It’s important to say this first: there is no one best repetition scheme in relative strength training. If there were, it would have been discovered long ago, and everyone would be big, strong, and fast as a result. In fact, as far as that goes, its amazing to me that any of us accomplish anything […]
In my last article on rep schemes, I talked about the importance of keeping pyramids narrow for best results. Pyramids are a specialized example of step loading: you take a step, increase the weight, take another step, etc., until you reach the top of your pyramid for the day. You then attempt to retrace your […]
What is a compound exercise? A compound exercise is any exercise that uses multiple joints and trains many muscle groups at the same time. Advantages of training using compound exercises Efficient Training Process: Training multiple muscle groups at the same time means spending less time in the gym for the same effort. Requires greater work effort: […]
A personal trainer sent me an email a few months ago asking for clarification on accumulation and intensification, and how they relate to general physical preparation and specific physical preparation. For those without a significant strength training background, these are terms used within periodization of training. Periodization in personal training is the pre-planning model used […]
I recently did a consult for a potential client who told me that he was boxing to improve his strength. Our conversation went something like this: Client: Boxing is a great workout; I am totally drenched afterward. Me: I agree, but it’s not going to do anything to improve your strength levels. Client: Are you […]
The understanding of when – and by how much – to increase a weight in a given personal training session is one of the most basic concepts in weight training. It is an important skill to master early on, and one that is very misunderstood, even by most personal trainers. This skill is one of […]
The essence of all personal training is grounded in improvements in strength. What form that strength ultimately takes is a function of the goal of the client. There are several technical terms to define different types of strength. While it is not the job of the client to know these terms, some basic vocabulary is […]