This is something I feel like I need to say And I don’t mean that in a “this needs to be said, so I may as well say it,” way. I mean it in a, “It does not benefit me to say this, and I benefit from not saying it, so I feel like I’m the one who is supposed to say it because then people will actually listen,” way. This is what it […]
What it Takes to Break World Records Read More »
“The Map is not the Territory” -Alfred Korzybski For starters, I just want to be up front about the fact that the subjects covered in this post are very vast subjects. There are dozens of very long, technical books written about them, and this post is just a basic introduction. Actually, it’s more like an introduction to an introduction – I’m currently 20,000 words into a book talking about all of this stuff in much
Making Sense of Strength 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. Sayre’s law: “In any dispute the intensity of feeling is inversely proportional to the value of the
High Bar vs. Low Bar Squatting Read More »
One of the biggest problems we have when we talk about training is that we tend to only talk about physical stressors. We like complicated periodization models, manipulating training volume, intensity, and frequency. In short, we like having a sense of control. We like thinking, “If I plan out and control these training factors, I’ll get this outcome.” Sure, nutrition and sleep play a role too, but as long as those factors (often given the
Stress: The Silent Killer (of gains) Read More »
Boris Sheiko is the man behind the Juggernaut that is the Russian National Powerlifting Team. He was gracious enough to grant me an interview. If you don’t know who Mr. Sheiko is, you haven’t spent enough time in the powerlifting world. His lifters win European and World Championships in larger numbers and more frequently than those of any other coach in the world that I’m aware of – by a very broad margin. 1.
Interview with Coach Boris Sheiko Read More »
If you want to get stronger, training volume and intensity are the two most important variables, right? Well, a recent (May 2014) study published in the European Journal of Sports Science sheds some light on another crucial factor – bar speed. Now, if you’re like me, you’ve always heard that you’re supposed to lift the bar (concentric) as fast as possible, and that doing so would recruit more fast twitch fibers since you’re producing more
Speed kills: 2x the intended bar speed yields ~2x the bench press gains Read More »
There are a lot of popular novice strength training programs. Though people like to obsess about the differences between them, they’re all basically set up the same way (example one, two, three, four). All of them accomplish their intended purpose relatively well: getting you somewhat proficient with the core barbell lifts. However, they all have two major pitfalls that can be easily remedied to a) make them more effective and b) set you up for greater success
Two Easy Ways to Make Your Novice Strength Training Program More Effective Read More »
It’s always interesting to see how long it takes for scientific practices to gain traction on the internet, and then in gyms everywhere. Sometimes there’s an exciting paper, it gets discussed on reddit and forums across the internet, and then people become guinea pigs within weeks or months. Other times, it’s a slow burn – creatine has been researched for well over 2 decades, but only recently (in no small part because of the great
Daily Undulating Periodization: The Bogeyman of Training Programs Read More »
“Insufficient sleep undermines dietary efforts to reduce adiposity“ The title of the study says it all. If there’s one subject I tend to get preachy about, it’s sleep. It’s not exciting like a new exercise protocol or as sexy as some new diet trend, so it doesn’t get the coverage it deserves. But it is absolutely crucial that you get a full night of sleep. This is probably going to turn into a 3-4 post
Sleep, Pt 1: Wrecking Your Diet, One Night At a Time Read More »
Does cardio kill gains? No. In fact, a recent study adds more evidence suggesting cardio and lifting make for a stronger, more jacked athlete.
Cardio Isn’t Going to Kill Your Gains. Need More Evidence? You Got It. Read More »
Hey guys, after the huge response to my recent article about combining aerobic and resistance training, I got my friend Alex Viada to go into a little more depth on the subject. Combining the two is what he does for a living, so he’s the guy to really talk about application. I’m just a guy going through the research – he’s the expert that REALLY knows this subject inside and out. I hope you enjoy!
Practical Considerations for Combining Cardio and Lifting Read More »
The strength and fitness worlds have, unfortunately, fallen prey to cardio fear-mongering, and I think that’s to their detriment. At this point, it should be indisputable that aerobic training can improve almost every major marker of health, however, I think that it might actually improve your strength and size gains (or, at the very least, not hurt them) as well. Short-Term For starters, we don’t really have to guess about the short-term effects of cardio
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