Posts Tagged ‘strength training’

5 Bad Habits You Need to Quit Now if Sustained Muscle Growth is Your Goal

Wednesday, August 8th, 2018

build muscle

Here is an interesting guest post by a good friend of Project Swole. He wishes to remain mostly nameless (aside from mentioning his name is Andy), but trust in me he is smart and experienced, and I think this piece will really connect with most Swole readers.


It’s unpleasantly like being drunk.”

“What’s so unpleasant about being drunk?”

“You ask a glass of water.”

– Douglas Adams, British author, and humorist

 

Human beings like habits, as a rule. It’s like that old phrase, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” So, if we do something, and it works out ok, we’ll do it again.

 

Good or bad, habits allow us to predict the future – if I do this (exactly as I did yesterday), I know what will happen. Habits equal proven outcomes. Get on this train at this time in the morning, and I’ll be at work on time.

 

And if those habits are linked to a reward of some description, anything from a hit of dopamine in the brain by achieving a specific goal or, heaven forbid, one of a human being’s primary rewards – either food or sex, we’ll be back same time tomorrow, guaranteed, with our plate in our hand, as it were.

 

Habits provide routine, and for us, routinely provides security.

 

Unfortunately for us, some habits don’t sit well with others, and the rewards each brings actually off-set against one another, which kind of defeats the object. Take, for example, the diabetic cake-shop owner. You get my point. In fact, like the rest of our existence, it’s all just one big juggling act, seeing what works, what doesn’t, what affects something else, and so on, and hoping for a happy medium somewhere along the line. (more…)

Share the Swole!

Why Mobility Matters for Strength Training

Thursday, March 1st, 2018

It takes a lot of commitment to strength training to see consistent muscle growth. To be able to fit training into their schedule, people often cut corners. While some neglect to properly warm up before slamming the weight plates on a barbell, most decide to skip their post-workout mobility session when pressed for time.

mobility training

While mobility training can be time-consuming, tedious, and uncomfortable, it is also extremely important to incorporate into your strength training routine. When it comes to hitting the weights, here are a few reasons why mobility matters.

(more…)

Share the Swole!

How to do Barbell Rows

Monday, July 27th, 2015

Back MusclesLike pull ups, heavy rows are one of the best exercises to train your back. The king of rowing exercises is the standing barbell row, but the problem is that too few people perform them properly.

You might see the following common technique flaws in people executing barbell rows:

  • momentum – using the posterior chain to generate momentum, instead of using the muscles of the back and arms
  • rounded back – weakness in the lower back or hip tightness can cause your lower back to round, which is bad for the spine
  • standing upright – you have to bend over nearly parallel to the floor in order to work the upper back properly

As I mentioned last week, you can fix all of these issues by switching from barbell rows to inverted rows, or you can learn how to perform barbell rows correctly.

Let’s talk about how we can best use barbell rows in our training routines.

(more…)

Share the Swole!

Training with Bands and Chains Increases Strength and Power

Friday, June 4th, 2010
Benching With Bands
Benching with bands

I recommend training with bands specifically in the Werewolf Training routines, but also in any routine you might currently be following.

Recent studies investigating the effects of training the bench press with added bands and chains, have confirmed that strength and power increased faster by using bands and chains than by using free weights alone.

The Study

In this 13 week study on the effects of training with elastic tension on the bench press, 11 men in their early 20s started with a 1 rep max (RM) baseline strength test.

(more…)

Share the Swole!

How You Can Look Like a Bodybuilder in Just 90 Minutes a Week

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010

By: Michael Lipowski

Pure Physique

Think it takes five hours of weight training, and six hours of aerobics each week to look lean and muscular? Think starvation diets are the only way you’re going to burn body-fat? If that’s the case then you’re about to get a healthy dose of reality… and you’re gonna love it.

That is unless you’re completely turned off by the idea of discovering exactly what your individual requirements are for building muscle and burning body-fat and prefer to aimlessly follow what others do (who also are not training or eating according to individual needs) and continue to waste precious time in the gym.

If you’re one of those who simply loves to exercise regardless of whether you are making progress or not then much of what I’ll say is likely to fall on deaf ears. However, if you’re primary focus is on looking and feeling your best and you’re willing to take a different approach, maybe even workout less, if it means better results, then keep reading because this advice is intended just for you.

(more…)

Share the Swole!

NSCA and ACSM Proclaims Strength Training is Good for Kids

Friday, January 22nd, 2010

Strength Training is Good For Kids!

It’s official! After many long years of arguing with fools, I am validated! Based on hundreds of studies and thousands of hours of research, the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) have finally taken the position that age-appropriate resistance training is not only good for kids, but recommended.

Strong Kid
Strong Kid

(more…)

Share the Swole!

Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine Workout for X-Men Origins

Friday, May 15th, 2009

I saw X-Men Origins: Wolverine last weekend and it was great. Many a-hole fanboys will hate on this movie because it doesn’t stay 100% true to the comic book origin of Wolverine or Deadpool, but those guys should just go see Star Trek or something, because Wolverine was just awesome.

Hugh Jackman: Wolverine
Hugh Jackman: Wolverine

Standing at 6’3, Hugh Jackman is looking pretty large and jacked these days and I was curious about what he did to prep for the Wolverine role. Here is what I could find out about Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine Workout.

(more…)

Share the Swole!