Stronger By Science publishes articles on topics like lifting technique (squat, bench, and deadlift), body composition and hypertrophy, programming, nutrition, prehab and rehab, and cardio.
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I got this question a couple days ago on fitocracy: “Any tips or advice on bench press technique? Or plateaus, some of your experiences on busting through the damn things? That would be helpful.” As far as bench press technique goes, this is the best video I know of. Unfortunately, the language is very NSFW, so if you’re easily offended, turn the volume off and just watch what he does. Plateaus, unfortunately, can’t be dealt …
Start by reading about this recent study One of our primary subconscious goals is to reconcile our beliefs into a comprehensive, non-contradictory whole. Once ideas get rooted in our head, they have a tendency to stay there. We then unwittingly filter new information through our current notions. We remember information that supports our position, and forget or disregard information that contradicts it. This filter serves the purpose of calming out inner voices. We don’t like …
I had a question about my injury history/what I’ve done to rehab injuries. BY NO MEANS should you take anything I say as authoritative advice on the best ways to rehab certain injuries. This is just what I’ve done and what worked (or didn’t). Also keep in mind that most of these injuries occurred when I was a teenager and I had no clue what I was doing. If I could do it all again, …
The most successful method of long-term strength gains I’ve come across: gaining ground. Here’s how it works: You get a plate&quarter weight that you absolutely own (i.e. 95, 135, 185, 225, 275, etc.). That’s your weight. It’s not your PR. It’s a weight you can hit every time you enter the gym, regardless of circumstances. As you get stronger, you claim the next increment. Then the next. Then the next. It’s sort of like a …
Gaining ground: a simple method to ensure long-term progress Read More »
Before we get into this post, I want to let you know about our giant How to Squat guide. It covers everything you need to know about every aspect of the squat – from biomechanics to correcting weaknesses to technique. Click here to open it in a new tab so you can check it out after you’ve finished reading this article. There are three types of strong people. 1. Lucky ones 2. Injured ones 3. Smart ones Unless you’re …
Really simple tip: Drink more, especially around your workouts. The difference for me is always night and day when I make an effort to drink more. I’ve blogged about this before, but I fell off the gallon-a-day wagon when I started reading about the dangers of BPA and was subsequently unable to find a BPA-free gallon jug. I’ve started again in the past couple days and my overall mood and exercise endurance have improved dramatically. …
Continuing the theme of goal setting, tonight I want to talk about obsession vs. focus. Just to recap, first you want to set a goal (that’s objective and time-constrained). Next you want to have a plan to get there. For both of the first two steps, you need to be accountable to someone, whether it be a coach, training partners, co-workers, your social media circle, etc. After that, you need to focus on executing the …
Now that you’ve (hopefully) set a goal and made it public, the next step is to make a plan. A goal without a plan is a dream. Dreams are for when you’re asleep or for five year olds. Goals are for people with real aspirations. Many people will say that without a plan you’ll never reach your goals. I don’t fully agree. Goals are inherently magnetic. They’ll pull you in their general direction. As long …
Actually, it was the journey of 760 miles. Back to school. Combine 13 hours of being totally sedentary with the worst DOMS I’ve had since the newbie DOMS went away 2 years ago, and I was quite uncomfortable by the time I arrived. However, 100 bodyweight squats later and my hips feel much looser. DOMS still sucks. At least it raises basal metabolic rate (fun fact of the day). If you care about reaching your …
Since several people expressed interest today, here’s the bench program I used for the past few weeks to hit my 20 pound PR: Week 1 Day 1 – 75% 4×3 (four sets of 3 reps) Day 2 – 80% 3×2 Day 3 – 70% 4×4 Day 4 – 85% 3×1 Day 5 – 65% 5×5 Week 2 Add one set to each day Week 3 Add one rep to each set (using either week one’s …
Regarding training beginners, I think that almost every program out there overcomplicates things. That includes SS or SL. Something I did with Lyndsey and Rachel this summer that worked fantastically was simply to work up to a “rep max” once per week with each lift (in reality until form broke town or until it looked like an 8-9 RPE), and go up 5-10 pounds per lift per week (if you know a max, 65-70% is …
Today was a day away from the gym. Doesn’t happen often, but I’ll definitely take time off when I need it. The bulk of this cycle is behind me, so my top training priority is just to rest up for a new rep max with 545 this week. If I get more than 3 I know I’m stronger, and if I get 5-6 I’d feel pretty good about hitting 700 low bar after a deload. …
