Good basic exercise selection is at the heart of any decent strength training programme. Selecting the right basic exercise for the right person at the right time can make or break a programme. Therefore, it’s important to have a good toolbox of different exercises to call upon. With that in mind, here are my thoughts on various exercises that I do:
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Why pull ups are a great exercise – I love pull ups and they are great for building upper body functional strength and size, as well as being incredibly useful in real life.
How to do more pull ups – everyone wants to be able to show off in the gym doing pull ups and unless you can do a one-arm pull up, the only way you can do that is by doing more reps than the next guy. Here’s how to do it.
How to progress pull ups – you don’t have to progress pull ups by doing extra reps, there are other options. Here are a few.
How to do different variants of pull ups and chins – I have a whole battery of pull up and chin variants and they are all great fun. Here is a short-list of my favourite ones.
How to do an assisted one-arm chin – I have found that the best way to train for one-arm chins is to use assistance by way of a pulley. You can’t just train using weighted pull ups. I tried that and it didn’t work.
How to do a one-arm chin – I trained for about two years to get a one-arm chin and finally got one. They don’t come easy and they take a long time and you need to keep your bodyweight down. Here is how I did it.
How to do a pistol – the first time I saw my brother do a pistol, I didn’t know what it was but I know it looked awesome and I knew I wanted to be able to do it too. Here is a collection of tutorials on how to get that impressive skill.
How to do a lumberjack squat – if you are struggling with your squat form, here is a great drill you can do that will make you keep your chest up while squatting.
How to do zercher squats – and if you need more pain in your life, try Zercher squats. They are quite the most unpleasant thing I have ever done in a gym. For slightly less pain, try using a fat bar.
How to do a floor press – I have tried many things to get my bench to go up and floor presses was one that was fun while it lasted. Here’s how to get a decent floor press set up in your garage gym.
How to do a viking press – viking presses are like lumberjack squats for the upper body. They help to groove good form and practice for strongman lifts while still in the gym.
How to train with sandbags – don’t forget that one of the great benefits of training at home is that you don’t necessarily have to use conventional gym kit. Here are a few suggestions for training with sandbags.
Climbers talk strength training - climbers are some of the strongest athletes around but most people outside of the small community don’t have a clue how they train. Find out in this discussion about some of the greats
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Still can’t find what you’re looking for? Check out these great books on strength training and don’t forget uou can always contact me for help…
