In December of 2022, I put together this Playlist of QnA Videos.

Feel free to watch them here, DIESELS!

Be sure to like the videos by hitting the thumbs-up button.

Subscribe and click the bell for notifications.

And I still plan on doing regular QnA’s if I have good questions to work with so, leave your best question in the comments.

All the best in your training.

NAPALM

Last year, in May, I performed a Strongman Show during the Bodybuilding Contest at the Empire Classic Fitness Expo in Spokane, Washington.

I also assisted with several other events that were part of the Expo, including a Strongman contest, and that’s where I met Luke Ehlis, one of the competitors in the Strongman Contest.

Luke had been a bodybuilder prior to the Strongman Comp, and I was extremely impressed with his prowess in Strongman.

Let’s face it – you don’t often see competitive bodybuilders who are able to crossover in Strongman competition and excel, but Luke did.

What’s even more impressive, to me, about Luke is that he trains primarily in his garage, not some giant warehouse gym, not some fancy fitness center, but his own garage gym at his home.

I’ve stayed in touch with Luke since the contest and have an interview with him planned, and since then, I’ve enjoyed watching Luke’s videos on Instagram and Facebook, because the dude is an innovator.

One of the things I saw him do recently was what I refer to as a Pendulum Row. In a recent video, he attached a Bar to his Reverse Hyper device, and used the hanging weight as the resistance for his Bent Over Rows.

I thought that was awesome, because I knew it would feel completely different from a regular Bent Over Row.

This past weekend, my lifting partner, Lucas Raymond, and I got the chance to try out these Pendulum Rows, and they are KILLER!

Build Your Back with Pendulum Rows

These are so stinkin’ Intense, brotherrr! The swinging action of the Reverse Hyper makes the weight pull away from you at the highest point of the Row. What I was trying to do was to get a good, solid pause at the top of the movement, but it was HARD!

To challenge our grip more, we used the FBBC Crusher, which is a free-spinning thick bar handle, much more difficult to use than the Rolling Thunder, plus, we were flexing our wrist into a partial gooseneck position, which made these even more difficult to do.

I’m telling you right now, these are a WINNER for your back training. The way you have to brace your core on these is just plain sinister. You feel them BIG TIME in your back. Try them if you dare.

Stay tuned for an interview with Luke Ehlis, as soon as I can get my act together.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

P.S. August of Arms is coming. GET READY.

P.P.S. If you want even more cool ideas to build a bigger upper back and thicker set of traps, check out YOKETOBER:

When it comes to strength training, fat loss, flexibility and athletic development, the last thing you want to encounter is the nasty P-word.

Plateaus

What is the definition of a Plateau? I checked out the dictionary and here are the first two definitions.

1. a land area having a relatively level surface considerably raised above adjoining land on at least one side, and often cut by deep canyons.

2. a period or state of little or no growth or decline: to reach a plateau in one’s career.

Definition 2 is the one we want to avoid – the point in your training where your growth and development ceases.

No More Training Plateaus

Today, you’re gonna learn two ways to demolish your training plateaus and to keep them from ever showing up in the first place.

The primary cause for plateaus is lack of variety. People get in the habit of doing the same stuff all the time in their training, never varying from the norm, and as a result, their results drop off and they see the same numbers going up in their lifts, the same movement quality in their sports, and the same body in the mirror every day.

What I’ve got for you today are a couple of examples of how you can slightly modify the Deadlift, and more specifically in this case, the Trap Bar Deadlift, in order to break through plateaus and enjoy continuous Gains, PR’s and Progress.

What’s cool is, you can use the same exact amount of weight on the bar, but make that weight feel more challenging in your hands with just a couple small changes.

Trap Bar Deadlifts with Straight Weight

Here are some clips from a recent Trap Bar Deadlift training session. I am using Fat Gripz on the handles because I am preparing for a Deadlift and Hold in an upcoming Grip Contest, the Holdfast Gauntlet.

So, nothing out of the ordinary. Just pulling straight weight and going for 5 sets of 2. With the Fat Gripz added, this was a bit too heavy to get all the doubles I wanted.

But let’s imagine that I completed all 5 sets of 2 reps.

Now, let’s look at a couple of ways to modify the lift in order to make it slightly harder.

Trap Bar Deadlifts with Chains

With Chains attached to the Trap Bar, the weight in your hands gets heavier as you lift the bar further. This allows you to hold heavier weight at the top, as if someone is throwing a couple on 10’s on each side once you hit lockout.

So, what you could actually do is perform your first few sets of, say 300lbs, with straight weight. Then, you could do a few more sets with chains added to make the lift target your lockout strength more and make it even more taxing on your grip.

Trap Bar Deadlifts Pulling Against Band Tension

Now, let’s look at a way to make the same movement, with the same weight, even harder – Bands. With these giant rubber bands placed over the bar, the challenge to keep hold of it all the way to lockout is increased even further for both the hands nd the lower back and glutes.

Now, these videos were all taped during different sessions with different weights used, but the potential is there for you to incorporate all three techniques in the same workout to gradually increase the difficulty of the sets, and to help you plow through plateaus in your training.

Where to Get Chains and Bands

Chains and Bands are available in many places, and many of these suppliers operate through Amazon.com. In fact, here is an entire page of various Lifting Chain Suppliers

That page will give you a whole variety of options, including different chain sizes, and packs of various chains so you can save on shipping and get a better value.

Training Bands are available there too. There used to be only on good supplier of exercise bands, but now there are lots of them. Go to this page, Fitness and Strength Training Bands, and you will find all kinds of different bands to choose from.

Where to Get Fat Gripz

Naturally, if you don’t have Fat Gripz yet, I consider them a must. These thing stake up no room at all and they go on so fast, you waste no time at all. They are a fraction of the price of thick-handled dumbbells and barbells, and make more sense for the person who is just looking to increase their hand strength but not interested in accomplishing world-class feats of Grip Strength.

Grab your set here => Get Fat Gripz

Screw Plateaus!

With these kinds of tactics, you’ll never have to worry about Plateaus in your training again. Any time you start to see stagnation in your training, you can start adding chains and bands into your training in order to shock your muscles and your mind into additional growth and strength increases.

And, you can head these plateaus off before they can even set in by including this type of work in your training on a regular basis. It is very popular to throw in band and chain training once a month to your target movement, and every 3 weeks of training is what Josh McIntyre highlighted in the recent interview I did with him.

You are going to feel like a MACHINE when you start including these things in your training. Especially, the chains, due to the awesome mechanical sounds they make. Its like training inside a Strength Building Factory.

All the best,

Jedd

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Fixing Muscular Imbalances

My friend Rick Kaselj, with whom I worked on Fixing Elbow Pain and Fix My Wrist Pain, has a product which has become an ongoing series called Muscular Imbalances Revealed.

Every August, he puts out a new edition of this program, with new guest experts, and this year he has put out a new installment on correcting issues throughout the body.

The new edition this year focuses on unconventional training tools, and how they can help correct weaknesses and imbalances through the upper body.

Much of the features of this program entail the use of equipment I have talked about often here at DieselCrew.com.

Here are some samples of this Muscular Imbalances Revealed installment:

Sledge Hammer Training – Great for the Grip, Sledgehammer Training also gets your heart going while also training the core and glutes. It is also a great contrast training methdo for those who perform a great deal of kettlebell work.

Ring Training – If you have weaknesses in your shoulders, chest, or back, this type of training will find it and correct it. Much more chaotic that training with barbells, benches, and dip stations, Ring Training makes you learn proper stabilization.

Sled Training – If you aren’t including some type of sled work, they you most likely have not optimized your lover body recovery. This type of training has become a staple for many powerlifters and strongmen all over the world.

Tire Flipping – One of the Strongman events that creates the most power, this is a great exercise for strengthening the posterior chain as well. The hammies, glutes, andd lower back are much too weak for some people, and this can help correct that.

Reverse Stretching – Most people don’t stretch enough period. This section shows you how you can perform essential stretching to correct muscle and fascia issues to address flexibility issues that are hindering your strength development. If you have seemingly tried EVERYTHING in order to fix your imbalances and it has not worked, then this just may be the information you need.

Over the course of this week, the authors have put out samples of their portions of the program, and I have assembled them all here for you.

Sledge Hammer Training with Travis Stoetzel

Ring Training with Tyler Bramlett

Tire Flipping with Travis Stoetzel

Reverse Stretching with Isaac Ho

As you can see, this isn’t the same old boring re-hashed B.S. you’ve probably seen 100 times before. These guys are showing you how you can take unconventional tools and use them to improve your training in ways you might not have thought of before.

To get this program and start viewing it right away, click here = > Muscular Imbalances Revealed: Unconventional Tools.

All the best in your training,

Jedd

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Building a Bigger Bench Press

It goes without saying that the Bench Press is one of the most popular lifts that are done in the gym.

And no wonder – it’s one of the best lifts for building upper body muscle, especially the chest, shoulders, and triceps. On top of the mass building potential of the Bench Press, it is also a great lift for building upper body strength.

In this post, I am going to cover a subtle adjustment you can make when you Bench Press to increase the weight you are able to press, the number of reps you can perform, and the safety of the Bench Press itself. When you can increase those three factors, your potential for size increases and strength gains is practically guaranteed.

The Power of the Lats in the Bench Press

Many trainees do not think about the lats when they Bench, because the lats are part of the back and are prime movers in rows and pull-ups, but the lats actually play a very important role.

Unfortunately, they do not realize that the lats are there to provide stability to the shoulder during the Bench Press. When the lats are activated properly, they provide a much better foundation for the shoulder, and this can be HUGE for your confidence under the barbell, when you are benching.

So, since the lats are so important, it makes sense to get them involved in the Bench Press as soon as possible, correct?

Well, many lifters miss the boat on that one as well. In fact their problems begin right from the moment they prepare to take the barbell out of the rack or hooks.

You can see exactly what I am talking about in the short video below.

Activating the Lats RIGHT AWAY for a Bigger Bench Press

I really want to thank Todd Hamer, strength coach from George Mason University, for showing me this technique modification. I met up with him at the Juniata Strength Clinic in June and asked him to take a look at my Benching Technique, and this has been a big help to me. It starts each new Bench Press set off with a completely different feel.

This way of un-racking the barbell may only be slightly different from what you are doing right now, but the way the bar feels in your grip and as you support it in the ready position is not. There is a night and day difference between these two techniques, and when you get this right, you can begin to see big improvements in your Bench Press.

And what’s great is, you can use this pulling lat activation method on your other Bench Press variations, such as Incline Bench and Decline Bench.

Let me know how you like this technique. Give it a try and leave a comment below.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

Have you hit a plateau in your Bench Training?
Maybe it is time you switch it up and go for some VOLUME instead of just MAX WEIGHT. If so, click the banner below to learn the art of the
Bench Press for Reps.

Build Bigger Traps

A common body part that lags behind other body parts is the traps. Many lifters I have spoken with have asked if I know any good ways to build the traps up besides normal shrugs. Today I will share that with you, but first let’s look at what the traps are designed to do.

Functions of the Traps

The traps, or trapezius, (so-called because altogether the three sections of the muscle are shaped like a trapezoid) is a muscle with many functions. While they are most visible at the top of the shoulder, they also extend down the back.

There are 3 segments of the trap, each with a different responsibility.

1. Upper Trap: Primarily responsible for elevating the shoulders and shoulder blades. Secondarily responsible for pulling the shoulders and shoulder blades back.

2. Middle Trap: Primarily responsible for pulling the shoulder blades together.

3. Lower Trap: Primarily responsible for pulling the shoulder blades down.

Now, when it comes to “building big traps” most people think of the section of the traps above the collar bone and shoulders. Dave Batista, pictured in the image at the top of the page, had some of the biggest traps I have ever seen in all my years as a wrestling fan.

Classic Trap Building Exercises

The classic exercise for building big traps are Shrugs and their variations. These are usually done with a barbell at the front of the body or with dumbbells at the sides of the body.

However, just because Barbell and Dumbbell Shrugs are what “everybody does” doesn’t mean everybody loves them.

Here are a few reasons why Barbell Shrugs and Dumbbell Shrugs fall out of favor with some trainees. Maybe you agree…

1. Barbell Shrugs, when done in front of the body, can be hard on the back if you have back injuries, especially when you start getting into serious weight.

2. Barbell Shrugs can also be done behind the body, but they can be uncomfortable on the shoulders and can force poor posture.

3. Dumbbell Shrugs are a fairly safe alternative, but some gyms are limited in their heavy dumbbell sizes and may not have loadable dumbbells that can be used to go heavier.

4. Because Dumbbell Shrugs are often done with lighter weights, you can find yourself doing very high rep sets in order to get the feeling that you have accomplished some effective muscle-building stimulation of the traps.

Because of all of these things, and possibly others you can think of, today I am going to show you one way you can intensify the Shrug to help build bigger traps.

In my garage gym, the heaviest matched dumbbells I have are 100’s. For anything higher than that, I use my loadable dumbbells and 25-lb plates. However, it is hard to do Shrugs with 25’s on loadable handles because the plates roll up your thighs, so to keep the movement legit, I have to stick with the 100’s until I get bigger dumbbell pairs.

I have gotten to the point now where I can perform upwards of 20 reps with my 100’s, and it doesn’t even feel like I have stimulated the traps unless I have already pre-exhausted them with another movement, like High Pulls. Unfortunately, those are tough on my back, so I don’t do them that much.

Instead, I have found a way to make the traps work even harder on every single repetition of the Shrug. You see, as listed above, the upper two portions of the trapezius are involved in pulling the shoulders back, as well as elevating them.

If you perform a shrugging movement, and then combine that with pulling the shoulders back, you will feel a much more solid contraction when you combine both movements. Even though the change is subtle, it has a big effect.

Try it now, even without weight in your hands and you’ll feel the difference.

Now, you can obviously just pull your shoulders back while you shrug in order to engage the traps differently, but I have found that there is a better way to accomplish this by combining bands with the exercise.

Watch the video below to see exactly what I mean.

Band Resisted Shrugs to Build Bigger Traps

So, as you see in the video above, the heavy band resistance makes you fire the traps and other musculature of the upper back intensely. This creates a movement that hits the traps in a much different way to help build them better.

Putting it Into Action to Build Bigger Traps

If you try this, I encourage you to start out with light dumbbells and band tension. This way, you can get used to the feeling of this movement, which is much different from a normal Shrug. Then, over the course of a few short sets, work up in weight and tension.

Also, you can play with the point the band is rigged to the structure. Since shooting this video, I have movement my anchor point higher for an even better feeling with this movement.

I think you will be surprised how much harder it is to perform Shrugs in this manner compared to just holding dumbbells. To give you an idea, I can Shrug the 100’s for more than 20 reps, and have yet to hit 15 reps with the blue bands on without taking a rest period mid-set.

Suggested Trap Building Workout

Barbell Clean or Log Clean – 6 Sets of 2
Overhead Lifting (Military Press, Dumbbell Press, or others) – 4 Sets of 3
Horizontal Band Resisted Shrugs – 4 sets of 10 to 12
Grip Training: Open Hand – Work up to a Max, then perform 10 doubles with 70 to 80% of Max

For more training tips, make sure to sign up for my free updates delivered right to your inbox, below:

All the best in your training.

Jedd

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Article by Logan Christopher, Legendary Strength

In this article I’m going to share a secret of strength that is rarely if ever spelled out in detail. Yet if you utilize these factors in your favor you can easily and dramatically increase the strength that you have. What I’m talking about is training with partners or a group that is strong, where the expectation of strength is high. Doing this, and this alone, will almost assure that you become strong yourself.
(more…)

 

Bicep Curls for Increased Performance and Injury Prevention

The first part of the title of this post might sound like the biggest oxymoron ever stated.

After all, what in the world can Curls possibly do for your performance?

I am about to line all that up for you right now.

You see, for the last few weeks I have been working on a project that will come out soon about arm training, and during all of the preparation, I have been trying out new things with my arm training, new lifts, new variations, and new modifications, etc…

Because I have been “studying” arms so much, I have been putting in more time training the arms, and also as a result, they have gotten stronger, and I have also seen excellent results in other parts of my training, especially my Pull-up work.

What Have I Been Doing

Now, I am not down there hitting arms for 2 hours straight, multiple times a week, but it is safe to say I am doing arm training at least once a week every single week for the past month and a half, AND on some occasions I have hit them twice in the same week.

Also, I am not just down in the gym banging away on Bicep work. The Triceps makes up far more of the upper arm than the Biceps, so a lot of my arm work has been Triceps based, but I am also getting my fair share of Bicep work in.

In addition to all of this experimentation and manipulating my arm training, there has been one additional training factor that seems to have been very beneficial, and that is, surprisingly enough, testing myself in the 1 Rep Max Dumbbell Curl.

I first started doing this when Josh Dale introduced the Rob Vigeant Dumbbell Curl Challenge, which was to lift 100-lbs in strict fashion on the dumbbell curl. I thought this would be fun, so I tried it out and to my surprise I was able to get a 75-lb Curl. It is hard to believe that it was almost a year ago when this challenge came out.

When my long-time friend Kyle trained with me earlier this summer, we tried out the Max Dumbbell Curl just for fun, and I was happy to see that I had retained much of my strength, even after several months where I did not try a max curl.

Two weeks ago, I tested myself again for a max lift, this time using a dumbbell with extra weight stuck to it with a magnet. During that workout, I was able to get 84-lbs left handed.

This week, I was able to move my mark up even further, hitting 85.5-lbs.

Other Improvements I Have Seen

Again, the 1RM Dumbbell Curl is not some kind of major focus in my training. There just happens to be a fun challenge list going on right now, and it has served well as a tester for my current Bicep strength.

However, the most important thing about this is not the amount of weight I am putting up in the Bicep Curl – oooh, woopty-doo, right?

The biggest benefit I have seen, and this is where the “Performance” aspect comes in that is reference in the title, has been my Pull-up Performance.

Now, we all know, or at least we should, that the Pull-up is one of the best exercises for building the upper back. It is a great bench mark of strength for athletes, students (scholastic fitness tests) and even the Military incorporates Pull-ups into their testing and training protocols. The Pull-up is or should be a major part of your training.

I have stated before that I do all kinds of versions of the Pull-up, and most recently I have fallen in love with training on the Rogue Dog Bone <= See some of my recent training here. This thing is just a sick piece of training gear. When I started out, I could barely get 2 reps with this thing, but I have been seeing great increases here.

Also, my regular Pull-ups are kicking ass as well (I do my conventional pull-ups on Perfect Pullup Handles).

I have been training my conventional Pull-ups with somewhat of a Ladder approach, especially when Kyle is here. He and I will start with one Pull-up apiece and follow one another, each time increasing our rep-count by one repetition, up to 5, and then back down. It looks like this:

Jedd – 1, Kyle – 1
Jedd – 2, Kyle – 2
Jedd – 3, Kyle – 3
Jedd – 4, Kyle – 4
Jedd – 5, Kyle – 5
Jedd – 5, Kyle – 5
Jedd – 4, Kyle – 4
Jedd – 3, Kyle – 3
Jedd – 2, Kyle – 2
Jedd – 1, Kyle – 1

Pretty basic, but also pretty demanding, given the fact that we only rest the amount of time that it takes for us to step away from the Pull-up Bar, and wait for the other guy to finish his reps.

The first time Kyle and I did this, which was in May, I believe, I needed serious spots from him to finish out many of my sets once I hit the 3-rep mark, and up until I got back to the 2-rep mark in the Ladder.

Kyle missed about 2 solid months of training due to a job change, but when he did return, I had only trained this ladder a couple of times on my own, but the day we did this together again, I only needed spots on my last rep during my 4-rep sets and my last two reps during my 5-rep sets.

I’d estimate that within 3 weeks I will be able to finish this ladder all by myself without any spots. This is a huge improvement and I think the increased arm work has played just as big of a role in this improvement as my recent concerted efforts toward improving my Pull-up abilities.

I will branch off a bit here and say this. If all the arm work has helped my Pull-ups so much, what could also be the effects if I focused a bit more on Log Cleans or Stones (I honestly haven’t been doing those as much as I want). It is possible I could see improvements in other Biceps-involved lifts as well. It’s also possible that you could too! Something to think about for sure.

If You Are Not Training Arms Seriously…

I know there are a handful of people out there who either do not train their Biceps or do so half-assed. I know this because I have heard it said many times, especially by Strongman competitors and those who perform a great deal of Rowing movements. The reasoning, so they say, is that since they are constantly lifting Stones, Logs, and doing all the Rows, that they are getting enough Bicep work in already.

After these last few weeks of increased arm training and seeing the results it has brought, I encourage you to re-think your approach to arm training, especially if you have been skipping Bicep Training or if when you do it you only hit a few token sets just to “get some work in.”

Another Reason Why Direct Bicep Work is Important

If bigger numbers and more reps in Pulling movements is not enough to make you consider adding arm training back into your routine, I have two more things that I feel must be discussed about the benefits of specific arm training.

First off, even though Rows, Log Cleans, and other similar lifts work the Biceps through elbow flexion, you still are not getting the same intensity as if you are truly aiming for growth and strength increases in the Biceps.

Secondly, with Rowing movements and Log Clean, the forearm does not supinate, which is another movement pattern that the Biceps are responsible for.

My fear is not that if you neglect Biceps training that you will hold back your performance on Pull-ups, Rows, Log Cleans, or any other movement where the Biceps are involved (although to a degree, that will happen). Rather, I’m more interested in keeping all of you safe and injury free.

It Happened Right Before My Eyes

In August, I watched a Bicep tear take place right before my eyes during a Grip Contest, of all things. Competitor, John Wojciechowski, tore his Biceps Tendon performing a normally straight-arm-style event called the Adjustable Thick Bar Lift. I actually thought he ripped the seat of his pants, and it was so loud the camera even picked up the noise.

In no way am I saying the reason John got hurt due to lack of training the Biceps. I don’t know much about John’s past training except that he has put up some very nice general strength training videos as well as impressive gripper and bolt bending videos.

I am only saying that lack of training parts of the body, like the Biceps, can lead to weaknesses and imbalances. Weknesses and Imbalances can lead to injuries, and after watching Wojo tear his Bicep tendon, that was enough for me. I don’t ever want to see it again or learn that one of you had it happen either.

Conclusions

So, major take-aways from this post:

1. The Biceps assist in many other training movements, not just Curls. Pull-ups, Rows, Logs, Stones are all examples.

2. Having Strong and well-conditioned Biceps can lead to improved performance in other lifts which are very beneficial toward over-all strength and performance, especially Pull-ups, which I have seen in my own training.

3. Make sure to train the Biceps intensely. No need to go overboard, but don’t neglect them either. Although some of you may be turned of by “Show Muscles” or “Beach Muscles” remember to strengthen all links in the chain.

4. It’s not always about Strength. Sometimes Injury Prevention is even more important. My friend, Wojo, is going to experience some down time due to his injury. Down time SUCKS.

Keep these things in mind as you train. All the best with your training and stay injury free.

Jedd

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Around here, the kids are all back in school and they have the whole year ahead of them.
There’s tons of excitement as they look forward to the many possibilities and potential for the year.
I still remember my Senior year, when I said I was going to not play basketball (which I pretty much hated) and just concentrate on baseball.
I wanted to go into the school weight room three days a week and put on some serious muscle, because I was 6-feet tall and about 200-lbs, but thought for sure with hard work I could put on some muscle and show up for my Freshman Year in college looking like Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire.

While I never ended up looking like Mark or Barry, I did end up putting on some muscle and planting the seeds that would grow into a life-long interest in weight training.
Unfortunately, at the time, I didn’t realize some of the things these guys were doing and taking in order to get so freakish. I also didn’t realize that there was a difference between training for size and for training with strength. I just went in there and did what I read about in bodybuilding magazines and didn’t understand the importance of proper loading and rep schemes in order to get stronger. If finding a balance between muscle gains and improvements in strength levels is something that you struggle with, then today’s article is perfect for you.

Today’s post comes from Eric Cressey. Eric is probably best known for his work with professional baseball players at his facility in Connecticut, Cressey Performance, but he is also know for his work in the arena of fitness and especially the field of strength & conditioning. His knowledge blows me away and he is one of the few professionals in the field I subscribe to. Every article, video and product he puts out is GOLD. Possibly his most well-recognized work, Show and Go: High Performance Training to Look Feel and Move Better is on sale for this week only for $50 off the regular price.
Enjoy today’s post from this world class author, speaker coach, and lifter.

5 Reasons You’re Not Getting Stronger

By: Eric Cressey
Like most lifters, I gained a lot of size and strength in my first 1-2 years of training in spite of the moronic stuff that I did. Looking back, I was about as informed as a chimp with a barbell – but things somehow worked out nonetheless. That is, however, until I hit a big fat plateau where things didn’t budge.
Truthfully, “big fat plateau” doesn’t even begin to do my shortcomings justice. No exaggeration: I spent 14 months trying to go from a 225-pound bench to 230. Take a moment and laugh at my past futility (or about how similar it sounds to your own plight), and we’ll continue.
All set? Good – because self-deprecating writing was never one of my strengths. I have, however, become quite good at picking heavy stuff off the floor – to the tune of a personal-best 660-pound deadlift at a body weight of 188.

Eric Cressey, 660-lb Deadlift
My other numbers aren’t too shabby, either, but this article isn’t about me; it’s about why YOU aren’t necessarily getting strong as fast as you’d like. To that end, I’d like to take a look at a few mistakes people commonly make in the quest to gain strength. Sadly, I’ve made most of these myself at some point, so hopefully I can save you some frustration.

Mistake #1: Only doing what’s fun and not what you need.

As you could probably tell, deadlifting is a strength of mine – and I enjoy it. Squatting, on the other hand, never came naturally to me. I always squatted, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that it took the back seat to pulling heavy.
Eventually, though, I smartened up and took care of the issue – by always putting squatting before deadlifting in all my lower-body training sessions (twice a week). I eventually wound up with a Powerlifting USA Top 100 Squat in my weight class.
More interestingly, though, in addition to me dramatically improving my squat, a funny thing happened: I actually started to enjoy squatting. Whoever said that you can’t teach an old dog (or deadlifter) new tricks didn’t have the real scoop.

Mistake #2: Not taking deload periods.

One phrase of which I’ve grown quite fond is “fatigue masks fitness.” As a little frame of reference, my best vertical jump is 37.3” – but on most days, I won’t give you anything over 34” or so. The reason is very simple: most of your training career is going to be spent in some degree of fatigue. How you manage that fatigue is what dictates your adaptation over the long- term.
On one hand, you want to impose enough fatigue to create supercompensation – so that you’ll adapt and come back at a higher level of fitness. On the other hand, you don’t want to impose so much fatigue that you dig yourself a hole you can’t get out of without a significant amount of time off.
Good programs implement strategic overreaching follows by periods of lighter training stress to allow for adaptation to occur. You can’t just go in and hit personal bests in every single training session.

Mistake #3: Not rotating movements.

It never ceases to amaze me when a guy claims that he just can’t seem to add to his bench press (or any lift, for that matter), and when you ask him what he’s done to work on it of late, and he tells you “bench press.” Specificity is important, but if you aren’t rotating exercises, you’re missing out on an incredibly valuable training stimulus: rotating exercises.
While there is certainly a place for extended periods of specificity (Smolov squat cycles, for instance), you can’t push this approach indefinitely. Rotating my heaviest movements was one of the most important lessons I learned along my journey. In addition to helping to create adaptation, you’re also expanding your “motor program” and avoiding overuse injuries via pattern overload.
I’m not saying that you should overhaul your entire program with each trip to the gym, but there should be some semi-regular fluctuation in exercise selection. The more experienced you get, the more often you’ll want to rotate your exercises (I do it weekly). Assistance exercises ecan be shuffled every four weeks, though.

Mistake #4: Inconsistency in training.

I tell our clients from all walks of life that the best strength and conditioning programs are ones that are sustainable. I’ll take a terrible program executed with consistency over a great program that’s only done sporadically. This is absolutely huge for professional athletes who need to maximize progress in the off-season; they just can’t afford to have unplanned breaks in training if they want to improve from year to year. However, it’s equally important for general fitness folks who don’t have an extensive training background to fall back on, unlike the professional athletes.
If a program isn’t conducive to your goals and lifestyle, then it isn’t a good program. That’s why I went out of my way to create 2x/week, 3x/week, and 4x/week strength training options – plus five supplemental conditioning options and a host of exercise modifications – when I pulled Show and Go together; I wanted it to be a very versatile resource.
Likewise, I wanted it to be safe; a program isn’t good if it injures you and prevents you from exercising. Solid programs include targeted efforts to reduce the likelihood of injury via means like mobility warm-ups, supplemental stretching recommendations, specific progressions, fluctuations in training stress, and alternative exercises (“plan B”) in case you aren’t quite ready to execute “Plan A.”
For me personally, I attribute a lot of my progress to the fact that at one point, I actually went over eight years without missing a planned lift. It’s a bit extreme, I know, but there’s a lesson to be learned.

Mistake #5: Wrong rep schemes

Beginners can make strength gains on as little as 40% of their one-rep max. Past that initial period, the number moves to 70% – which is roughly a 12-rep max for most folks. Later, I’d say that the number creeps up to about 85% – which would be about a 5-rep max for an intermediate lifter. This last range is where you’ll find most people who head to the internet for strength training information.
What they don’t realize is that 85% isn’t going to get the job done for very long, either. My experience is that in advanced lifters, the fastest way to build strength is to perform singles at or above 90% of one-rep max with regularity. As long as exercises are rotated and deloading periods are included, this is a strategy that can be employed for an extended period of time. In fact, it was probably the single (no pun intended) most valuable discovery I made in my quest to get stronger.
I’m not saying that you should be attempting one-rep maxes each time you enter the gym, but I do think they’ll “just happen” if you employ this technique.
To take the guesswork out of all this and try some programming that considers all these crucial factors (and a whole lot more), check out Show and Go: High Performance Training to Look Feel and Move Better.
-Eric Cressey-

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Around here, the kids are all back in school and they have the whole year ahead of them.

There’s tons of excitement as they look forward to the many possibilities and potential for the year.

I still remember my Senior year, when I said I was going to not play basketball (which I pretty much hated) and just concentrate on baseball.

I wanted to go into the school weight room three days a week and put on some serious muscle, because I was 6-feet tall and about 200-lbs, but thought for sure with hard work I could put on some muscle and show up for my Freshman Year in college looking like Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire.

While I never ended up looking like Mark or Barry, I did end up putting on some muscle and planting the seeds that would grow into a life-long interest in weight training.

Unfortunately, at the time, I didn’t realize some of the things these guys were doing and taking in order to get so freakish. I also didn’t realize that there was a difference between training for size and for training with strength. I just went in there and did what I read about in bodybuilding magazines and didn’t understand the importance of proper loading and rep schemes in order to get stronger. If finding a balance between muscle gains and improvements in strength levels is something that you struggle with, then today’s article is perfect for you.

Today’s post comes from Eric Cressey. Eric is probably best known for his work with professional baseball players at his facility in Connecticut, Cressey Performance, but he is also know for his work in the arena of fitness and especially the field of strength & conditioning. His knowledge blows me away and he is one of the few professionals in the field I subscribe to. Every article, video and product he puts out is GOLD. Possibly his most well-recognized work, Show and Go: High Performance Training to Look Feel and Move Better is on sale for this week only for $50 off the regular price.

Enjoy today’s post from this world class author, speaker coach, and lifter.

5 Reasons You’re Not Getting Stronger

By: Eric Cressey

Like most lifters, I gained a lot of size and strength in my first 1-2 years of training in spite of the moronic stuff that I did. Looking back, I was about as informed as a chimp with a barbell – but things somehow worked out nonetheless. That is, however, until I hit a big fat plateau where things didn’t budge.

Truthfully, “big fat plateau” doesn’t even begin to do my shortcomings justice. No exaggeration: I spent 14 months trying to go from a 225-pound bench to 230. Take a moment and laugh at my past futility (or about how similar it sounds to your own plight), and we’ll continue.

All set? Good – because self-deprecating writing was never one of my strengths. I have, however, become quite good at picking heavy stuff off the floor – to the tune of a personal-best 660-pound deadlift at a body weight of 188.

Eric Cressey, 660-lb Deadlift

My other numbers aren’t too shabby, either, but this article isn’t about me; it’s about why YOU aren’t necessarily getting strong as fast as you’d like. To that end, I’d like to take a look at a few mistakes people commonly make in the quest to gain strength. Sadly, I’ve made most of these myself at some point, so hopefully I can save you some frustration.

Mistake #1: Only doing what’s fun and not what you need.

As you could probably tell, deadlifting is a strength of mine – and I enjoy it. Squatting, on the other hand, never came naturally to me. I always squatted, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that it took the back seat to pulling heavy.

Eventually, though, I smartened up and took care of the issue – by always putting squatting before deadlifting in all my lower-body training sessions (twice a week). I eventually wound up with a Powerlifting USA Top 100 Squat in my weight class.

More interestingly, though, in addition to me dramatically improving my squat, a funny thing happened: I actually started to enjoy squatting. Whoever said that you can’t teach an old dog (or deadlifter) new tricks didn’t have the real scoop.

Mistake #2: Not taking deload periods.

One phrase of which I’ve grown quite fond is “fatigue masks fitness.” As a little frame of reference, my best vertical jump is 37.3” – but on most days, I won’t give you anything over 34” or so. The reason is very simple: most of your training career is going to be spent in some degree of fatigue. How you manage that fatigue is what dictates your adaptation over the long- term.

On one hand, you want to impose enough fatigue to create supercompensation – so that you’ll adapt and come back at a higher level of fitness. On the other hand, you don’t want to impose so much fatigue that you dig yourself a hole you can’t get out of without a significant amount of time off.

Good programs implement strategic overreaching follows by periods of lighter training stress to allow for adaptation to occur. You can’t just go in and hit personal bests in every single training session.

Mistake #3: Not rotating movements.

It never ceases to amaze me when a guy claims that he just can’t seem to add to his bench press (or any lift, for that matter), and when you ask him what he’s done to work on it of late, and he tells you “bench press.” Specificity is important, but if you aren’t rotating exercises, you’re missing out on an incredibly valuable training stimulus: rotating exercises.

While there is certainly a place for extended periods of specificity (Smolov squat cycles, for instance), you can’t push this approach indefinitely. Rotating my heaviest movements was one of the most important lessons I learned along my journey. In addition to helping to create adaptation, you’re also expanding your “motor program” and avoiding overuse injuries via pattern overload.

I’m not saying that you should overhaul your entire program with each trip to the gym, but there should be some semi-regular fluctuation in exercise selection. The more experienced you get, the more often you’ll want to rotate your exercises (I do it weekly). Assistance exercises ecan be shuffled every four weeks, though.

Mistake #4: Inconsistency in training.

I tell our clients from all walks of life that the best strength and conditioning programs are ones that are sustainable. I’ll take a terrible program executed with consistency over a great program that’s only done sporadically. This is absolutely huge for professional athletes who need to maximize progress in the off-season; they just can’t afford to have unplanned breaks in training if they want to improve from year to year. However, it’s equally important for general fitness folks who don’t have an extensive training background to fall back on, unlike the professional athletes.

If a program isn’t conducive to your goals and lifestyle, then it isn’t a good program. That’s why I went out of my way to create 2x/week, 3x/week, and 4x/week strength training options – plus five supplemental conditioning options and a host of exercise modifications – when I pulled Show and Go together; I wanted it to be a very versatile resource.

Likewise, I wanted it to be safe; a program isn’t good if it injures you and prevents you from exercising. Solid programs include targeted efforts to reduce the likelihood of injury via means like mobility warm-ups, supplemental stretching recommendations, specific progressions, fluctuations in training stress, and alternative exercises (“plan B”) in case you aren’t quite ready to execute “Plan A.”

For me personally, I attribute a lot of my progress to the fact that at one point, I actually went over eight years without missing a planned lift. It’s a bit extreme, I know, but there’s a lesson to be learned.

Mistake #5: Wrong rep schemes

Beginners can make strength gains on as little as 40% of their one-rep max. Past that initial period, the number moves to 70% – which is roughly a 12-rep max for most folks. Later, I’d say that the number creeps up to about 85% – which would be about a 5-rep max for an intermediate lifter. This last range is where you’ll find most people who head to the internet for strength training information.

What they don’t realize is that 85% isn’t going to get the job done for very long, either. My experience is that in advanced lifters, the fastest way to build strength is to perform singles at or above 90% of one-rep max with regularity. As long as exercises are rotated and deloading periods are included, this is a strategy that can be employed for an extended period of time. In fact, it was probably the single (no pun intended) most valuable discovery I made in my quest to get stronger.

I’m not saying that you should be attempting one-rep maxes each time you enter the gym, but I do think they’ll “just happen” if you employ this technique.

To take the guesswork out of all this and try some programming that considers all these crucial factors (and a whole lot more), check out Show and Go: High Performance Training to Look Feel and Move Better.

-Eric Cressey-

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This is a guest article/video submission from my friend Joe Musselwhite, who has trained dozens if not hundreds of athletes from high school sports players, to Grip Athletes, Strongmen, and Arm Wrestlers. Here, he tells us the science behind foam rollers and then shows us how to take advantage of the benefits of SMR work.

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Mighty Joe Musselwhite

Several weeks ago my good friend and Grip Enthusiast Jedd Johnson wrote an article asking the question, “Are Foam Rollers Crap?”

After reading the article I e-mailed Jedd and offered an explanation behind the science of foam rolling if he was interested and he said he’d love to have a short article on some of the science behind this new wave of supplementing one’s training.

I said I’d give it my best shot, so here we go!

First, Foam Rolling falls into the category of SMR which stands for Self-Myofascial Release. You may or may not have ever heard of autogenic inhibition but this is the underlying principle at work here with foam rolling.

Deep inside every muscle and tendon is the Golgi Tendon Organ, (GTO). These are tiny receptors called mechanoreceptors. These receptors tell the central nervous system,(CNS) the amount of tension (length) inside a muscle/tendon group. If enough tension is generated in said muscle/tendon group, the GTO will cause the muscle spindles to relax thus preventing further damage or injury. This reflex is called autogenic inhibition. With foam rolling you stimulate this muscle tension causing the GTO to relax the muscle, thus giving the relief.

To answer Jedd’s question, “Are Foam Rollers Crap?”

It depends.

If you consistently employ their use, NO! They are not crap.

Foam Rolling, like massage offers temporary relief and have to be consistently used to offer the benefits. There’s no permanent change to the muscle/tendon group when foam rolling as opposed to resistance training where there’s actually a physical change in the muscle fibers. Foam Rolling or SMR has more to do with improving tissue quality than anything else.

If you’re thinking foam rolling is an overnight fix for your aches and pains then it’s not for you and I guess
you could label them “crap.” As with any training aid or device its intended use always has to be kept in its proper context.

Here is a video demonstrating some excellent ways to apply SMR for Grip Strength Competitors, Arm Wrestlers, and even those who perform a great deal of manual labor…

In closing, always ask questions when exploring new ideas in your training. What others say is an important starting point in your investigation but nothing can substitute self-experimentation.

Ask the right questions. Perform some tests and draw your own conclusions. This is my approach to most every new avenue I choose to explore.

I hope this article helps explain away at least a small portion of weather or not foam rolling is for you.

A Big Thank You to Jedd Johnson for allowing me to write an article for the Diesel Crew! What a privilege it has been!

Joe Musselwhite (Mighty Joe)

Check out Joe’s YouTube Channel = > Grip Freak

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Guest Post by Mike Fitch of GlobalBodyWeightTraining.com

The Three Best Ab Exercises from the Lower Body Up

I already know what you’re thinking, not another ab article, how many times can we repackage the same old crap?
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We have discussed the importance of warming up many times here on Diesel.
Essential Hip Mobility
3 Insanely Effective Upper Body Warm-ups
Ultimate 2 Minute Shoulder Warm-up
Ultimate Shoulder Rehab Video
and this is only a couple of the cool videos on my Youtube:  TheDieselCrew

Why is a Good Warm-up Important?

You also know that I just released the best selling warm-up system this year with Joe Defranco, called AMPED Warm-up.
With all this attention to warming up, do you think it might be an important component of a good workout?
For years I went into the gym, put plates on the bar and started hitting reps.  Years later I couldn’t jump, I couldn’t squat full range and both shoulders felt horrible.
Over the last two years, both Joe Defranco and I have been really focusing on the warm-up, activation exercises and mobility.  It is now a staple in all of our programs.  That is the truth.  It is that important.
Today I can honestly say I am more mobile, agile and hostile.  I can jump again, squat again and hit any exercise I want to hit.  Working out is supposed to get you stronger and more explosive.  It isn’t supposed to make you less flexible, hurt your joints and injure you.
If you make the warm-up a focus in your workout, you will be rewarded immediately AND be able to lift virtually injury free for as many years as you want.
I recently got a note from Shawn Phillip’s who got a copy of AMPED.  He let me know that he really liked the program and has been using it for his workouts.  I decided to do a special new warm-up routine and name it the Shawn Phillip’s Warm-up Routine.
There are over 90 exercises in AMPED and literally 100’s of different warm-up routines you can create for any sport, any workout or any program.  These are just a small few that I’ve demonstrated!   Now if you use AMPED along with AMD (complete muscle building / strength training system) you’ll not only have all the warm-ups you need, you ‘ll have 16 weeks of killer workouts AND you learn how to create your own routines!

“Joe and Jim have done the unthinkable<they’ve made warming up seem cool.
The Amped book and DVD are a must-have for people who want to be strong and
injury-free throughout their training careers. Every move and technique
you’d ever need is in here, along with plenty of sample routines so you
never get bored. I can’t wait to “Bitch Slap My CNS” next workout!”
-Sean Hyson, C.S.C.S., fitness editor for Men’s Fitness magazine

Shawn Phillip’s AMPED Warm-up Routine

20 Awesome Warm-up Exercises

PRINT THIS OUT AND TAKE WITH YOU TO THE GYM

Shawn Phillips, 10 minute AMPED Warm-up Routine

Jumping Jacks, 20 reps
Seal Jumps with Leg Switches, 20 reps
Full Body Circles, 5 each way
Arm Circles, 10 reps each arm, forward and back
Elbows Circles, 10 each arm, forward and back
Wrist Circles, 10 reps
Shoulder Twists, 5 reps each way
Bodyweight Squats, 8 reps
Squat to Stand, 8 reps
Push-up Plus (Level 1), 8 reps
Push-up Plus (Level 2), 8 reps
Push-up Plus (Level 3), 8 reps
Push-up Plus (Level 4), 5 reps each arm
Cobra, 5 reps
Striders, 5 reps each leg
Striders with Rotation, 3 reps each side
Hamstring Stretch / Hip Flexor Stretch, 3 reps each side
Band Pull Aparts, 10 reps
Band Dislocates, 5 reps
Backward Rolls into Hamstring Stretch, 5 reps
Backward Rolls into Glute Stretch, 5 reps each arm
Squat to Forward Lunges, 3 reps each leg
Standing Glute Stretch, 5 reps each leg
Cradle Walks, 5 reps each leg

We have discussed the importance of warming up many times here on Diesel.

Essential Hip Mobility

3 Insanely Effective Upper Body Warm-ups

Ultimate 2 Minute Shoulder Warm-up

Ultimate Shoulder Rehab Video

and this is only a couple of the cool videos on my Youtube:  TheDieselCrew

Why is a Good Warm-up Important?

You also know that I just released the best selling warm-up system this year with Joe Defranco, called AMPED Warm-up.

With all this attention to warming up, do you think it might be an important component of a good workout?

For years I went into the gym, put plates on the bar and started hitting reps.  Years later I couldn’t jump, I couldn’t squat full range and both shoulders felt horrible.

Over the last two years, both Joe Defranco and I have been really focusing on the warm-up, activation exercises and mobility.  It is now a staple in all of our programs.  That is the truth.  It is that important.

Today I can honestly say I am more mobile, agile and hostile.  I can jump again, squat again and hit any exercise I want to hit.  Working out is supposed to get you stronger and more explosive.  It isn’t supposed to make you less flexible, hurt your joints and injure you.

If you make the warm-up a focus in your workout, you will be rewarded immediately AND be able to lift virtually injury free for as many years as you want.

I recently got a note from Shawn Phillip’s who got a copy of AMPED.  He let me know that he really liked the program and has been using it for his workouts.  I decided to do a special new warm-up routine and name it the Shawn Phillip’s Warm-up Routine.

There are over 90 exercises in AMPED and literally 100’s of different warm-up routines you can create for any sport, any workout or any program.  These are just a small few that I’ve demonstrated!   Now if you use AMPED along with AMD (complete muscle building / strength training system) you’ll not only have all the warm-ups you need, you ‘ll have 16 weeks of killer workouts AND you learn how to create your own routines!

“Joe and Jim have done the unthinkable<they’ve made warming up seem cool.
The Amped book and DVD are a must-have for people who want to be strong and
injury-free throughout their training careers. Every move and technique
you’d ever need is in here, along with plenty of sample routines so you
never get bored. I can’t wait to “Bitch Slap My CNS” next workout!”
-Sean Hyson, C.S.C.S., fitness editor for Men’s Fitness magazine

Shawn Phillip’s AMPED Warm-up Routine

20 Awesome Warm-up Exercises

PRINT THIS OUT AND TAKE WITH YOU TO THE GYM

Shawn Phillips, 10 minute AMPED Warm-up Routine

Jumping Jacks, 20 reps
Seal Jumps with Leg Switches, 20 reps
Full Body Circles, 5 each way
Arm Circles, 10 reps each arm, forward and back
Elbows Circles, 10 each arm, forward and back
Wrist Circles, 10 reps
Shoulder Twists, 5 reps each way
Bodyweight Squats, 8 reps
Squat to Stand, 8 reps
Push-up Plus (Level 1), 8 reps
Push-up Plus (Level 2), 8 reps
Push-up Plus (Level 3), 8 reps
Push-up Plus (Level 4), 5 reps each arm
Cobra, 5 reps
Striders, 5 reps each leg
Striders with Rotation, 3 reps each side
Hamstring Stretch / Hip Flexor Stretch, 3 reps each side
Band Pull Aparts, 10 reps
Band Dislocates, 5 reps
Backward Rolls into Hamstring Stretch, 5 reps
Backward Rolls into Glute Stretch, 5 reps each arm
Squat to Forward Lunges, 3 reps each leg
Standing Glute Stretch, 5 reps each leg
Cradle Walks, 5 reps each leg

Lou Ferrigno probably had one of the biggest, best backs in bodybuilding back in the 70’s.  He was just a massive dude all around.  Here is a pic of him doing some bent over rows.  One of the best mass builders for the upper back, along with pull-ups.

CHECK OUT THE REST OF THIS KILLER POST AFTER THE JUMP (more…)

If you’ve been around Diesel for any length of time you’ll know we have the most popular SHOULDER REHAB VIDEO on the internet.  At the time of this article, it has over 120,000 views and over 200 5-star ratings.

CHECK OUT THE REST OF THIS KILLER POST ==> (more…)

Arm Workout

Effective Tricep Finisher

During last nights workout the energy was lagging.

It was a great workout and everyone was pretty run down.

So I decided to challenge my workout partner on one of our last sets.  We were finishing up with triceps after an upper body workout and we decided to hit a giant set.  But, little did I know.  When Brad stepped up, he not only increased the weight, but did more reps!  That bastard!

AWESOME WORKOUT AFTER THE JUMP (more…)

Ultimate Pull-up Training

If you remember from one of my previous posts on big back training, you’ll know that there are several ways to modify conventional pull-ups.

BIG VIDEO AFTER THE JUMP (more…)

Lower Back Health

I’ve recently been doing a lot of discovery around lower back strength and health.  We will be exploring this research more into 2010.  Lower back health is not reserved just for strength athletes, it is a must for everyone.  Muscle building programs found online miss this boat completely.   That is why I made it a focus in AMD and that is why it is a complete muscle building system.

How prevalent are injuries?  Just one look behind the scenes at Elite Fitness Systems you’ll see that approximately 80% of the questions (just from my observations) are injury related.

Do NOT miss this post! (more…)

Lower Back Health

I’ve recently been doing a lot of discovery around lower back strength and health.  We will be exploring this research more into 2010.  Lower back health is not reserved just for strength athletes, it is a must for everyone.  Muscle building programs found online miss this boat completely.   That is why I made it a focus in AMD and that is why it is a complete muscle building system.

How prevalent are injuries?  Just one look behind the scenes at Elite Fitness Systems you’ll see that approximately 80% of the questions (just from my observations) are injury related.

Do NOT miss this post! (more…)

You see it every day in the gym.  Everyone hitting the big movements; bench, squat, deadlifts, press, calve raises, etc…

You also hear the same things, “I can’t bench anymore, my shoulder kills”, or “Squats wrecked my (insert muscle/joint here)!”

Fix Your Shoulder – READ THIS (more…)

If you’ve been around Diesel for a few years, you know we incorporate a TON of grip training exercises into our programs.  It is not enough to be able to display one facet of grip (crush, pinch, support, wrist postures, hand health, dexterity), you must be able to integrate this strength into full body power.
(more…)

Boss: Give Me Some Skin!

Narrator: Vernon Franklin decided to “Keep It Real”

Vernon:

“Get your muthaf*cking hand out of my face
Thug Life
You think this is a game? arfh arfh – Wu Tang!”

Don’t miss this post! It is THAT important!
(more…)

I wanted to show you a quick exercise that I’ve used over the years to not only build muscle but to strengthen the shoulder complex. You have to see this!
(more…)

I am about to show you the worst core exercise you have ever seen!

(more…)

A couple weekends ago, my boy Dan Cenidoza from BeMoreTraining.com put me through the Functional Movement Screen to assess my mobility, flexibility, movements patterns, etc, with Mike Rankin, Todd Hamer, and John Ferber looking on.

The Functional Movement Screen is a series of simple movements used to identify imbalances and other limitations that cause immobility and possibly can lead to injury due to inactivation of muscles and other problems.

Below is the video.

I figured for sure, my hamstrings would be one of my problems due to how their tightness. In fact, I have done a tremendous ammount of stretching the last year and a half to improve on that. It must have paid off because Dan was not nearly concerned about that as he was with my piriformis.

As you can see, my shoulders are pretty tight too…

As if this battery of tests wasn’t enough to cramp me up, they then put me through the ringer with stretches including bodyweight manipulations and PNF. Man, was I hurtin’.

Bastards!

Well, I got myself into this mess of tightness and immobility. Now it’s up to me to get myself out!

Stay tuned.

All the best in your training,

-Jedd-

How to Build Muscle | Muscle Building Workouts | How to Lose Fat | Six Pack Abs | Build Muscle, Muscle Gaining Workouts | Build Muscle Membership Site

Mike T. Nelson, an all around smart dude – RKC, Z-Health and PhD candidate, posted this study on his blog a while ago and I’m just getting around to putting it up.

It is just another study that states the benefits of a thorough, dynamic warm-up over static stretching in preparation for a strength training workout.

Key Points from Mike’s Post:

• static stretching relaxes the muscles
• a dynamic warm-up excites (CNS) the muscles
• static stretching weakens the muscles, at least temporarily
• a dynamic warm-up activates and increasing the core and soft-tissue temperature

Bottom Line:

Static stretching does have its benefits and can be done more frequently (and cycled in to the workout) if there is a glaring and overwhelming flexibility issue.   But the better choice if you are looking for better, more fluid movement and to make sure you are “ready to go” when the workout begins – is dynamic, multi-directional / planar and full range movements.

Mike T Nelson Ramblings: Static Stretching–Good or Bad?.

How to Build Muscle | Muscle Building Workouts | How to Lose Fat | Six Pack Abs | Build Muscle, Muscle Gaining Workouts | Build Muscle Membership Site

Here is a guest blog post I did for Eric Cressey.

It dealt with modifying a conventional activation exercise and you know, here at Diesel, that is what we are famous for.

What I do with my athletes is introduce an elastic band into their rehab / activation protocols for scapular wall slides (SWS).

Here was a question from one of Eric’s readers:

“On the surface, the sounds extremely innovative and effective, but it got me wondering…..I thought the purpose of low(er) level activation work was merely to get the muscle firing and then to integrate it in other training (rows, pull-ups, etc) to derive further benefits in MU recruitment, strength, and so on.

For example, “classic” scapular wall slides followed by a chin or pull-up with full scapular retraction and depression, possibly even with iso holds i the top position.

I am genuinely curious and do not mean this post in an offensive way.”

Here was my response:

You’re exactly right in your progression model. The intent of the exercise is to transition from low threshold motor unit (LTMU) recruitment to a higher threshold motor unit (HTMU) improving intramuscular coordination prior to integration (intermuscular coordination).

You can read all about it HERE.

How to Build Muscle | Muscle Building Workouts | How to Lose Fat | Six Pack Abs | Build Muscle, Muscle Gaining Workouts | Build Muscle Membership Site

Here is an old video of us hitting heavy support grip holds for time on the GRex.

Support grip is one component of grip strength. The others are crush, pinch, wrist postures and hand health.

Grip strength is the forgotten element of functional training and is essential since the hands are involved in all athletic and strength training endeavor (including building muscle or losing fat).

In fact the hands are the end point of the kinetic chain, so they must be developed if we hope to transfer the power created and accumulated from our bodies and express it through our hands.

How to Build Muscle | Muscle Building Workouts | How to Lose Fat | Six Pack Abs | Build Muscle, Muscle Gaining Workouts | Build Muscle Membership Site

Mike Robertson just had a killer post on what causes knee pain and the answer might surprise you.

If there is pain in the knee, it does not necessarily mean you have a knee injury or the pain is originating in the knee itself.  In fact, the issue is typically traced back to the kinetic segment above or below this joint.  The knee requires stability.  Stability to absorb forces and engage movement without buckling or shifting.   But if the adjacent joints (hips and ankles) are immobile (and they require mobility), the forces that translate across the kinetic chain must get mobility somewhere.  The knee, unfortunately, has to compensate.

As a result, pain happens.  Either immediately through an acute, traumatic injury or over time.  Microtrauma and wear and tear of the soft-tissues and support structures will occur.

So Mike offers two solution; improve hip mobility and activate the balancing force couples, ie. the gluteals to improve posture and restore movement.  I discuss this in my new muscle building system AMD in detail and provide strategies for long term health.

Here are a few exercises to improve hip mobility and activate the glutes to get you started:

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You might be wondering to yourself why is Konstantinov, arguably one of the best deadlifters in the world, wearing his belt so high in this deadlift video.

Well, to the untrained eye, his belt is WAY TOO high and he is going to get injured.

BUT,

Upon further inspection, you can see that through the years, Konstantinov has:

– perfected his deadlift form

– isolated and created strength and rigidity in the segments (lower lumbar L2-S1) of his spine that REQUIRE stability

– built up strength, thickness and muscle hypertrophy in the musculature surrounding* the spine in the area that resists anterior SHEAR forces under load.

* Most notably the longissimus thoracis.

When the spine is neutral the pennation of the longissimus aligns at approximately 45 degress to resist shear force, ie. protect your back and provide the stiffness to deadlift or squat without injury.

So, Konstantinov is using the belt correctly for his body type (antrhopometry).  He is bracing his abdominals outward via a powerful isometric contraction and utilizing intra-abdominal pressure to push out against the belt, which is aligned across the musculature taking the load, ie. the thoracic portion of the longissimus (one of the spinal erectors).

References:

Mcgill – Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance

Eric Cressey & Mike Robertson

Combat Core

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If you check down the left side you’ll see a huge library of anatomy references.

Anatomy Guides (DOWN THE LEFT HAND SIDE).

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