise. The next workout where you pair those two exercise together, switch the order in which you train, allowing the opposite muscle group to reap the same benefits.
Another great aspect of this technique is that there are not set rules in terms of exercise pairings, but just try and mimic the motion of the two exercises. For example, you love preacher curls, but you’re not sure what to pair it with. Head to pressdown cable and turn away. Step forward slightly and do leaning overhead extensions at an angle. Voila! A great arm combo that pairs well. What you’ll find out is that attempting to mirror your target muscle will force you to add variety to your routine, helping you get out of the rut in more ways than one.
Warming up for a Great Workout
You’re a little late to the gym this time around and it’s early in the morning right when your day starts to begin. Not only are you late to the gym, you also have a very important scheduled business meeting at work, and being a couple minutes late is definitely not an option for you. You realize that you’re going to have to cut some corners if you’re going to be able to finish your workout. One of the first corners you decide to cut is your pre-workout warm-up. You might not think it, but skipping out on your workout may be the biggest mistake to start out your workout if you’re wanting to move heavier weights for more reps and still be able to finish your workout without any injuries.
A proper warm-up should start with a general nonspecific activity (meaning it’s not simply repeating the activity you’re about to do) such as 5-10 minutes of a low to moderate intensity cardiovascular exercise. The physiological purpose of this nonspecific warm-up is to increase your heart rate, core body temperature and blood flow to the muscles. Additionally, this general warm-up can help you to mentally prepare for the workout ahead.
Contrary to popular belief, the next step should not include static stretching. Instead, shift your focus to a specific warm-up for the muscles you’ll be training. There are many benefits to incorporating an appropriate warm-up into every training regimen. Physiologically, as the temperature of muscles increases, they’re able to contract more forcefully and relax more quickly. This ability leads to increased speed and strength. Increased body temperature also leads to greater elasticity within the muscle, which means the likelihood of straining a muscle is lessened. Finally, a warm-up initiates an internal increase in various hormones within the body responsible for regulating energy production, thus making carbohydrates and fatty acids more available for this process.
Clearly there are many significant benefits to incorporating an appropriate warm-up into your training regimen. Do not confuse this warm-up with a protocol that includes simply static stretches because you should never stretch a muscle until after it’s warm. Even if you’re pressed for time, you should still make time to warm up before your resistance training as the warm-up may help to reduce the likelihood of injuries and will prepare your body to perform at a higher level. If you must take shortcuts, cutting down on your overall training volume or decreasing your rest periods between sets are probably smarter choices.
The Benefits of Using a Cross Trainer
As one of the most popular cardio vascular machines available on the market today, cross trainers live up to their name for providing an all over body workout. But what makes these machines so special?
Providing an optimal cardio workout, a cross trainer ensures your body is continually moving in a natural motion without placing pressure on your joints. Physicians and consumers generally prefer this as it avoids damage or injury that may be irreparable. With virtually no impact whilst exercising, the rhythmic workout is comfortable yet effective.
When on foot or running, your feet travel in an elliptical pattern. Manufacturers have applied this when designing cross trainers in order to provide an efficient and effective workout. By doing so, they ensure your feet do not lose connection with the footpad of the trainer, and the trainer stops when the user ceases activity.
Providing varying resistance levels, a cross trainer’s settings can be tailored to your needs, helping you achieve a particular goal or offering a general fitness programme. In addition to this, as technology has advanced new features have appeared such as calorie counters and heart rate monitors.
Cross trainers are innovative, versatile and supportive, offering an entire body workout that does not cost the earth or put the user under extreme strain. A general thumbs up all round, cross trainers are recommended to all!
Dumbell Scott Curls
The Scott curl emphasizes more on the inner, and short heads of your bicep muscle, so it’s recommended to include exercises that target the outer and long heads such as doing close grip barbell curls or incline curls. The Scott dumbbell curl is best used as a super set to follow up right after a certain exercise such as doing barbell curls. Which obviously, you would use heavier weight when using a barbell.
When getting into position for the Scott curl, tighten your back and keep your knees unlocked while leaning against the angled corner of a preacher bench (with a dumbbell in hand, using your chest against the preacher bench). Next, with your triceps pressed into the flat side of the bench, be sure that your armpits fit right up against at the top of the preacher bench pad. For added stability and balance, place your non-working hand on the side of the bench. Be sure to keep your palms facing upwards. Keep your eyes focused forward and your head in a neutral position.
When you are position and ready to execute the exercise, start to curl the dumbbell with a wide-arc curl. Bring the dumbbell as high as you can without using any body english. If you have to use body english, then you are using too much weight. As you complete the rep, keep your elbow, hand, and shoulder aligned in the same plane of motion. After you pass the sticking point, exhale at the top of the lift. At the peak, contract your bicep muscle as hard as you can for a good long second. As you finish your first rep, lower the dumbbell back to starting position with a slow descending motion while allowing your arm to completely straighten in the bottom position.
Other Exercise Alternatives:
Straight Bar Scott Curl: Using a barbell can help target the same muscle groups as well. With the Scott curl, either the straight bar or dumbbell version works best if your arms go completely straight in the bottom position. There’s constant tension at the top since you can’t take your arms past the vertical plane at the peak position (meaning perpendicular to the floor), as opposed to angled preacher benches in which you can consciously stop for a brief rest at the top.
Dumbbell Concentration Curls: When performed on the flat side of a preacher bench, the concentration curl allows for similar recruitment patterns as to the Scott curl. Allowing your triceps to line up flush against your inner quads is the key to duplicating the move while reaching deep down. Consciously keep your elbow down so your biceps is never able to rest in the top position, while allowing your elbow to travel along your leg at the same time. Just like in the Scott curl, this exercise technique maintains your lower arm perpendicular to the floor.
8 Rules for Ultimate Muscle Mass
1) Master recovery, master growth. Eat the right foods during a mass cycle. Without the proper food, you won’t be able to lift heavy enough to make gains and you won’t recover quickly or as completely. Plenty of protein and complex carbohydrates along with the right supplements can help you speed your gains.
2) Get Psyched. Be aggressive and don’t be afraid to make a little noise. On my way to the gym, I psych myself up. I think about the weight I want to handle and during training, I make a lot of noise.
3) Observe proper form. Powerlifters aren’t concerned with muscle stimulation; they just want to complete the lift. I see a lot of people training just to complete a set, trying to gain mass but forgetting their form. That won’t help
4) Don’t count reps. You should know generally how many reps you’re going for because of the relationship between weight and reps. I usually pyramid up in weight to a six rep set. But if I feel I can do more, I will. Never lock yourself into a number you’ve written in a journal somewhere and artificially stop a set at that number.
5) Train with focus and intensity. Free weights will always be the best way to add mass, but what’s more important is the way you work your muscle during each set. You should train intensely, regardless of whether you’re using machines, cables, barbells or dumbbells. My sessions rarely last longer than 45-60 minutes because I can maintain a high level of intensity for about that long. Don’t kid yourself into thinking you can go two hours full bore.
6) Vary your tactics. I usually stick to one program for about six weeks. There’s no single program that will work forever. It’s the combination of programs over time that adds the most quality muscle.
7) Don’t lighten up. A lot of guys like to use lighter weights and higher reps around contest time, but I don’t agree with that approach. I say you should always train as heavy as possible. That keeps your muscle density up for a competition. In my off season, I rarely go to absolute failure, and precontest I add more intensity techniques and shorter rest periods. That’s it.
Get advanced. Advanced techniques can help you get the most out of these mass building exercises. Drop sets and forced reps are my personal favorites, but I also like to use supersets or one and a half schemes. Using the bench press as an example with this technique, you complete one rep through the full range of motion, followed by a partial rep through the bottom half. This constitutes one rep in a one and a half rep scheme, so it’s really a combination of full range and partial movements in a given set.
