Training

Consider Early Morning Training   Bodybuilder Franco Columbo wrote a mail-order bodybuilding course about 50 years ago in which he provided a question-and-answer section, and one question was, “When is the best time to train?” The future 2x Mr. Olympia’s answer: 2:30 pm! Training at 2:30 pm may have been the best workout time for […]

Strength Sensei 101 Intensity Brackets   More insights into the pioneering training methods of Charles R. Poliquin   No matter how carefully they plan their workouts, a strength coach or personal trainer can’t predict precisely how much an individual can lift at a specific time on a specific day. That’s where intensity brackets come in.

Pamper Your Hands   You are only as strong as your weakest link. If you develop blisters on your hands or perform a lift where the skin on your palms tears off, the resulting discomfort will affect your ability to pump heavy iron. Lifting chalk (magnesium carbonate) is an essential tool in lifting free weights,

Strength Sensei 101 Managing Multiple Training Sessions   More insights into the training methods of Charles R. Poliquin   Elite athletes are known for putting in long hours in training. It’s not unusual for gymnasts, swimmers, and figure skaters to train for four hours a day, 4-5x a week. Elite athletes often need to do

Use Lifting Straps Sparingly   If you possessed the bone-crushing pythons that Charles R. Poliquin called forearms, you probably wouldn’t need to use lifting straps for any lift. For everyone else, they serve a purpose but should only be used for certain lifts. First, you would never use straps for cleans. In 2009, elite US

Strength Sensei 101 Exercise Order   More insights into the pioneering training methods of Charles R. Poliquin   The basic format for designing workouts is to perform the exercises that work the biggest muscles first, progressively moving down to the smaller muscle groups. It’s often not that simple, especially when working with higher-level athletes. First,

Beware the Thumbless Grip!   “How much can you bench?” is one of the most common questions asked of anyone who lifts weights. It doesn’t matter if you lift to become a better athlete, transform your physique, or just look like someone who works out, others often judge your commitment to self-improvement by how much

Strengthen External Rotators to Press More   Resistance training machines such as the Smith machine are popular with bodybuilders because the stability of the movement is higher than free weights, enabling you to train the prime movers harder. The problem is that when the athlete goes back to free weights, their weights often don’t increase