[quote]DeanPT wrote:
Can someone please tell me the correct foot positioning of the Squat (back) exercise. I normally turn the feet out 45 degrees to recruit more glute muscle. However, recently ive been putting the feet facing forwards? Which is more effective??
Thanks,
Dean[/quote]
Whatever is most comfortable. 45 works perfect for me
When you’re doing pull-ups, pulldowns or cable rows, concentrate on pulling with your last two fingers. Just a slight adjustment but I feel my lats working more.
if grip strength is poor do barbell pulling moves with less fingers and gradually build up to a proper grip. My forearms kill atm and cant grip tight aswell and did this grip work 24hs ago.
EATING IS BODYBUILDING!!
Oh… box squats really hammer the glutes and hamstrings and allow you to use more weight
Do a ridiculously hard training session, then next time do even more, then you will see that your limits are not what you thought they are!
Just a visualization tip, I always ‘knew’ that for powerlifting that ‘pulling the bar apart’ was advisable, but its much easier to do if you don’t visualize pulling the bar apart, but rather pressing outwards into a V pattern. (If you had dumbbells, picture starting from the bottom of a press and throwing them each 20 feet to the side).
I find thinking about it in this manner just feels better and actually nails the upper back positioning as well.
Box Squats are a fantastic movement for the entire posterior chain, but i seldom see them preached. Ive felt these muscles growing in the few short months ive been doing these. Be sure to keep the weight in your heels, maintain the appropriate arch in your back, and SLOW your eccentric movement down.
When progression starts to slow on deads and squats, add weight. You can usually do more than you think you can.
When you think your set is done on squats and you cant get another rep, go for another rep. Just make sure your in a power rack.
Don’t lockout your reps on squat variations or leg press. This is crucial to great leg development.
Every 8 to 12 weeks, take a one-week break.
It gives the body a chance to heal more completely by not constantly aggravating what might begin as a relatively minor and unnoticed injury. Keep protein intake up, but drop carbs and you’ll still be fully glycogen repleneshed after a week.
Another small tip i have really started focusing on. Make sure you are working harder than EVERY single person in the gym. Look around and take note of the intensity that others have and make very fucking sure that you don’t get topped. I just got back from the gym today and there is no doubt i was working way harder than everyone else. I just gotta keep it up now
When I do skull crushers I bring my elbows back toward my head at the bottom of every rep to get a good stretch. You might feel a bit of lats this way, but it seems to get the long head much better than stationary upper arms.
When using the fly machine, don’t grip the handles with a traditional grip, but pinch the handle in the notch created between your thumb and your hand. Your hands should be flat like you are going to do a “karate chop”, or praying hands. When you squeeze your rep, do it slowly bringing the palms of your hands together. Your chest will burn in places you didn’t know exsisted, hurts like a bitch.
Biceps work will be a lot easier after deadlifting. Do them first, cold, and it’s hard for me to curl the 50s…after deads I can curl 65s.
One that dawned on me today…
Listening to others is very important.
But sometimes, you have to just say fuck everyone else and do what you know is right for you. You are accountable for your progress, not them. So you have the final say, no matter what.
When doing Stiff leg deadlifts, think about digging your heals in and pushing them backwards. Really helps me feel my hamstrings, also push your hips right back on the downward phase.
Sometimes I warm up with a few standing long jumps with feet together.
When doing direct rear delt exercises lighten the load and keep you shoulder blades retacted through the whole range of motion. It doesnt allow you to use your traps as much and really burns the delts.
on leg curls and extensions, do a set with toes in, toes out and nuetral.
If those first few inches of the hammer strength bench machines feel like they’re tearing up your shoulders for any reason (I’m tall with long arms so the first few inches never felt comfortable for me), put yoga blocks in the HS machine before each set. At $5/each your shoulders will never feel better.
[quote]Akuma01 wrote:
Box Squats are a fantastic movement for the entire posterior chain, but i seldom see them preached. Ive felt these muscles growing in the few short months ive been doing these. Be sure to keep the weight in your heels, maintain the appropriate arch in your back, and SLOW your eccentric movement down.[/quote]
I really need to get back to box squatting. I have been leaning forward a bit too much lately. Putting too much stress on my quads and none on my glutes and hamstrings