Exercise Technique Articles

NEW! 7 Easy Ways to Improve Your Squat

The ability to squat safely and effectively is an important arrow in the lifter's quiver- properly performed, squats dramatically improve your strength, power, mobility, lean bodymass, and as my friend Father John Peck might add, a big squat also improves your "gym cred." The downside? Only one: if you're long of limb, they can be difficult to master. Here then, are 7 tips that have served me well in my 20+ years of teaching the squat...

Cleaning Up Your Clean

Too many people unnecessarily avoid power cleans because (unlike other lifts) they wrongly tend to assume that any minor technical error they make will result in catastrophic injury. Are you one of these people? Do you just assume that cleans are only for "advanced" lifters and that you have no business attempting them?

How Much Ya Bench?

The bench press has achieved almost cult status, reaching even into popular culture. It wasn’t always this way - prior to the 1960’s the most popular upper body lift was the military press - at that time, one of the three lifts contested in the sport of weightlifting (the press was removed from competition in the early 1970’s due to fears that lifters were using dangerous lifting postures in the attempt to press larger and larger weights)...

NEWSFLASH: Learning To Clean Can Be Accomplished In One Lifetime!

It's unfortunate that so many coaches make the process of learning the Olympic lifts seem more difficult than a manned mission to Mars. In point of fact, developing safe and efficient technique in these lifts isn't much harder than learning to bench, squat, or deadlift, which most people seem to have no issues with...

10 Overlooked And Misunderstood Facts About Ab Training (Part One)

Here are 10 of the most overlooked and misunderstood facts about abdominal training - some of these may fly in the face of what you THINK you know to be facts! Keep an open mind and read the explanations. You may still not agree but it might just change your ideas on how your abs should be trained.

10 Overlooked And Misunderstood Facts About Ab Training (Part Two)

Last article we discussed a number of common fallacies about ab training, including belt use, diet, and force production. This week I'll continue with more little-known facts about your elusive six-pack.

Lat Science: Exploring the Pull-Up

I have to admit, I love pull-ups. All versions actually—chins, pull-ups, parallel grip… low reps, high reps, weights strapped to my waist, you name it. I’ve done a lot of experimentation with this exercise too—much of which involved stupid-level high-tension stunts involving heavy eccentrics, plyometric loads, all sorts of stuff...

Bench Pressing Your Way to Great Hamstrings

Gyms across the world are full of dedicated, hard-working trainees searching for physique improvement. Unfortunately, many trainees are make the classic but unfortunate mistake of ignoring proper exercise form. This "cheating" often becomes so rampant that eventually, some exercises actually begin to lose their original meaning...

The Truth About Women and Pull-Ups

Recently one of our forum members made a casual comment regarding Charles Poliquin's Pull-up recommendations. That comment sparked a recollection about Poliquin's statement, so I did a little digging, and eventually found his statement regarding women and pull-ups...

Two Essential Skills For Weight-Trainers

While there are a lot of characteristics and traits that define skilled lifting, I believe there are two primary skills that truly separate experts from novices. The two skills I'm about to discuss allow lifters to pursue their craft for years without the troubling injuries that typically plague unskilled exercisers and Bowflex collectors...

Slow VS Explosive Lifting: The Controversy Continues…

In all the years I’ve been involved in sports conditioning, I’ve never seen an issue with as much longevity and potential for heated debate as the question of whether or not it is necessary, safe, and or effective to perform “explosive” or “ballistic” movements in the weight room....