For proper form, your feet should be approximately shoulder width apart with some leeway depending on what makes you comfortable.  Next, grab the bar with an overhand grip.  Keep a bend in your knees as your feet and body face straight ahead.  Be absolutely sure that your torso is parallel to the ground and there is no bowing or slant.

When lifting the weight off the flower, you should accentuate the movement so that you are pulling the weight towards your middle abs and squeezing your lats together once you reach your peak.  Lower the bar to the ground under control, pause, and repeat the process.  Make sure you keep your head down while lifting and stay focused on a spot on the floor.

SXC.hu

Post from: EveryJoe

How to do Bent Over Rows

Here was my workout post basketball:

• Smith machine EZ bar curl 3×10 67 lbs
• regular dumbell curls 1×10 12 lbs
• inside grip lat pulldowns 3×10 plate 10
• reverse dumbell curls 1×10 25 lbs, 2×10 30 lbs
• deadlift w/ dumbells 3×10 60 lbs
• incline bench side curls (from fly position with knuckles pointed away from the body) 3×10 25 lbs
• dumbell curls with slight twist 2×10 25 lbs

What to take away from this workout was how you can be completely exhausted, but still muster up strength in other parts of your body. After 4 full court basketball games, I had no more in me. I was so done I walked away from a 5th game because I just couldn’t run up and down the court anymore. Still, I knew if I gathered myself I could get in a good weight session in because my biceps and back weren’t put to the test in basketball.

One activity I do need to increase is my abs/crunches. A strong core is essential to building the rest of your body.

SXC.hu

Post from: EveryJoe

Working Out Until Absolute Exhaustion

Workout

3×12 regular dumbell curls 35 lbs
3×12 back extensions (machine) no weight
3×10 cross reverse curls
3×1 bridge hold 30 seconds
3×10 awkward curls
3×12 inside grip lat pulldowns plate 10
3×12 assorted curls

The goal here is obviously to isolate the two muscle groups and hit them hard. Today, I didn’t feel much energy before the workout so I decided to just go for a nice medium weight, tear the muscles, and get out. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this.

If you’re not feeling it at the gym, just do what you can. Nobody is at their max 100% of the time so if you’re tired or just not feeling strong, substitute in a space-holder workout. This way you get your workout in and prevent yourself from large gaps or too many gaps from workout to workout.

After the workout, I consumed a protein enriched protein shake. I recommend Optimum Nutrition mixed well with skin milk for your protein shake. This is almost no fat and about 28-30g of sugar counting the milk. A normal scoopful of ON has 26g of protein and the milk will have about 8 to 12 grams of protein depending on how much you use. I fill the scoop about 80 to 85% of the way to lessen the amount of protein from the whey so the total doesn’t overreach 32g. The reason behind this is your body can only absorb so much protein per hour and then the rest is wasted. Opinions range on how much you can absorb, but I believe the count to be around 32 as the absolute max.

Tomorrow will be a day off from lifting weights, but I will be playing basketball and working on abs and some polymetric leg exercises. In tomorrow’s blog we’ll also be reviewing some of the exercises mentioned in the group above and why they’re effective in strengthening your core and building bigger bi’s.

barbell picture from sxc.hu

Post from: EveryJoe

35 Minute Workout: Back and Biceps

I have lifted weights consistently for 13 years now. I started when I was 15 and I am now 28. My peak performance came at the age of 24. If you want an indicator, my bench press (the standard almost everybody goes by) was 3×8 265 lbs at one point. I weighed around 215 at the time. Thinking back, even I find that hard to imagine myself doing.

I have tapered off since that fateful day at Bally’s (still remember it well). The real reason I not only haven’t improved but have regressed is a lack of dedication. On the surface, I was in graduate school so weight lifting got put off more than it used to and as the days grew further apart, so did the gap between my peak and my status at the time. Graduate school is not an excuse though. I believe you have to find a way to workout if you really want to accomplish your physical goals.

In December of 2007, I had ballooned to 252. I still had a base amount of strength from all my years and a trip or two to the gym every week, but this was embarrassingly far from where I had been. My lowest weight after the age of 20 was 183 while still maintaining a high level of strength. I am in still in grad school now, but my intervals between workouts has become much better and I am noticing a difference in strength and appearance.

Currently, I weigh 229 (up from 223 during the summer) and am steadfastly trying to lower my weight and improve my strength, speed, endurance, and lean muscle mass with size. (Yes, I want it all.) In this blog, I’ll be giving weight lifting advice and tips on how to achieve these levels of fitness efficiently while putting my workout on full display. I’ll give you a break down of everything I do and why I do it. I’ll also provide my recommended meals (while minimizing price) along with my eating habits.

If you have stopped lifting weights, currently lift weights, or never touched a barbell in your life, I encourage you to add resistance/strength training to your workout (whether you are a girl or guy). The benefits will empower you and take your lifestyle to the next level.

Tomorrow, I’m hitting the iron. Come join me. If you’re ready to start, I’m working back and biceps tomorrow to go along with some cardio. Take it easy on the weight and focus on getting the exercises done.

Here is a sample workout:

12 minutes cardio
3×10 dumbell curls
3×10 lat pull downs
3×10 pull ups
3×10 back extensions
10 minutes cardio

I’ll see you back here tomorrow.

Image: sxc.hu

Post from: EveryJoe

Do You Know Where the Weight Room Is?