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The 5 Best Back Training Exercises

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There are so many back training exercises that it is almost impossible to pick just 5. I have a feeling there will be another set of posts following up on this one.

Training your back is an important thing. We use our back all day long. By building stronger back muscles we make everyday life easier. Here are 5 great exercises for building back strength and mass.

Pull ups/Chin ups

Definitely one of the best back training exercises is the pull up (or chin up) as it activates all of the back muscles at one time. This exercise targets the lats, shoulders, biceps and your grip. There are many ways to modify this exercise. You can change your grip, add resistance, do slow negatives, do holds, or go side to side.

Deadlifts

These are one of my absolute favourite back training exercises to perform. They allow you to move big weight and that's a good thing for mass development. Even rack pulls are amazing at developing the back.

Seated rows/Bent rows

As back training exercises go these are amazing. With seated rows, make sure you stay upright. Use proper form. With bent rows the problem is usually being too upright.  Getting the full range of motion for these two is very important.

Back Extensions

These target the erectors, hamstrings and glutes. Remain neutral and don't hyperextend your back. You can even add resistance.

Face Pulls

These are going to help you avoid injury. This is probably the most important of the back training exercises. They will help you with healthy shoulders. This is extremely important.

Flexibility is Key

One last point I would like to make is that flexibility is the key. Make sure that you are using a foam roller on a regular basis. If you have trouble with your shoulders, incorporate the Rotater in your daily routine. This is a device that I highly recommend. It fixed every single shoulder issue I have had and it keeps them away. Have a look at this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Qin8iDtxoc

If you don't have one of these then I suggest you get one.

 

 

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Build a Bigger Chest Quickly

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Who doesn't want a bigger chest? Well, ladies, even you do, but that's not what I am referring to. Anyone who hits a gym on a Monday int he United States will know that everyone wants a bigger chest. Monday's are National Chest Day in most gyms in America.

Bigger Chest by Hitting the Angles

As with any other body part, the varying angles you use will help you get a bigger chest. Most chest exercises have a flat, incline and decline method you can use. Try to incorporate all of them. Use the tools that you have available to you.

Bigger Chest by Squeezing Hard

The best tip I ever got was to squeeze on every repetition. When using a barbell to do bench presses squeeze your hands together while gripping the bar. The hands won't move, but the pecs will contract hard. My chest muscles really respond to this type of stimulus. Remember, everything in the gym is about concentration and focus. The best way to feel the muscle is to feel it squeezing, so do it. Give it a good hard squeeze on every single repetition.

Exercises for a Bigger Chest

There are many great exercises for building a bigger chest. Here I list some of the more popular ones.

Barbell Bench Press. The idea here is to push yourself hard. Squeeze the muscle on every single repetition and make sure you really fatigue the muscle.

Incline Dumbbell Press. The dumbbells give you a greater range of motion. The incline will hit the upper part of your chest. Get a good squeeze on every single repetition. Do not let your elbows drop below your shoulders as you perform each rep.

Flat Dumbbell Fly. This exercise will really hone your mind muscle connection. You will truly feel your chest muscles on this one. Squeeze hard each rep.

Pec Dec Fly. This exercise uses a machine. It should enable you to push a great deal of weight and get an amazing squeeze on each repetition. Simply hold for 2 seconds in the middle and then slowly bring the weight back. Keep this one controlled at all times and you will see some great results.

Cable Crossover. This one uses the cable rack. The motion is like hugging a tree. Get a good squeeze in the middle. Feel the blood flow into the chest muscles. Don't quit until you have completely fatigued the chest area.

Bigger Chest Muscles Coming Up

Put together a good program that includes the above exercises and then get to work at the gym. You should start to notice differences within 4 weeks. Let me know how it goes.

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How to Periodize Your Training

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When you train it is easy to get stuck in a rut. If you periodize your training you present your body with new challenges and some variation. This helps to keep the momentum that you build as you go along. This will help you avoid plateaus completely when done correctly. I personally use periodization in my system all the time.

What does it mean to periodize your training?

In its most basic form, you break your year up into blocks of time and then change up your workout during each of those blocks of time. When you periodize your training you are able to schedule in rest weeks to recovery fully from the hard work you've put in. Your training is less haphazard and more on point.

One way to periodize your training

As mentioned, I always periodize my training and I see many different benefits to it beyond just the physical aspects. Yes, your body needs to have new challenges and that's a big reason to periodize your training, but there are also psychological benefits as well. What do I mean? Read on!

I periodize my training into 12 week blocks of time, so I essentially have 4 blocks each year. My periodization works as follows:

12 weeks of full body HIT workouts. 3 days a week. Moderate to heavy weight.
12 weeks of body part split training. 5 days a week. Heavy weight.
12 weeks of Y3T. 5 days a week. The weights vary as Y3T itself is a periodized plan with a 3 week cycle, so I do 4 cycles.
12 weeks of body part split training. 4 days a week. Upper/Lower. Moderate weight.

So how does this have any kind of psychological benefit? I am the type that gets bored very easily. If I had to stick to a plan that is weeks and weeks of the same thing I would probably shoot myself in the head. With the periodized schedule above I have new workouts to look forward to. Each plan I use has a different approach.

For instance, my HIT workouts involve one set of each exercise all the way to failure. It is a full body approach that has me lifting 3 days a week. Then there is my body part splits. I do two types. One is the typical one to two parts a day for 5 days each week and the other is an upper/lower split. Again, the approach is varied and keeps me engaged. Finally there is Y3T. It is actually an amazing system put together by Neil Hill for Flex Lewis. I got some amazing mass gains using the program so I have inserted it into the rotation.

The way I think the mandate to periodize your training is that you have a tool belt (the exercises and programs you can use to train) and each block of time is a tool in that tool belt. The more tools you acquire that do the job well the better you will be at what you are doing.

3 methods to periodize your training

There are 3 main groups to periodize your training.

  1. The sequential method of periodization. This method uses specific time intervals for developing a specific training goal. This can involve having a block of 3 weeks to focus on strength, then another block of 3 weeks to focus on hypertrophy, etc. This would be a long linear method. There is also the same approach, but with shorter periods of time. That would be a short linear method. There is also the undulating method where the periodization comes in a wave of continuous changes. It is truly the worst method mentioned so far.
  2. The concurrent method of periodization. This method develops all abilities at one time. There is the ordinary method which uses one microcycle per week to develop all areas at one time. There is also the emphasized concurrent method. The only difference from the ordinary method is that one aspect is focused on more than the others, yet all aspects are worked on at the same time.
  3. The conjugate sequence system. This is by far the most advanced method of periodization. This method takes the pros and cons of the sequential and concurrent methods and merges the good while avoiding the bad. It is quite similar in methodology to the sequential system in that it focuses on one area for a time period and then switches to another and then another.

Conclusions

Honestly, the most important thing to remember about periodization is that you need to change things up on a regular basis. Using an arm workout (for example), if you are doing all barbell curls, change to dumbbell curls. If you are using all standing exercises, try some sitting exercises. You can change the angles as well. Vary the number of sets you are doing. Change up the repetition range you use as well. All of these things will keep you from plateauing. Give it a try!

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Monday Madness: Hamstring Happiness

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Hamstring training is not for the weak-minded. In order to get great hamstrings you must put in some intense training time. In today's Monday Madness I am going to present you with a hamstring training program that will have your hamstrings growing in no time at all.

Why Hamstring Training is Important

Hamstring training is often neglected or given a lower priority than anything else. Doing an intense hamstring session each week is important to leg development. Having big hamstrings will make your legs look massive. It is much like the triceps for your arms, a big hamstring will make all of your leg look larger.

The Hamstring Happiness Workout

This workout is going to require some focus. You are going to be using heavy weights. Make sure that you use proper form on all exercises. Squeeze the muscle on every single repetition. Do not get lazy. Keep the rest period to a minute or less.

Exercise # of Sets Repetition Range
Lying Hamstring Curls 4 8 to 10
Good Mornings 4 4 to 6
Stiff Leg Deadlifts 5 4 to 6
Seated Leg Curls 3 8 to 10
Lying Hamstring Curls 2 15 to 20

You start and finish with lying hamstring curls. This is important to note. The first time you are using a moderate weight. You are going for a tremendous squeeze in the muscle. By the time you hit that last exercise your hamstrings will be on fire. Those last two sets will push blood into that muscle like nothing else will.

Get to Work!

Enough reading! Print this out and take it with you to the gym. Do your hamstring training and report back to us on how it felt.

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Why You Need to Train Your Legs

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If you are looking for the best way to build muscle fast you have to train your legs. This is not negotiable. It is something you must do.

Do You Train Your Legs?

We have all seen the guys in the gym with the huge upper body and twigs for legs. When asked they have a multitude of excuses for not training their legs. It could be “squats hurt my knees” or “my legs get enough work through cardio training”, but the excuses are everywhere. I want you to understand why you must train your legs.

Train Your Legs for a Stronger Foundation

The stronger your legs the higher you can jump, faster you can run and more athletic you will be. Don't participate in sports? There is a functional benefit to training your legs. Things like pushing your car, lifting boxes and carrying heavy things up stairs will become much easier with strong legs.

Train Your Legs to Boost Your Metabolism

What two exercises burn the most calories? Squats and deadlifts. They are without a doubt the two highest calorie burners out there. You can bench all day long, but there is no substitute for heavy squats and deadlifts.

Train Your Legs to Increase Growth Hormone and Testosterone

Scientific studies show that doing squats and deadlifts increases the release of growth hormone into the body. They also show that testosterone levels also increase. If your goal is more muscle than this is the way you want to go–more growth hormone and more testosterone.

Train Your Legs to Build Your Upper Body

By focusing on compound leg movements you will build muscle throughout your entire body and that includes your upper body. Train your legs hard and your entire body will benefit.

Train Your Legs for Mental Toughness

Anyone can train their upper body. It is fun and takes less effort. It takes a tremendous amount of mental effort to do a good leg training. For some reason, heavy squats get inside your head and it is very easy to give up. Competing the task takes mental strength.

Do not ever skip leg day. Train your legs with intensity just like any other part of your body. Watch the results pour in.

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