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July 8, 2023

The Ultimate Chest and Back Workout for Upper Body Muscle

Filed under: Fitness,Training — Tags: , , , , — admin @ 12:24 pm

Ready for an efficient workout to build your upper body by creating a more sculpted chest and a more muscular back? Rethink your training week and step away from the usual workout split.

Training chest and back in the same session lets you use agonist-antagonist supersets — a high-dollar term for exercise pairings that hit opposite sides of your body with zero rest in-between.

Woman performing chest exercise on bars outdoors

Credit: Anton Romanov / Shutterstock

By deleting the rest interval, these supersets allow you to get lots of training accomplished in less time. Better yet, they’re less likely to impair exercise performance compared to supersets targeting the same muscle groups. (1)

So buckle up, grab the plan, and get to work hitting just about everything above your hips using a handful of high intensity, highly focused movements.

Chest and Back Workout

Meet Your Chest and Back Muscles

In his prime, massive and full pectoral muscles were among Arnold Schwarzenegger’s most impressive attributes. Arnold’s chest had size and symmetry — attributes which are key to a well-developed chest. Not only will lifters with bodybuilding goals need to perform chest exercises with sufficient intensity, but they will also need to ensure all areas of the chest are adequately targeted. 

Pectoralis major, the most prominent chest muscle, has two or three functional “subregions.” The sternocostal head is the largest portion and it is effectively trained during horizontal adduction exercises such as horizontal chest presses and flyes. (2)(3)(4) The upper-most part of the pec major, termed the clavicular head, is emphasized with shoulder flexion exercises and incline presses. (2)(3)(4)(5)

Less often discussed, but relevant to any lifter training for a top physique, is the inferior-most portion of the pecs — the lower costal fibers and abdominal fibers. These fibers pull your arms down from the overhead position, as in pulldowns and pullovers. (2)

Coach Dr. Merrick Lincoln performing dumbbell pullover on flat bench

Credit: Merrick Lincoln, DPT, CSCS / YouTube

An impressive back has three key qualities: breadth or width, thickness, and definition. While the latter can only be achieved by reaching sufficiently low levels of body fat, developing all qualities depends on robust muscle growth, or “hypertrophy,” of the back muscles. Major aesthetic back muscles include the latissimus dorsi, middle- and lower trapezius, and rhomboids. 

In bodybuilding, the muscles of the back are trained during vertical and horizontal pulling movements, along with a slew of single-joint accessory exercises. Perhaps counterintuitively, narrow-grip pulldowns and rows tend to promote back width, while wide-grip horizontal pulling tends to promote back thickness. (2) This workout builds both.

The Ultimate Chest and Back Workout

This double-duty routine incorporates free weights and machines, programs supersets and traditional sets, and leans into tension and “the pump” to build the ultimate upper body. It fits perfectly into either a chest and back/legs/shoulders and arms split or an upper/lower workout split. It might also be useful in a more classic “one body part per day” split when a missed workout necessitates doubling up.

Neutral-Grip Lat Pulldown

The neutral-grip lat pulldown is a joint-friendly back-builder. It principally trains your latissimus dorsi — the muscle responsible for back width. The rhomboids of your mid-back, the muscles behind the shoulders (such your posterior deltoids and teres major), and even the lower portion of your pectoralis major (“costal fibers”) will also contribute to the movement. (2)

From the deep stretch when your arms are overhead to the peak contraction when your upper arms are pinned against the sides of your ribcage, the neutral-grip lat pulldown trains the target muscles through a range of motion unmatched by most other back exercises. Since your lower body is locked into the machine, the exercise can also be loaded heavily. Starting the workout with a heavy, full range of motion exercise sets the tone for the workout.

  • How to Do it: Sit at a lat pulldown station using a grip attachment with parallel handles. Secure your thighs under the roller pads and slightly lean back at your hips. Initiate the pulldown by drawing your shoulder blades downward as you bring your elbows toward the sides of your ribcage. Return to the starting position with arms outstretched overhead.
  • Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12
  • Rest Time: No rest before moving to the next exercise.

Benefits of the Neutral-Grip Lat Pulldown

  • The exercise trains the back through large arcs of motion at the shoulder joint proper (glenohumeral joint) and shoulder girdle (scapulothoracic joint). Importantly, pulldowns train the latissimus dorsi at long muscle lengths, which may enhance muscle gain. (6)
  • The neutral grip tends to be well-tolerated by lifters with banged-up shoulders or elbows. 
  • This multi-joint back exercise largely spares the muscles that will be trained in the chest press, the second exercise of this superset.

Machine Chest Press

Provided your gym is not too busy and the lat pulldown station and chest press machines aren’t on opposite sides of the facility, plan to superset pulldowns with machine chest presses. If you’re training in a public gym and are concerned about occupying two machines at once, give the machine you are departing a quick wipe down and carry your things with you instead of leaving them to “claim” he equipment. This will give a non-verbal cue to anyone waiting to “work in.”

Sure, if someone does work in, it’ll slow your workout, but it’s the decent thing to do in a shared public space. Nine times out of ten, the machine will be empty when you return. 

Machine chest presses come in many designs — seated, lying, plate-loaded, cable stack-loaded, etc. Ideally, locate one that feels comfortable and provides a stretch across your shoulders in the bottom position. Although it may be acceptable to substitute the barbell bench press for the machine movement, you’ll need a trained spotter for the free weight version. Moreover, most lifters are more comfortable pushing high-effort sets — sets that approach or even reach failure — on a “self-spotting” chest press machine. 

  • How to Do it: Adjust the seat and starting handle position so that your elbows and hands naturally track at approximately nipple-height at the bottom position. If the seat is too high (or if you are positioned too high up the bench on a lying chest press machine), it will feel like a decline press. If the seat is too low (or you are positioned too far down the bench on a lying version), your elbows will be flared out at or near shoulder-height. Even though you’re not performing a competition-style barbell bench press, you should still establish an arched mid-back position to facilitate greater chest tension. Lift your sternum and pull your shoulder blades together and toward your glutes. Press the handles until your elbows reach lockout. Lower with control to a tolerable stretch across your chest and the fronts of your shoulders.
  • Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12
  • Rest Time: Rest two to three minutes before repeating the previous exercise.

Benefits of the Machine Chest Press

  • Machine chest press may offer more targeted chest training compared to free-weight variations. This is likely due to the stability offered by the equipment, as the machine bench press has shown reduced lateral deltoid and triceps muscle activity and equivalent pectoralis major activity compared to the barbell bench press. (4) However, these findings were not replicated in a recent similar study. (7)
  • It’s a machine-based exercise, which enables relatively heavy loading and high-effort sets without requiring a spotter. (7)

Machine Wide Row

Wide rows, traditionally performed with an overhand grip spaced wider than the shoulders, target the mid-back and back of the shoulders. As such, wide rows are a great exercise for back “thickness.”

Chest-supported machines, in particular, allow for greater focus on the target muscles and reduced systemic demand (i.e. less fatigue), because the lifter is not required to maintain an unsupported forward-bent posture. (8) Wide rows may also be performed on a chest-supported T-bar row machine or using free weights with your trunk supported on an incline bench.

  • How to Do it: Set the seat height so the support pad makes contact with your lower chest and the handles are just below shoulder-height. Lean into the pad to ensure your hips are slightly behind your chest. Grab the handles with an overhand grip. You should have to stretch to reach the handles — if not, adjust the chest support or start position of the handles. Initiate the row by drawing your shoulder blades together and driving your elbows to the sides. Your elbows should track slightly below shoulder height, not tuck toward your body or flare above shoulder-height. Return to the starting position, allowing the machine to pull your arms forward and stretch your mid back.
  • Sets and Reps: 3 x 12-16
  • Rest Time: No rest before moving to the next exercise.

Benefits of the Machine Wide Row

  • This rowing variation has a favorable stimulus-to-fatigue, meaning support from the machine reduces the need for activity in non-target musculature. (8)
  • When appropriately set up, the machine wide row applies a profound stretch to the mid-back and shoulders, increasing range of motion of the exercise and potentially enhancing hypertrophy.

Machine Kelso Shrug

Not all muscle groups targeted by multi-joint (compound) exercises are trained equally. Some muscles are hammered, while others are left relatively unscathed. For example, when using rows to target your mid-back, your shoulder muscles (e.g. posterior deltoid) may fatigue during wide rows, while muscles of the mid-back (e.g. middle trapezius and rhomboids) may not be trained to their potential. 

Advanced training techniques such as pre- and post- exhaustion may be useful to address inequitable training stimuli among agonist muscles during multi-joint exercise. Pre-exhaustion places an isolation exercise immediately before a compound exercise with no rest. Although bodybuilding pioneers like Arthur Jones tended to promote pre-exhaustion methods, the research on this strategy is somewhat lackluster. (9) At best, lifters accomplish equivalent training volume and experience similar strength gain compared to performing the isolation exercise and compound exercise as traditional straight sets. (10) At worst, trainees may lose repetitions during the compound exercise due to fatigue. (11

Fortunately, a related technique called post-exhaustion avoids the major downside of pre-exhaustion. Post-exhaustion uses compound supersets in a specific way. A multi-joint exercise is immediately followed by an isolation exercise for the same target muscle(s). 

Paul Kelso, an author and powerlifting analyst, promoted post-exhaustion training for thickening the upper back by using a sequence of rows and Kelso shrugs, his namesake exercise. Kelso shrugs may also be performed on a chest-supported T-bar row machine or using free-weights with trunk supported on an incline bench.

  • How to Do it: Kelso shrugs involve isolated retracting (“drawing together”) the shoulder blades. While they may be performed with free weights while bent over or supported on an incline bench, performing Kelso Shrugs on a row machine with chest support allows you to better isolate the target muscles — your middle trapezius and rhomboids. Using a wide, overhand grips on the row machine, begin with your arms outstretched in front of you. You should feel a profound stretch as the machine draws your arms and shoulder blades forward. With little to no elbow bend and absolutely no rowing, squeeze your shoulder blades together, drawing the handles slightly closer to your body. Although your mid-back may arch or extend slightly as you draw your shoulder blades together, do not drive this motion by pushing your chest into the pad. Focus on using your middle trapezius and rhomboids. Pause momentarily, then allow the machine to slowly draw your shoulder blades apart.
  • Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12
  • Rest Time: Rest two to two and a half minutes before repeating the previous exercise.

Benefits of the Machine Kelso Shrug

  • This unique shrug variation hits the mid-back in relative isolation, allowing for additional training volume, especially when performed as a post-exhaustion technique following a rowing exercise.
  • Kelso shrugs have a relatively easy exercise setup and minimal systemic fatigue.
  • The exercise builds strength and control of the shoulder blades, which may promote overall shoulder health. (12)

Incline Dumbbell Flye Press

Muscles are stronger during eccentric contractions, which typically occur during the lowering phase of an exercise. One technique that exploits this phenomenon by increasing the intensity of the exercise during the eccentric phase is called eccentric accentuated training. (13) The flye press is a straightforward eccentric accentuated exercise, easily set up using an adjustable bench and a pair of dumbbells. 

While any incline press biases the upper chest, the incline dumbbell flye press packs an extra punch by accentuating the eccentric contraction of the clavicular head of pectoralis major. (3)(4)(5)(13) Therefore, this exercise serves to complement other chest exercises found in this workout, which tend to bias the lower muscle fibers of the chest.

  • How to Do it: Set an adjustable bench to the 45-degree incline position. Lay on the bench and set your shoulder blades together so they lie flat against the pad. Begin with the dumbbells just outside the front of your chest and press them vertically until your elbows are nearly straight. Keeping slight elbow flexion, allow the dumbbells to drift apart. Continue to lower the dumbbells until you feel a strong stretch across the front of your chest. Bend your elbows to return the dumbbells to the start position before pressing to the top to repeat the sequence for additional repetitions.
  • Sets and Reps: 3 x 8 to 12
  • Rest Time: Rest one and a half to two minutes between sets.

Benefits of the Incline Dumbbell Flye Press

  • The exercise is eccentric accentuated, meaning demand on chest is greater during the lowering phase, which may enhance strength development and hypertrophy. (13)(14)
  • Using an incline bench promotes upper chest — pectoralis major clavicular head — activity and development. (3)(4)(5)

Bar Dip

Dips are typically performed using a dedicated dip station or a sturdy dip attachment on a power rack. The handles of the dip station or dip attachment are often parallel or diverge slightly from parallel — a feature that results in different training stimulus and exercise technique compared to traditional bodyweight bench dips. (15

Compared to triceps-focused bench dips, which are performed with the heels of hands supported by the long edge of a bench, bar dips show greater pectoralis major muscle activity. (15) Also compared to bench dips, bar dips require less shoulder hyperextension. (15) Since loaded shoulder hyperextension can be hard on the shoulders, dips may be better tolerated by lifters with known shoulder issues. (15)(16)

Bar dips are easy adapt to beginner strength-levels via the use of the lower body or an elastic band for assistance. They can be made more challenging by adding weight to a dip belt. Effective and versatile, the bar dip is a great exercise for building the mid- and lower chest.

  • How to Do it: If your dip station or attachment has diverging handles, select a grip width comfortable for your shoulders. Begin in the top position with your elbows locked out and your hands on the bars under your shoulders supporting your weight. Your hips should drift slightly backward as you lower your body, allowing your elbows to flex and your upper arms to extend slightly behind you. In the bottom position, achieve a stretch across the front of your chest. Pause momentarily before pushing back to the top.
  • Sets and Reps: 2 x 8-12
  • Rest Time: No rest before moving to the next exercise.

Benefits of the Bar Dip

  • The dip trains your pectoralis major, pectoralis minor, triceps brachii, and lower trapezius. Your latissimus dorsi, serratus anterior, and the posterior rotator cuff may also be active, serving as stabilizing roles. (15)
  • Your chest experiences a “loaded stretch” in the bottom of the bar dip, which may promote accelerated muscle growth. (14)
  • High-effort sets of dips may further bias your pectoralis major, as increased muscle activity has been shown when sets are taken toward failure. (17)

Standing Cable Pullover

As the name implies, pullovers involve drawing a resistance over the body from high-to-low. Although typically thought of as back exercises, pullover variations such as the dumbbell pullover and cable pullover train your back and chest. (2)(18)

The cable pullover has a slightly different resistance curve than free weight versions, as the lifter experiences maximum resistance when their arms are perpendicular to the cable rather than perpendicular to the vertical line of gravity. (19) This feature makes the cable pullover more conducive to high repetition, “pump work” style sets. 

Cable resistance also enables the exercise to be performed standing, a variation sometimes called a straight-arm pushdown or pulldown. If you’re looking for a high-tension solution to polish off your upper body workout, don’t skip the standing cable pullover.

  • How to Do it: Grab a straight bar cable attachment with a double-overhand grip, with hands placed wider than your shoulders. Hinge slightly forward at the hips and lift your chest. With your arms outstretched overhead, pull the bar toward your thighs. Once the bar contacts your thighs, control the movement back to the start position. Keep your elbows straight but not locked throughout the movement.
  • Sets and Reps: 2 x 16-20
  • Rest Time: Rest two to three minutes before repeating the previous exercise.

Benefits of the Standing Cable Pullover

  • Pullovers train the back and chest together. (18)
  • The resistance profile of the cable pullover applies substantial resistance when the latissimus dorsi is stretched, which may enhance muscle gain. (6)(19)
  • The focused tension of the exercise tends to promote a great lat pump sensation.

How to Warm-up for Your Chest and Back Workout

Traditional warm-ups begin with a short bout of cardiovascular activity to raise body temperature, increase breathing rate, and improve overall circulation, followed by more specific movements and mobilizations to prepare the body for the workout ahead. With a substantial chest and back workout ahead of you, cardio followed by a multi-exercise specific warm-up may feel daunting. 

Rather than skip the warm-up altogether, try a high-volume warm-up instead. High-volume warm-ups include long sets of high repetition, light resistance and/or bodyweight exercises performed in circuit fashion.

The benefits of high-volume warm-ups are similar to traditional warm-ups. They physiologically and mentally prepare your body for the workout, but they have the added benefit of extra reps for muscle groups that will be targeted in the upcoming workout and for muscle groups that could benefit from additional training volume (including specific weaknesses you may need to address). 

Perform 20 to 30 repetitions of each of the following exercises as a circuit — take no rest between each exercise set. Rest 30 seconds between circuits. Repeat the entire circuit two or three times.

  • Band Face Pull: Stand facing a light resistance loop anchored at chin-height. With arms outstretched in front of your body, grasp the loop leaving a length of resistance band slightly wider than your neck between your hands. Keeping your chest up and your body stationary, draw the resistance band toward your forehead by simultaneously performing a high row with shoulder external rotation — Your elbows should track at or above shoulder-height, and your wrists should travel higher than your elbows. When the band reaches or nearly reaches your forehead, reverse the movement and return to the starting position. 
  • Elevated Push-up: Begin with your hands elevated on a bench or Roman chair/back extension and your feet on the floor. Perform a push-up by pressing your body up and away from the support surface until your elbows are straight. Your push-up should resemble a “moving plank,” with your trunk and legs moving together as a unit. Lower until your chest touches or nearly touches the support surface.
  • Dynamic 45-Degree Back Extension: Set up a 45-degree Roman chair so the top of the pad is just below your beltline. Lay with your thighs supported by the pad and your feet on the footplate of the machine. As you lower your torso toward the floor, intentionally allow your spine to round. As you raise your torso toward the ceiling, intentionally extend (“arch”) your spine throughout the movement. This movement requires minimal movement from the hip joints.

Here’s the deal: Some lifters train their back extensor muscles (the “fins” of muscle that lie on either side of the spine) on leg day with exercises like deadlifts, good mornings, and hyperextensions. Other lifters place these exercises with their back training. The jury is out on which practice is “best,” but one thing is clear — most lifters will benefit from more low back training. 

Outside of powerlifters who’ve adopted the reverse hyper machine, and those who still use old school back extension machines, few lifters intentionally perform dynamic back extensor training — exercises that intentionally train the back extensors through an appreciable range of motion. If you are new to flexion- and extension-based low back exercises, the dynamic 45-degree back extension is a good place to start, but you may need to reduce the repetition target until you’re accustomed to the direct work.

Jacked from Front to Back

Nineteen sets in total, this formidable workout hits all major parts of your chest and back. Remember to take two or three “work-up sets” per exercise to groove your technique and identify a challenging weight for the target repetition range (“work-up sets” do not count toward set total). Altogether, plan to be in the gym a little over an hour accomplishing more than most do in two separate workouts. 

References

  1. Weakley, J. J., et al. (2020). The effects of superset configuration on kinetic, kinematic, and perceived exertion in the barbell bench press. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research34(1), 65-72.
  2. Ackland, D. C., Pak, P., Richardson, M., & Pandy, M. G. (2008). Moment arms of the muscles crossing the anatomical shoulder. Journal of Anatomy213(4), 383-390.
  3. dos Santos Albarello, et al. (2022). Non-uniform excitation of pectoralis major induced by changes in bench press inclination leads to uneven variations in the cross-sectional area measured by panoramic ultrasonography. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology67, 102722.
  4. Coratella, G., et al. (2020). Specific prime movers’ excitation during free-weight bench press variations and chest press machine in competitive bodybuilders. European Journal of Sport Science20(5), 571-579.
  5. Lee, H. M. (2019). Force direction and arm position affect contribution of clavicular and sternal parts of pectoralis major muscle during muscle strength testing. Journal of Hand Therapy32(1), 71-79.
  6. Ottinger, C. R., et al. (2022). Muscle hypertrophy response to range of motion in strength training: a novel approach to understanding the findings. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 10-1519.
  7. Muyor, J. M., Rodríguez-Ridao, D., & Oliva-Lozano, J. M. (2023). Comparison of Muscle Activity between the Horizontal Bench Press and the Seated Chest Press Exercises Using Several Grips. Journal of Human Kinetics87, 23.
  8. García-Jaén, M., et al. (2021). Electromyographical responses of the lumbar, dorsal and shoulder musculature during the bent-over row exercise: a comparison between standing and bench postures (a preliminary study). Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 21(4), 1871-1877.
  9. Trindade, T. B., et al. (2022). Pre-exhaustion training, a narrative review of the acute responses and chronic adaptations. International Journal of Exercise Science15(3), 507.
  10. Fisher, J. P., et al. (2014). The effects of pre-exhaustion, exercise order, and rest intervals in a full-body resistance training intervention. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism39(11), 1265-1270.
  11. Vilaça-Alves, et al. (2014). Effects of pre-exhausting the biceps brachii muscle on the performance of the front lat pull-down exercise using different handgrip positions. Journal of Human Kinetics42(1), 157-163.
  12. Sciascia, A., & Kibler, W. B. (2022). Current views of scapular dyskinesis and its possible clinical relevance. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy17(2), 117.
  13. Walker, S., et al. (2016). Greater strength gains after training with accentuated eccentric than traditional isoinertial loads in already strength-trained men. Frontiers in Physiology7, 149.
  14. Wackerhage, H., et al. (2019). Stimuli and sensors that initiate skeletal muscle hypertrophy following resistance exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology, 136, 30-43.
  15. McKenzie, A., et al. (2022). Bench, Bar, and Ring Dips: Do Kinematics and Muscle Activity Differ?. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health19(20), 13211.
  16. McKenzie, A. K., et al. (2021). Glenohumeral Extension and the Dip: Considerations for the Strength and Conditioning Professional. Strength & Conditioning Journal43(1), 93-100.
  17. McKenzie, A., et al. (2022). Fatigue increases muscle activations but does not change maximal joint angles during the bar dip. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health19(21), 14390.
  18. Muyor, J. M., López-Miñarro, P. A., & Alacid, F. (2022). Comparison of electromyographic activity during barbell pullover and straight arm pulldown exercises. Applied Sciences12(21), 11138.
  19. Schütz, P., et al. (2022). Chest exercises: movement and loading of shoulder, elbow and wrist joints. Sports10(2), 19.

Featured Image: Ground Picture / Shutterstock

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July 7, 2023

Deadlift vs. Romanian Deadlift: Learn the Best Way to Hit Your Posterior Chain

Filed under: Fitness,Training — Tags: , , , , — admin @ 3:57 am

When it’s time to target your posterior chain — glutes, hamstrings, and lower back — many lifters can be spoiled for choice when it comes to choosing effective exercises. Two of the most popular movements that end up in the spotlight are the classic deadlift and its slightly more focused twin, the Romanian deadlift (RDL).

Both of these exercises use a “hip hinge” movement to build muscle while developing the kind of practical, real-world strength that makes you the go-to person when your friends need help moving. Both exercises also have unique characteristics that could make each one an effective choice under certain conditions and training contexts.

person in gym bending forward with barbell in hands

Credit: YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV / Shutterstock

There is no “right” or “wrong” answer when it’s time to choose your deadlift. You simply need a better understanding of what these two hinging movements can offer. So if you’re in a certain “one deadlift rules the world” camp, your eyes are about to be opened to a new way of thinking about these powerful pulls.

Deadlift and Romanian Deadlift

Exercise Differences

For consistency’s sake throughout the article, “the deadlift” refers to the conventional deadlift, while the Romanian deadlift refers, clearly, to the Romanian deadlift variation. If you’re curious about sumo deadlifts, sorry, but they’re not part of this conversation. However, they do share many of the same characteristics as the conventional deadlift.

Muscle Activation

Both the deadlift and Romanian deadlift involve hip extension, your glutes and hamstrings are activated and trained effectively. However, the deadlift starts from the floor and involves a more significant knee bend aka knee flexion.

This factor alone makes a huge difference because it’s what gives you more leverage to lift more weight with the classic deadlift. This is also why it’s a preferred stance for competitive powerlifters.

Powerlifter performing deadlift in contest

Credit: Real Sports Photos / Shutterstock

The improved leverage increases quadriceps activation, making the deadlift one of the most comprehensive lower body exercises by involving the glutes, hamstrings, and quads as one unit. The relatively heavy load and overall stability requirements also increase the demands on your core and back muscles.

Contrastingly, the Romanian deadlift is performed without significant knee flexion. This limits your leverage while involving many of the same muscles — except for the quadriceps. This is why the RDL is often considered a primary hamstring exercise. (1)

Eccentric Emphasis

The Romanian deadlift starts from the top, while you are standing upright, and it focuses on controlling the lowering phase (eccentric). This controlled eccentric emphasis is what gives you relatively more control over the movement.

Generally speaking, many people do not control their eccentrics during conventional deadlifts. They typically lift the weight explosively before dropping the weight nearly as quickly. This drop is often (and unfortunately) accompanied by a celebratory scream after each successful lift regardless of gym etiquette.

This difference in the eccentric emphasis, or lack of, can make the cadence and overall effect of the exercises quite distinct. With the higher degree of eccentric control, Romanian deadlifts may be better for training muscular deceleration (crucial for athleticism) as well as hip and hamstring flexibility-related adaptations.

Range of Motion

In a deadlift, the added knee flexion reduces the necessary range of motion at hip extension — because you’re bending at your knees, you can lift the weight without bending significantly at your waist. This also limits the range of motion for your glutes and hamstrings, especially in their stretched position (at the bottom of the exercise).

The goal of a Romanian deadlift is to push your hips back and not perform any large degree of knee flexion. Combine this with the eccentric control mentioned earlier and you get a much longer range of motion with your glutes and hamstrings, especially in the stretched position which recent research is finding to be incredibly anabolic. (2)

Strength Potential

Between the two movements, the deadlift is often more popular because its nature and overall technique allow you to lift relatively heavier weights. That’s why it made the list as one of the three movements performed in competitive powerlifting.

For non-powerlifters, conventional deadlifts can simply feel invigorating and motivating because of the sheer strength-building potential they offer.

Long-haired person in gym holding barbell

Credit: BigBlueStudio / Shutterstock

Romanian deadlifts allow for less absolute load because of their mechanics. No knee flexion means fewer muscles involved and less loading potential. They’re still a potentially heavy exercise, but Romanian deadlift PRs are not bragged about nearly as often. When people ask how much you deadlift, it’s safe to assume they’re talking about conventional deadlifts from the floor.

Fatigue

This is one of the main differences that many people overlook. Not only is the level of fatigue different, but the type of fatigue is different between the two movements.

Because deadlifts involve more muscles and are often performed heavier, they’re generally more fatiguing. Whether you train with relatively higher reps or low reps, you can often count on feeling pretty beat up after doing deadlifts.

Especially as you get more advanced, one or two sets of deadlifts with a challenging weight or significant volume can leave you fried. This is often described as “systemic fatigue,” where your whole body is affected. Anecdotally, some people also tend to feel more joint stress with deadlifts.

Romanian deadlifts are typically performed with relatively lighter weights, so they trigger less joint stress and are less systemically fatiguing. This makes Romanian deadlifts generally easier to recover from. However, they can produce more fatigue and muscle soreness in the local muscles specifically involved in the exercise.

Romanian deadlifts also involve lots of eccentric stretching. This type of stress through a longer range of motion inflicts a higher degree of muscle damage. After you’ve pushed yourself with Romanian deadlifts, you can feel a clear difference where your glutes and hamstrings may even feel like they’re tearing. This causes your glutes and hamstrings to be more sore.

Exercise Similarities

Both exercises have differences that can be a factor, depending on your goal. However, they also share fundamental similarities and crossover. Most people in the gym, aside from competitive powerlifters, would likely not notice a drastic difference in long-term progress if they were to substitute one for the other.

Hip Hinges

The deadlift and Romanian deadlift are both “hip hinges” — your body primarily moves by bending at the hips. This action trains many muscles throughout your body by coordinating strength, force transfer, and stability from your lower to upper body.

Bald person in gym doing barbell deadlift

Credit: UfaBiaPhoto / Shutterstock

This comprehensive effect allows you to build strength, muscle, and athleticism. Fulfilling these roles is often more important than some of their unique differences.

Posterior Chain Development

Your glutes and hamstrings, along with your low back, are all targeted with both the deadlift and Romanian deadlift. In other words, these exercises develop that backside many people are after.

You need some sort of basic hip hinge in your training program to efficiently target those eye-catching glute and hamstring muscles, while also strengthening your low back.

Building a powerful posterior chain has also been shown to help maintain strength and potentially decrease the general risk of injury and incidence of back pain. (3)

How to Do the Deadlift

The deadlift is often considered one of the foundational lifts that every beginner in the gym should learn. While that may or may not be true, the deadlift (as a hip hinge) remains a fundamental movement pattern that targets a variety of muscles from your hamstrings to your upper back.

This makes it an efficient and effective exercise for several goals, and mastering this exercise should likely be on the to-do list for the majority of gym-goers.

  • Stand before a bar with your feet hip-width apart and the bar lined up over the middle of your feet. Grab the bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Adjust slightly to get your shins close to the bar.
  • Bend at your hips and knees, lowering yourself down while maintaining a neutral spine. Your shoulders should be slightly in front of the bar and your gaze should be focused on a spot on the floor a few feet in front of the bar.
  • Engage your core and lat muscles to stabilize your spine. Grip the bar hard, take a deep breath, and brace your core. Drive through your legs, while extending (straightening) your hips and knees simultaneously.
  • Keep your chest up. The barbell should move in a vertical path, staying in contact with your legs as you stand up.
  • Drive through your heels until you reach a fully upright position. At the top of the movement, squeeze your glutes to achieve a strong lockout. Your hips and knees should be fully extended.
  • To lower the bar, hinge at your hips, push your hips back, and bend your knees slightly. Avoid rounding your back or letting the barbell drift away from your legs. Lower with control — don’t simply drop the bar.
  • Once the barbell is back on the ground, take a moment to reset your starting position before beginning the next repetition.

How to Do the Romanian Deadlift

The Romanian deadlift may have a reputation as being more “for muscle” rather than “for strength,” but that’s not really accurate. The increased glute and hamstring recruitment can definitely benefit muscle-building, but you can still gradually work up to relatively heavy weights in the lift if you choose to train for strength.

Alternatively, some lifters focus on the longer range of motion and increased stretching offered by the Romanian deadlift. In any case, it’s a versatile exercise that can be a key player in any workout routine.

  • Grasp a barbell using an overhand grip, with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, allowing the bar to rest against your upper thighs. Either begin with the bar in a rack or deadlift the bar into position.
  • Engage your core. Push your glutes backward and hinge at your hips to begin the movement. Keep a slight bend in your knees but avoid excessive knee flexion. Maintain a straight back as you move.
  • Lower the barbell along the front of your thighs. Continue descending until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings. Avoid rounding your back during the descent.
  • To find the bottom position, if mobility allows, aim for your torso to reach almost parallel to the ground with the barbell somewhere between your knees and ankles.
  • To return upright, drive your hips forward and squeeze your glutes. Keep your back straight and focus on feeling your hamstrings and glutes lift the weight. As you stand up, maintain control and avoid any jerking motions.

When to Program the Deadlift vs. Romanian Deadlift

For most people, the most effective way to program these exercises is to simply switch from using the conventional deadlift to the Romanian deadlift. The Romanian deadlift is superior for building lean muscle on your glutes and hamstrings, which is often a higher priority than lifting heavy weights.

In general, if you’re looking to build the highest level of strength and you want a more comprehensive exercise that recruits the maximum number of muscles, consider programming the deadlift.

However, the Romanian deadlift is the better choice for a posterior chain hypertrophy exercise. It takes the glutes and hamstrings through a longer range of motion with a muscle-building stretch.

Both are demanding compound exercises that should be programmed early in your leg day, ideally as your first or second exercise. To reduce cumulative stress and fatigue on supporting muscles, avoid programming anything too demanding on the lower back in the next workout, like back squats or direct back extensions.

Pick Your Heavy Hinges

The deadlift and Romanian deadlift are both highly effective hip hinges that will get you strong and build plenty muscle. While this might sound oversimplified, it’s not entirely wrong to think of the deadlift as a “high leverage lift that cuts range of motion to move big weights” while the Romanian deadlift is a “more controlled, long range of motion muscle-builder for the glutes and hamstrings.” You can’t go wrong with either, but one might edge forward depending on your specific needs.

References

  1. Martín-Fuentes, I., Oliva-Lozano, J. M., & Muyor, J. M. (2020). Electromyographic activity in deadlift exercise and its variants. A systematic review. PloS one, 15(2), e0229507. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0229507
  2. Nunes, J. P., Schoenfeld, B. J., Nakamura, M., Ribeiro, A. S., Cunha, P. M., & Cyrino, E. S. (2020). Does stretch training induce muscle hypertrophy in humans? A review of the literature. Clinical physiology and functional imaging, 40(3), 148–156. https://doi.org/10.1111/cpf.12622
  3. Tataryn, N., Simas, V., Catterall, T., Furness, J., & Keogh, J. W. L. (2021). Posterior-Chain Resistance Training Compared to General Exercise and Walking Programmes for the Treatment of Chronic Low Back Pain in the General Population: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports medicine – open7(1), 17. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-021-00306-w

Featured Image: 4 PM production / Shutterstock

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June 27, 2023

The 5×5 Workout Explained: The Classic Program for Size and Strength

Filed under: Fitness,Training — Tags: , — admin @ 9:07 pm

When it comes to training programs, there aren’t too many “plug and play” workouts that virtually guarantee results. More accurately, there aren’t too many programs that promise and actually deliver on those results. The 5×5 workout does, and it has a 60+ year track record of success with a trail of strong, muscular, athletic bodies to show for it.

5×5, or five sets of five reps, was first popularized in the 1960s and has developed a reputation as one of the most reliable routines in the long history of weight training. Hit the gym three days a week and do 5×5, eat plenty, and you almost can’t fail.

Person in gym doing barbell deadlift

Credit: antoniodiaz / Shutterstock

There are a few exceptions and details, of course, but the 5×5 workout is generally recognized as one of the most dependable ways to build size and strength nearly simultaneously. It’s the original “powerbuilding” workout. Here’s what to know about getting the most out of this classic mass-building program.

The 5×5 Workout

History of the the 5×5 Workout

5×5 isn’t some flash-in-the-pan routine. It’s been delivering results for decades, due in part to its simplicity and to its focus on some reliable training fundamentals — big exercises and heavy weights. Here’s a closer look at some of this program’s hallowed backstory.

Reg Park Built the Austrian Oak

Arnold Schwarzenegger might have the physique that launched a million gym memberships, but what about the bodybuilder who was Arnold’s biggest inspiration? Surely, the person who motivated the person who motivated generations of people to hit the gym should get some recognition.

Reg Park is the classic bodybuilder who inspired a young Arnold to reach for the muscle-building stars. Park won several bodybuilding competitions from the mid-1940s into the 1970s, including three Mr. Universe titles. Park also gained a degree of mainstream popularity starring as the legendary Hercules in several films in the early 1960s.

Park’s powerful, well-muscled frame was a step up from the top bodybuilders of the day. His strength-focused training reflected his ability to “show and go” and it allowed him to become the first bodybuilder to bench press 500 pounds. This contrasted with his bodybuilding contemporaries who often focused on lifting moderate to light weights for relatively high repetitions.

Like some successful bodybuilders of his era, Park published a series of training catalogs and programs to guide hopeful gym-goers along the muscle-building path. One of his books, “Strength and Bulk Training for Weight Lifters and Body Builders,” was published in 1960. This appears to be one of the first widespread recommendation of a structured 5×5 workout, even though using five sets of five reps featured in some parts of “Training for Power,” written by Park in 1954.

In “Strength and Bulk Training for Weight Lifters and Body Builders,” Park advocated for three workouts each week. In each session, three fundamental exercises — the squat, bench press, and deadlift — are performed for five sets of five repetitions. Every training session featured a relatively minimalist approach:

  • Weighted Back Extension — 3 x 10
  • Squat — 5 x 5
  • Bench Press — 5 x 5
  • Deadlift — 5 x 5

The back extension was considered essential for strengthening and warming up the lower back. Park recommended a specific approach to each of the five sets. The first two sets were progressively heavier warm-up sets, for example, 135 pounds for five reps and 155 pounds for five reps. The three final sets for each exercise used the same weight, for example, 175 pounds for three sets of five reps.

Park also advised a whopping three to five-minute rest between each of those three working sets. This may sound like an eternity for lifters accustomed to fast-paced workouts, but such long rest intervals have been shown to allow optimal performance when lifting heavy weights. (1)

Park suggested following the basic 5×5 workout plan for three months before progressing to either a “bodybuilder’s workout,” featuring additional exercises like calf raises and barbell curls, or a “weightlifter’s workout” which incorporated lunges, power cleans and other sport-specific movements.

Bill Starr: The Strongest Shall Survive

There used to be a widespread myth among mainstream sports that “lifting weights creates unathletic, muscle-bound bodies.” While we now know that well-designed weight training programs can build stronger, faster, more durable athletes, many professional athletes and coaches used to believe this urban legend whole-heartedly. Until Bill Starr.

Bill Starr was a competitive weightlifter, editor of Strength and Health magazine from 1966 to 1972, and one of the first NFL strength and conditioning coaches as he worked with the Baltimore Colts beginning in 1969. Notably, the Colts won their first  Super Bowl in 1971 while under the guidance of Starr’s weight room coaching, landing a significant blow against the “muscle-bound myth.”

Starr was also an advocate of simple and effective basic, heavy lifting. In 1976, he wrote “The Strongest Shall Survive: Strength Training for Football.” The plan laid out a three-day-per week training plan centered around what Starr referred to as “The Big Three” — three exercises which build muscle, strength, and explosive power throughout the entire body.

These priority exercises were the bench press done with a relatively close-grip (hands shoulder-width apart), the power clean (which he called “the athlete’s exercise” for it’s practical carryover to the playing field), and the back squat descending as deep into the bottom position as possible.

The program also incorporated leg extensions and leg curls to warm-up the quadriceps and hamstrings, respectively, as well as sit-ups and leg raises to address core strength. These exercises were done with fewer sets and higher repetitions to avoid excess fatigue. Once a week, the overhead press was also suggested in place of the bench press for athletes looking for even more upper body strength and power.

One cornerstone of Starr’s 5×5 program was a circuit-style approach, where each of the three primary exercises were performed in a superset-style — one set of power cleans, followed by one set of the bench press, followed by one set of squats. This was intended to help build cardiovascular conditioning along with strength and power.

Starr, unlike Park, increased the weight on each of the five sets for every exercise. He also incorporated varied loading parameters on each day. While the 5×5 format was kept constant, the first workout of the week was “heavy” using near-maximal weights. The second workout was “light,” using 80% of the weights moved in the previous workout. The third workout of the week was considered “medium” and called for 90% of the loads used during the heavy workout.

This type of “daily undulating periodization” allowed more efficient recovery because training intensity was adjusted throughout the week. It also encouraged increased power output since relatively lighter weights can be lifted with more explosive power. (2)

How to Program the 5×5 Workout

Setting up a 5×5 workout can be simple, but it’s not quite as simple as just performing five sets of five reps on a few random exercises. While the sets and reps are one defining feature, an effective 5×5 plan also requires several other programming factors.

The Sets and Reps: 5×5

Just like you can’t do a kettlebell swing without a kettlebell, you can’t do a 5×5 workout without focusing on five sets of five. Whether it’s five progressively heavier sets, like Starr’s approach, or multiple sets with the same weight like Park recommended, aim for five total sets per exercise.

Use a load that achieves muscular fatigue within four to six repetitions while performing no more than five repetitions per set. If a load only allows you to complete only four reps before reaching muscular failure or compromising exercise technique, repeat the weight the following week. Basic strength adaptations should allow you to reach the five-rep mark.

Long-haired person in gym squatting with barbell

Credit: Denis Kornilov / Shutterstock

Any training with higher rep ranges should be kept to a bare minimum to maintain focus on the 5×5 portion of the workout. Limit additional sets/reps to one or two exercises per workout, at most.

Those exercises should either be single-joint movements such as curls or lateral raises or they should be less strenuous movements like dumbbell rows or split squats. These strategic choices will keep physical and CNS (central nervous system) stress to a relative minimum, allowing overall recovery.

Or, as Park showed the world, you can certainly perform only 5×5 movements in every workout without supplementing higher repetitions. This keeps the program rooted in its primary focus — emphasizing hard work by going “all in” for five sets of five repetitions.

Five-rep sets allow a heavy enough weight to trigger significant strength gains without the high degree of neuromuscular fatigue that can accompany one, two, or three-rep maximums. Performing five sets per movement allows the involved muscles to be put under significant total volume, which is necessary to stimulate muscle growth.

Three Full-Body Workouts Per Week

The nature of 5×5 workouts requires a single exercise per body part. Performing 5×5 for multiple exercises per body part — for example, training several bench press variations for 5×5 in each workout — would likely lead to overtraining by moving too much weight for too much volume with too few muscle groups.

Using multiple exercises per body part per session would also not allow an efficient weekly workout split since only one or two body parts could be trained in each workout. Because the 5×5 is the core programming concept, the workout forgoes multiple exercises per body part. Because a single exercise per body part is used in each session, more muscles can be trained in a given workout.

This is why a full-body approach is the only effective and efficient way to plan a 5×5 workout. Centering the training routine around three weekly full-body sessions, also creates “built-in” rest days to allow muscular growth and recovery. Three workouts mandates four non-training days.

Repeating these types of full-body workouts several times per week also allows a high frequency of training, which has been shown to be more beneficial for strength gains than training once per week. (3)

Multi-Joint Barbell Exercises

Multi-joint (compound) barbell exercises are the preferred movements to accommodate relatively heavy sets of five. This is a matter of efficiency, practicality (barbells are much simpler to load heavy weight), and safety.

Dumbbell exercises can become dangerously unwieldy when using very heavy weights due to the stabilizing muscles needed to control each individual dumbbell. Heavy bodyweight exercises, similarly, can overload stabilizing muscles before the target body part is sufficiently worked.

Focusing on multi-joint exercises, like squats, deadlifts, and presses rather than single-joint exercises like curls or extensions allows you to recruit more muscles with each lift. This creates greater training efficiency while also allowing you to move more overall weight.

In each workout, include a squat, a press (either overhead or a bench press variation), and a “pull” whether it’s a type of deadlift or something that more directly recruits your back muscles like a barbell row.

Person in gym holding barbell preparing to exercise

Credit: Dusan Petkovic / Shutterstock

This will ensure relatively balanced training of both your upper and lower body as well as your “pushing muscles” (chest, shoulders, and triceps) and your “pulling muscles” (back and biceps). With proper exercise selection, your core will likely receive sufficient stimulation without needing direct training.

Benefits of the 5×5 Workout

The 5×5 workout would’ve faded into obscurity decades ago if it didn’t deliver genuine physical benefits. The reason it’s continued to be a staple program for generations is because it can reliably add muscle and power onto nearly any lifter.

Muscular Size

Whether you’re looking to be built like a powerhouse linebacker, a well-muscled bodybuilder, or something in between, the 5×5 workout can be a top choice. The calorie surplus needed to recover from high frequency, heavy lifting coincides with the type of calorie intake needed to support muscle growth.

In fact, one of the surest ways to short-change your results with the 5×5 program is to not provide insufficient fuel for growth and recovery. One common mistake some lifters make is to try “eating for fat loss” with a calorie deficit while using a 5×5 training routine.

Without ample calories and enough high-quality protein, you run the risk of wasted time and energy, and potential overtraining.

Total-Body Strength

Performing big barbell exercises with heavy weights for relatively low repetitions is a spot-on approach to building raw strength. Using a limited number of exercises in each workout allow you to focus your training intensity on the most efficient movements.

Performing a relatively limited number of sets and repetitions keeps your workouts focused on classic hard and heavy lifting which also yields focused results.

muscular man pressing barbell overhead

Credit: Gorodenkoff / Shutterstock

One worthwhile “side effect” of  the 5×5 workout is that high-frequency exposure to the same exercises can help ingrain proper lifting technique. Improved technique can carry over to better long-term gains, greater training efficiency, and potentially lower the risk of injury.

Drawbacks of the 5×5 Workout

While the 5×5 program has several clear benefits, there are also a few opposing points to consider. Any training routine will have its own list of pros and cons; being around for several decades doesn’t give the 5×5 workout a free pass.

Limited Muscular Development

Even though the multi-joint barbell exercises do recruit a number of muscles during each workout, certain body parts will likely remain somewhat undertrained due to specific exercise choice or an individual’s unique limb lengths.

For example, performing the bench press as the primary upper body pushing exercise may leave your triceps and shoulders less-than-fully stimulated depending on your arm length and specific grip width. Performing the deadlift will work portions of your hamstrings, but won’t efficiently train the “leg flexion” aspect of hamstring function which can be achieved through leg curls.

Relatively smaller body parts like the upper back, shoulders, triceps, biceps, and calves receive some activation as supporting muscle groups but aren’t directly trained with a classic 5×5 workout.

This is one reason why the program is well-suited for beginner lifters looking to establish a general base of muscular size and strength — they don’t yet have any significant weaknesses or discrepancies. Experienced lifters sometimes require more precise training to target key developmental weaknesses, which are not effectively addressed by a 5×5 plan.

Limited Cardiovascular Development

With its focus on heavy barbell lifting, and recovering from heavy barbell lifting, the 5×5 workout doesn’t leave any real room for significant cardiovascular training. Research has shown that aerobic training (like running on a treadmill or long-distance biking) can negatively impact explosive strength and power, and may interfere with overall strength and muscle gains. (4)

long-haired person in gym straining lifting weights

Credit: Jacob Lund / Shutterstock

Just like the 5×5 workout isn’t compatible with a calorie deficit, it’s also not applicable for those with cardio-based goals such as distance running and many general sports. The key exception would be to specifically program 5×5 in the offseason when cardio training can be a lesser priority in the short-term.

Starr did find an effective shortcut around this obstacle by training in a superset or circuit style. If maintaining some semblance of cardio fitness is a secondary goal, consider planning your 5×5 workout similarly. That’s an effective compromise, presuming you have the available equipment to use three barbells in quick succession — a scenario not likely in many commercial gyms, but quite possible in a home gym.

Potential Joint Issues

Training exclusively with barbells can be highly effective, unless you have pre-existing joint issues that preclude you from performing many barbell exercises. This can often be related to general mobility issues — being unable to safely perform a given exercise — or damage from pattern overuse — the results of performing a given exercise repeatedly over the years.

Creative exercise selection could be a temporary solution in some cases, for example, choosing a push press instead of a strict overhead press. However, for long-term joint health and overall progress, a more conservative approach is often to avoid problematic exercises (and implements, like the barbell) altogether.

Sample 5×5 Workout Program

Train three days per week, with at least one day of rest between each session. If you’re hitting the 5×5 exercises as hard as you should be, you’ll quickly appreciate having a day of rest after each workout and a day to mentally and physically prepare before each session.

Each workout includes a relatively limited “accessory” movement at the end of each workout to tack on some additional work for the chest, triceps, back, biceps, and hamstrings. If you’re feeling excessively fatigued on a given day, the final exercise is entirely optional. What’s important, however, is to not add even more exercises or volume to the training plan.

Feel free to experiment (for weeks at a time, not a few workouts at a time), varying between Park’s “three sets with the same weight” approach as well as Starr’s method of increasing the weight on every set.

Man holding barbell on chest performing bench press

Credit: MDV Edwards / Shutterstock

You might find that you get into a “groove” by repeating the same weight for multiple sets or you could benefit from the dialed-in focus of gradually building up to one very heavy set per exercise. In either case, when you’re able to successfully perform five reps on your fifth set, increase the weight on all sets.

Beginner lifters would be better served repeating roughly the same weight for each workout, increasing whenever the final set reaches five repetitions. More experienced lifters will likely benefit from Starr’s “heavy, light, medium” — the first workout of the week sets the standard, the second workout is programmed with 75 to 80% of the weights, and the third workout uses 85 to 90% of the first workout’s loads. Any required mathematics will payoff with improved recovery between sessions and more powerful performance during training.

Monday

Trap Bar Deadlift — 5 x 5

Overhead Press — 5 x 5

Front Squat — 5 x 5

Dips — 3 x 8-12

Wednesday

Trap Bar Deadlift — 5 x 5

Overhead Press — 5 x 5

Front Squat — 5 x 5

Chin-up — 3 x 8-12

Saturday

Trap Bar Deadlift — 5 x 5

Overhead Press — 5 x 5

Front Squat — 5 x 5

Romanian Deadlift — 3 x 8-12

Simple, Effective, Timeless Training

Like many recipes in the culinary world, great strength training programs don’t need to be overly complicated to deliver an optimal end result. Mastering the basics — whether it’s the perfect omelet or simple, heavy barbell training — builds an effective foundation for beginners. This pared down program can also be a reliable fallback for experienced lifters, under the right conditions, who need a short-term, general purpose plan to refresh their size and strength gains.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use non-barbell exercises for 5×5?

The primary concept of the program is to use one big compound lift per body part, limiting the session to three key exercises per session. The exercises must be able to be safely and efficiently loaded to a four-to-six rep maximum, while recruiting as many muscle groups as possible.
Many barbell exercises meet this criteria. However, the case could also be made, for example, to use the trap bar deadlift (as seen in the sample workout above) or the leg press. Certain machine exercises, like a machine chest press, T-bar row, or Smith machine squat, likely cannot be safely performed with the necessary load.
Use your judgment but, when in doubt, try to maintain the focus on barbell lifts. There are plenty of variations of basic movement patterns (squats, deadlifts, and presses) and you likely don’t “need” to stray too far off-course.

Can I use 5×5 with barbell isolation exercises or single-leg exercises?

No. Any type of five-rep isolation (single-joint) exercise, like a heavy barbell curl, triceps extension, or calf raise, gets further from the primary focus of the 5×5 workout — recruiting as many muscle groups as possible per exercise. Unless you’re interested in doing cheat curls (which can be high risk and low reward) to recruit your back and hips into the movement, it’s best to avoid programming isolation movements for 5×5.
Single-leg exercises, like the split squat, or single-arm exercises, like dumbbell rows, will limit the weight you can use relative to a two-leg or two-arm barbell exercise. The added time and energy needed to train both sides will also increase overall fatigue.
Unilateral (single-leg/single-arm) exercises also increase overall stress on your core musculature, especially when moving heavier weights. This can further reduce focus on the target muscle.

References

  1. de Salles, B. F., Simão, R., Miranda, F., Novaes, J.daS., Lemos, A., & Willardson, J. M. (2009). Rest interval between sets in strength training. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 39(9), 765–777. https://doi.org/10.2165/11315230-000000000-00000
  2. Rhea, M. R., Ball, S. D., Phillips, W. T., & Burkett, L. N. (2002). A comparison of linear and daily undulating periodized programs with equated volume and intensity for strength. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 16(2), 250–255.
  3. Grgic, J., Schoenfeld, B. J., Davies, T. B., Lazinica, B., Krieger, J. W., & Pedisic, Z. (2018). Effect of Resistance Training Frequency on Gains in Muscular Strength: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 48(5), 1207–1220. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-018-0872-x
  4. Schumann, M., Feuerbacher, J. F., Sünkeler, M., Freitag, N., Rønnestad, B. R., Doma, K., & Lundberg, T. R. (2022). Compatibility of Concurrent Aerobic and Strength Training for Skeletal Muscle Size and Function: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.)52(3), 601–612. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-021-01587-7

Featured Image: Jacob Lund / Shutterstock

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June 21, 2023

11 Recovery Tips for Over-40 Lifters

Filed under: Fitness,Training — Tags: , , , — admin @ 3:20 am

The closer a car gets to having six-figure mileage, the more important basic care and maintenance becomes. Our bodies are, unfortunately, pretty much the same — even more so for those of us who lift weights regularly.

Most of us understand that it’s a bad idea to roll back the car’s odometer and pretend everything’s still in perfect working order. What we sometimes have trouble admitting is that being “middle-aged” means it’s time to take inventory of which of our own parts are no longer in factory-fresh condition.

Long-haired person in gym doing kettlebell shoulder press

Credit: Ground Picture / Shutterstock

Nobody’s saying you need to give up the gym. The opposite, really. You need to keep training, but you also need to support that training with some tips, tricks, and hacks that will boost a recovery ability that just isn’t as quick as it used to be. Here’s where to start.

Recovery Tips for Over-40 Lifters

Training Tips for Recovery

You shouldn’t necessarily revamp your entire training program, but adjusting a few variables can definitely crank up your recovery. Better recovery means better performance when you train, since you’re going into each workout feeling fresher.

Improved recovery also means better results, since your body is better able to respond to the training stimulus and adapt by adding strength and muscle.

Rethink the “Need” for Muscular Failure

Grinding out a set until the bar doesn’t move an inch can be an intense highlight of any workout. However, hitting muscular failure comes with a physical price.

Reaching muscular failure also prolongs post-workout muscular fatigue, as well as neuromuscular fatigue. (1) When you dial up the intensity to that level, your body will demand a similar level of recovery.

Research has repeatedly shown that stopping sets before reaching failure can trigger the same degree of strength gains and muscle growth with a lower degree of cortisol (an inflammatory stress hormone), compared to taking sets to failure. (2)(3)(4)

grey-haired man performing dumbbell chest press exercise

Credit: Slava Dumchev / Shutterstock

Leaving a rep or two “in the tank” on each set might feel counterintuitive, especially if you’ve been training to failure ever since Frank the Tank tried to go streaking through the quad. If you can get over the mental hurdle, put yourself through a not-to-failure experiment for a few weeks and see if you notice the same results with less joint stress.

Volume vs. Intensity vs. Frequency

Every training plan has three fundamental components. The first is training volume — the sets and reps or how much you do in a workout. The second is training intensity — how close to muscular failure each set is performed or how hard you’re training. And the third is training frequency — how many times per week you train a given exercise or body part, or how often you train.

Manipulating those three factors will influence your training program and they will also determine how much general recovery you need. You can’t go full throttle on all three — doing a ton of very high intensity sets every day of the week — or you’ll burnout.

You can, at best, put the pedal down on just one at a time. It’s sometimes possible to increase two of those factors at the same time, but it needs to be used as a short-term approach to avoid overtraining.

For example, grease the groove training is highly effective because it relies on high frequency, low intensity, and low volume. Trying to train with high frequency and high intensity, such as heavy squatting every day, would require low volume (using 1-3 sets of 1-3 reps). And even then, it’s best-suited for a four to six week specialization phase rather than a prolonged, multi-month routine.

Take a look at your current training plan. Make sure you’re not pulling yourself in three directions at once. You can either train a lot or you can train super-hard or you can train very often. You can’t, sustainably, do all three at once.

Soreness Doesn’t Mean a Workout Worked

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is that all-too-familiar muscular twinge that can rear its head a day or two after a hard training session. You often notice DOMS while doing something innocuous like lifting a leg into your pants or brushing your teeth.

That’s when those formerly targeted muscles enthusiastically speak up like the lost kids from “Beyond Thunderdome.” “‘Member this? Triceps from pushdowns. ‘Member this? Quads from leg press. ‘Member this? Abs!”

Some hardcore lifters actually take a sigh of relief when DOMS kicks in because they’ve accepted the old ‘no pain, no gain’ mantra as gospel. These gluttons for punishment almost demand to feel sore after a workout. Unfortunately for them, DOMS is not a necessary evil.

Research has shown no reliable connection between feeling post-workout muscle soreness and the productivity of a workout. (5) Not only can productive workouts sometimes deliver no muscle soreness but, more importantly, non-productive workouts can often lead to soreness.

Gray-haired person in gym holding leg in pain

Credit: wavebreakmedia / Shutterstock

Certain types of training and certain exercises — particularly using slow eccentric (stretching) phases and exercises with a deep stretch component — are shown to trigger more soreness than other training methods. Some people may actually be genetically predisposed to feel more soreness, regardless of their training. (6)

So if you’re regularly performing movements like incline curls, dumbbell flyes, or deep squats, you can expect to be sore whether or not your workout was productive overall.  While muscle tissue damage — the kind of damage which causes DOMS — can be one component of the growth stimulus, it’s not the only way to trigger muscle growth. (7)

Track your results objectively, whether it’s with a logbook or tape measure. More importantly, treat DOMS with less regard than more reliable, definable progress markers.

Mandatory Mobility

Most lifters in the gym like to do just that — lift weights. Hopping on a treadmill is often a low priority, while stretching or mobility drills are usually an even lower priority. But that type of narrow focus leaves gaps in your physical development by neglecting flexibility and joint mobility. It also misses an opportunity for restorative exercise, using the mobility session as a way to reduce any lingering aches and pains. (8)

Just like you change your car tires every 60,000 miles, or sooner depending on how much you use them, consider putting yourself through a mobility session every 48 hours… or sooner depending on how much you do.

You don’t need to feel overwhelmed when finding a mobility routine. You can see and feel benefits by emphasizing bang-for-the-buck movements that focus on your upper back (thoracic spine) and hips. Those are two zones that are notorious for causing issues — shoulder twinges, pinched traps, lower back pain, tight hips, etc.

“The world’s greatest stretch” is a good place to start. Because, really, if most personal trainers on the planet agree to label something “the world’s greatest,” it’s at least worth trying. You’d probably want to try the world’s greatest burger and you’ll likely enjoy a movie starring the world’s greatest actor. This is the same idea, only with a full-body mobility drill.

Perform two to five repetitions per side, after a general warm-up but before any weight training. This is a great way to target nearly every joint in your body, along with the majority of muscle groups. The cat/camel (sometimes called the cat/cow) is another relatively simple and very effective way to target your upper back and hips in just a few repetitions.

If you truly can’t bring yourself to do these yoga-looking movements, grab a very light dumbbell and do the Turkish get-up for two sets of two reps per side before each workout. That should appease any desire to “just lift weights” while still working on mobility from head to toe.

Nutrition Tips for Recovery

Just like an army marches on its stomach, a lifter gains with their stomach. Hopefully that’s with their stomach, and not on their stomach. Underestimating the importance of nutrition is probably the most common and most easily fixable mistake many people make.

A workout in the gym takes an hour or so, but nutrition is something that requires 12 to 16 hours of your attention every day — whether it’s knowing what to eat, what not to eat, or when to eat. With a few simple adjustments to your current diet plan, you can make sure you’re recovering from whatever you put yourself through in the gym.

Focus on Daily Protein Intake

Muscle protein synthesis — the rate at which your muscles repair and rebuild — is arguably the most important physiological factor when it comes to actually building muscle. (9) While hard training increases your body’s demand for muscle protein synthesis, you can support the process by, you guessed it, ample protein intake.

Protein-rich foods including meat, poultry, and dairy contain the amino acids your body “puts to work” building new muscle tissue. Without enough of this literal building block, you’ll be left spinning your wheels.

Aiming for roughly .75 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight has been shown to be an effective guideline. (10) For the sake of simpler mathematics, there’s no harm in rounding up. The time-tested call for “one gram per pound of bodyweight” has been a reliable, if sometimes hard to hit, target.

To reach this daily goal, plan on a generally equal split throughout the course of the day. While not necessarily inefficient or ineffective, overloading your protein into a single meal and filling in with additional protein-sparse meals can be impractical, and likely indigestible.

Every time you eat, be sure to have a serving of high-quality protein. Ideal sources are animal-based products including meat, eggs, poultry, fish, or dairy. Protein shakes can also be a convenient way to get a significant serving of protein quickly and relatively easily, especially for those with busy schedules who can’t necessarily cook, prepare, or pack three or more meals every day.

Have Your Workout Shake

Protein shakes aren’t necessary to see results, they can be incredibly useful under the right conditions. Just like barbells aren’t necessary to see results, but they, too, are incredibly useful under the right conditions.

When you train hard, you deplete your body’s glycogen stores and begin muscle breakdown. A workout shake containing protein and carbohydrates is an easy step toward kickstarting recovery as soon as possible.

Whether you grab a whey protein smoothie from your gym, mix up a shake in your own “blender bottle” on the way to the car, or walk from your garage gym into the kitchen for a legit high-protein blender bomb, it’s critical that you get quality nutrition into your body ASAP.

Person drinking protein shake outdoors

Credit: Miljan Zivkovic / Shutterstock

Research has repeatedly shown recovery benefits of a carb-protein mix shortly after, or sometimes before, training. (11)(12) Even something as simple as a large glass of chocolate milk, which is loaded with high-quality protein, has been shown to be beneficial. (13)

In terms of practicality and efficiency, workout shakes have a leg up on solid foods, both in terms of easier digestion and simplicity. Not too many people want to go to town on a Tupperware full of chicken breast and rice in the locker room or in their car, but a protein and carb shake couldn’t be much easier.

Supplement Wisely

It’s the 21st century. Sport supplements have come a long way from desiccated liver tablets and overhyped, underdosed nonsense (even though, unfortunately, you can still find both of those being sold today).

To maximize recovery between training sessions, consider strategic supplementation with science-backed ingredients. As a gray-haired lifter, that means nutrients like collagen for the joints (plus some nice skin and hair benefits) and creatine which has been shown to benefit everything from strength and recovery to brain health. (14)(15)

Staples like vitamin D and fish oil should also be on your radar for consideration, as both have been shown to have myriad benefits for overall health.(16)(17) Improving your recovery from weight training is one thing; improving your overall health is another, arguably more foundational, priority.

Some lifters become begrudgingly set in their ways, seeming to flaunt a sense of misguided superiority over not taking any supplements. “Those helpers? Oh, I don’t use those.” Ultimately, that approach only shoots yourself in the foot by deliberately overlooking a verifiably beneficial addition to your nutrition plan.

In the training world, you don’t win bonus points for making things unnecessarily difficult for yourself. Electricity has been around for more than 150 years and, odds are, you turn the lights on in your gym. It’s okay to rely on modern sports science for research-based supplements that can improve your health, recovery, and results.

Lifestyle Tips for Recovery

The things you lift and the things you eat are still only part of the recovery picture. There are a few additional steps you can implement into your regular routine that can boost overall progress.

Sleep: Quality Over Quantity

It’s easy for researchers to recommend “sleeping at least eight hours per day.” What’s not easy is to actually follow-through on that advice when you’ve got overtime at work, kids to put to bed (or kids to expect home by curfew), late-night arguments with your partner about paying the bills, and a dozen other factors weighing on your mind.

The data is fairly conclusive. Getting seven or more hours of mostly uninterrupted sleep each night can help with strength, muscle mass, recovery, overall health, hormone production, and a number of other health markers. (18)(19)

Unfortunately, that data only goes so far when it’s 1:26 a.m. and you’re staring at the ceiling because your brain wants to remember the name of the Lone Ranger’s nephew’s horse. (It was Victor).

Rather than overfocusing on how many hours you sleep each night, even though it’s irrefutably important, you can focus on steps to improve your sleep quality, sometimes called “sleep hygiene.” This includes things like creating a dark room by covering any windows with blackout curtains, considering effective non-prescription sleep aids like ZMA (zinc-magnesium) or melatonin, cutting off caffeine by mid-afternoon, using white noise like a fan, and making your bedroom relatively cool.

Muscular person in bed asleep

Credit: Dario Lo Presti / Shutterstock

One final sleep hygiene tip, and likely the most challenging for some, is avoiding electronics for at least one hour before bed. (20) No scrolling on the phone, no reading on the tablet, nothing that creates “blue light” — a particular wavelength of light that essentially tells your brain, “It’s daytime, so don’t go to sleep yet.”

While you may not have total control over your sleeping hours, you can set yourself up for sleeping success by practicing good hygiene.

Learn to Love Contrast Showers

Speaking of hygiene, you (hopefully) shower off after a hard workout. If so, you’re perfectly set up for a relatively low effort technique that can reduce muscle soreness, improve overall recovery, and maybe even boost your immune system. (21)(22)(23)

Alternating hot water with cold water during a standard shower has been shown to provide all of those benefits — reduced muscle soreness, improved post-workout recovery, decreased perception of fatigue, and more.

You don’t need to alternate between Johnny Storm and Jack Torrance, but switch between a noticeably hotter than normal temperature (within a safe and tolerable range) and a distinctly colder than normal temperature. Do your best to maintain a normal, or deeper than normal, breathing pattern.

Hold each temperature for at least 30 seconds, or 15 to 20 slow, deep breaths. Ideally aim for approximately 90 seconds, or roughly 50 slow, deep breaths and eventually work up to three or four “rounds” at each temperature. It can definitely take some getting used to, but you’re likely to notice the fatigue-reducing benefits almost immediately.

Active Recovery Sessions

This potential solution might technically be better suited for this article’s “Training” section, except for the fact that, if it’s done right, it’s not actually training. Active recovery is a general term for sub-maximal exercise performed on “rest days” that can stimulate overall recovery rather than tapping into the body’s already taxed energy supply. (24)

gray-haired person walking up stairs outdoors

Credit: Krakenimages.com / Shutterstock

Active recovery could be taking a 30-minute walk, playing nine holes of golf, doing an online yoga class, or performing a light weight, low volume, low intensity workout. Just be careful with that last one.

Any type of weight training must be low intensity and relatively low volume in order to stimulate recovery. If you think you’ll have trouble reeling it in, either don’t tempt yourself or stick with only bodyweight exercises. For the majority of experienced lifters, basic bodyweight training will be relatively low intensity as long as you avoid reaching failure. So go ahead and knock out some push-ups and lunges.

Active recovery is different from passive recovery because you’ve reframed a “rest day” as a “recovery day.” If you can boost your overall recovery, increase blood flow, and improve mobility by doing something, instead of doing nothing, seize the opportunity.

Get to the Doctor

This is likely the least popular piece of advice in the list. You’re probably overdue for a doctor’s checkup. If you’re not, excellent. Stay on schedule. But the reality is, when you’re over 40, the yearly check-in with your primary is a bare minimum.

Find a reputable cardiologist to keep tabs on your ticker. Possibly look into a qualified endocrinologist, since men’s and women’s hormones are naturally decreasing by this age, whether it’s the start of andropause or menopause.

Monitoring basic bloodwork and cardiovascular health will help you set up an appropriate training and nutrition plan. More relevant to lifters, it’s time to finally diagnose any problematic joint pain that you’ve been “tolerating” for far too long.

Whether it’s a chronic shoulder issue, cranky knee, or troublesome ankle, it’s time to have it looked at by an expert and treated properly  — even if it means a few weeks of physical therapy and a temporarily altered gym routine.

Putting out these smoldering fires before they become raging infernos is just good long-term planning, and you do want to keep lifting for the long-term, right?

“Act Your Age” Isn’t an Insult

You can dye the hair, Botox away the wrinkles, and take any other cosmetic steps to try not looking over-40. Your body still knows how long it’s been around and it’ll remind you when you train, and after you train. The sooner you start treating your body with the respect it deserves (or maybe even a little more than you think it deserves), the sooner you can align all your systems toward getting serious results while avoiding unnecessary, self-inflicted obstacles.

References

  1. Refalo, M.C., Helms, E.R., Hamilton, D.L. et al. Influence of Resistance Training Proximity-to-Failure, Determined by Repetitions-in-Reserve, on Neuromuscular Fatigue in Resistance-Trained Males and Females. Sports Med – Open 9, 10 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-023-00554-y
  2. Grgic, J., Schoenfeld, B. J., Orazem, J., & Sabol, F. (2022). Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of sport and health science, 11(2), 202–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jshs.2021.01.007
  3. Izquierdo, M., Ibañez, J., González-Badillo, J. J., Häkkinen, K., Ratamess, N. A., Kraemer, W. J., French, D. N., Eslava, J., Altadill, A., Asiain, X., & Gorostiaga, E. M. (2006). Differential effects of strength training leading to failure versus not to failure on hormonal responses, strength, and muscle power gains. Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985), 100(5), 1647–1656. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.01400.2005
  4. Davies, T., Orr, R., Halaki, M., & Hackett, D. (2016). Effect of Training Leading to Repetition Failure on Muscular Strength: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 46(4), 487–502. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-015-0451-3
  5. Flann, K. L., LaStayo, P. C., McClain, D. A., Hazel, M., & Lindstedt, S. L. (2011). Muscle damage and muscle remodeling: no pain, no gain?. The Journal of experimental biology, 214(Pt 4), 674–679. https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.050112
  6. Hubal, M. J., Devaney, J. M., Hoffman, E. P., Zambraski, E. J., Gordish-Dressman, H., Kearns, A. K., Larkin, J. S., Adham, K., Patel, R. R., & Clarkson, P. M. (2010). CCL2 and CCR2 polymorphisms are associated with markers of exercise-induced skeletal muscle damage. Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985), 108(6), 1651–1658. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00361.2009
  7. Damas, F., Libardi, C. A., & Ugrinowitsch, C. (2018). The development of skeletal muscle hypertrophy through resistance training: the role of muscle damage and muscle protein synthesis. European journal of applied physiology, 118(3), 485–500. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-017-3792-9
  8. Page P. (2012). Current concepts in muscle stretching for exercise and rehabilitation. International journal of sports physical therapy, 7(1), 109–119.
  9. Witard, O. C., Bannock, L., & Tipton, K. D. (2022). Making Sense of Muscle Protein Synthesis: A Focus on Muscle Growth During Resistance Training. International journal of sport nutrition and exercise metabolism, 32(1), 49–61. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.2021-0139
  10. Morton, R. W., Murphy, K. T., McKellar, S. R., Schoenfeld, B. J., Henselmans, M., Helms, E., Aragon, A. A., Devries, M. C., Banfield, L., Krieger, J. W., & Phillips, S. M. (2018). A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. British journal of sports medicine, 52(6), 376–384. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2017-097608
  11. Goldstein, E. R., Stout, J. R., Wells, A. J., Antonio, J., Vasenina, E., & Fukuda, D. H. (2023). Carbohydrate-Protein drink is effective for restoring endurance capacity in masters class athletes after a two-Hour recovery. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 20(1), 2178858. https://doi.org/10.1080/15502783.2023.2178858
  12. Pasiakos, S. M., McLellan, T. M., & Lieberman, H. R. (2015). The effects of protein supplements on muscle mass, strength, and aerobic and anaerobic power in healthy adults: a systematic review. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 45(1), 111–131. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-014-0242-2
  13. Amiri, M., Ghiasvand, R., Kaviani, M. et al. Chocolate milk for recovery from exercise: a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled clinical trials. Eur J Clin Nutr 73, 835–849 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-018-0187-x
  14. Zdzieblik, D., Oesser, S., Baumstark, M. W., Gollhofer, A., & König, D. (2015). Collagen peptide supplementation in combination with resistance training improves body composition and increases muscle strength in elderly sarcopenic men: a randomised controlled trial. The British journal of nutrition, 114(8), 1237–1245. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114515002810
  15. Kreider, R. B., Kalman, D. S., Antonio, J., Ziegenfuss, T. N., Wildman, R., Collins, R., Candow, D. G., Kleiner, S. M., Almada, A. L., & Lopez, H. L. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14, 18. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z
  16. Zhang Y, Fang F, Tang J, Jia L, Feng Y, Xu P et al. Association between vitamin D supplementation and mortality: systematic review and meta-analysis BMJ 2019; 366 :l4673 doi:10.1136/bmj.l4673
  17. Ghasemi Fard, S., Wang, F., Sinclair, A. J., Elliott, G., & Turchini, G. M. (2019). How does high DHA fish oil affect health? A systematic review of evidence. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition, 59(11), 1684–1727. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2018.1425978
  18. Knowles, O. E., Drinkwater, E. J., Urwin, C. S., Lamon, S., & Aisbett, B. (2018). Inadequate sleep and muscle strength: Implications for resistance training. Journal of science and medicine in sport, 21(9), 959–968. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2018.01.012
  19. Auyeung, T. W., Kwok, T., Leung, J., Lee, J. S., Ohlsson, C., Vandenput, L., Wing, Y. K., & Woo, J. (2015). Sleep Duration and Disturbances Were Associated With Testosterone Level, Muscle Mass, and Muscle Strength–A Cross-Sectional Study in 1274 Older Men. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 16(7), 630.e1–630.e6306. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2015.04.006
  20. Tähkämö, L., Partonen, T., & Pesonen, A. K. (2019). Systematic review of light exposure impact on human circadian rhythm. Chronobiology international, 36(2), 151–170. https://doi.org/10.1080/07420528.2018.1527773
  21. Vaile, J. M., Gill, N. D., & Blazevich, A. J. (2007). The effect of contrast water therapy on symptoms of delayed onset muscle soreness. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 21(3), 697–702. https://doi.org/10.1519/R-19355.1
  22. Bieuzen, F., Bleakley, C. M., & Costello, J. T. (2013). Contrast water therapy and exercise induced muscle damage: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PloS one, 8(4), e62356. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0062356
  23. Buijze, G. A., Sierevelt, I. N., van der Heijden, B. C., Dijkgraaf, M. G., & Frings-Dresen, M. H. (2016). The Effect of Cold Showering on Health and Work: A Randomized Controlled Trial. PloS one, 11(9), e0161749. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0161749
  24. Ortiz, R. O., Jr, Sinclair Elder, A. J., Elder, C. L., & Dawes, J. J. (2019). A Systematic Review on the Effectiveness of Active Recovery Interventions on Athletic Performance of Professional-, Collegiate-, and Competitive-Level Adult Athletes. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 33(8), 2275–2287. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000002589

Featured Image: Olena Yakobchuk / Shutterstock

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June 18, 2023

Incline Bench Press vs. Flat Bench Press: Rethink Your Go-To Chest Press

Filed under: Fitness,Training — Tags: , , , — admin @ 1:17 am

If you hit up your local commercial gym on any given Monday evening, you’ll see that chest training is one of the most popular workouts for many lifters. Two classic lifts regularly used in this high-priority session are the time-tested flat bench press and its close cousin the incline bench press.

Whether it’s right or wrong, when most people think about “chest muscle” or “upper body training”, they think about the bench press. And when they’re ready for some variety, forget about dumbbell benching. They’ll often stick with a big barbell lift and hit up its companion — the incline bench press.

muscular person in gym performing incline barbell bench press

Credit: Benoit Daoust / Shutterstock

Despite the fact that these lifts may be at risk of being overhyped or oversaturated, they’re still both great and highly effective training options when it comes to adding strength and muscle to your upper body. Depending on your goals and your starting point, they’re actually worth a place in the right program.

Both exercises make it easy to gauge progress and see consistent results. But if you really want to get the most from them, you need a thorough understanding of what makes these two basic chest-builders different, what unique benefits they each offer, and you’ve got to know how to perform them effectively.

Incline Bench Press and Flat Bench Press

Differences Between the Incline Bench Press and Flat Bench Press

To be thorough, it’s important to understand that the differences go beyond just using a slight angle. Each exercise is its own muscle-building monster and requires an understanding of what it can, or cannot, offer.

Muscle Recruitment 

The flat bench press and incline bench press are both upper body presses that bear load for the shoulder joint and attached muscles. Being on an incline and pressing relatively closer to an overhead position will recruit a bit more of the clavicular pectoralis muscles (“upper chest”). (1) In comparison, the flat bench press will involve a bit more of the sternal pectoralis (mid or “lower” chest).

Person in gym doing bench press

Credit: Hryshchyshen Serhii / Shutterstock

Incline pressing will recruit more of the deltoids (shoulders) — especially the front deltoids — compared to a flat bench press. Again, this is due to the arm angle relative to the body. This shoulder recruitment can be greater or lesser depending on the angle of the incline. A higher incline bench press will be more deltoid-dominant compared to a lower incline bench press. (2)

Joint Stress 

Both of these lifts are bench press variations, and both will generally involve much of the same efforts. However, the incline bench press will be a bit more biased toward the shoulder joint and more contingent upon overall shoulder health. 

Not only does the incline bench press bring your shoulder into a greater degree of extension at the bottom of each rep, but it also finishes each rep in more of an overhead position. For many lifters, this will be more taxing on the rotator cuff and shoulder joint, which is already a relatively limited in its stability compared to other joints. 

Bench Angle and Arm Position 

The flat bench press — the more popular and glamorized of the two lifts — is performed while lying horizontally on a flat bench. A lifter will likely have the capability to move a bit more weight due to the body’s orientation relative to the barbell and its path.

The incline bench press is performed on a bench that’s typically inclined to 45-degrees. This angle is fixed for incline bench stations, however it can be higher or lower if you’re using an adjustable bench placed in a squat cage, a Smith machine, or another customizable setup.

Since your torso is, as expected, more inclined during the incline bench press, your arm and shoulder position will be more flexed (closer to an overhead position) during the movement. In comparison, the flat bench press will ask more of a healthy shoulder capsule to lift the weight through a full range of motion.

Hand Position and Grip Width

Many find that using a slightly narrower grip on the flat bench press compared to the incline bench press is not only more comfortable, but also friendlier to their shoulder joints. The closer your upper arms remain to your torso, the easier it is to protect the relatively delicate shoulder joint while moving deep into extension through bottom-end ranges.

Muscular person in gym doing incline barbell bench press

Credit: evgeny varlamov / Shutterstock

Because these bottom-end ranges are more exaggerated on the incline, as your elbows can move far below your body, using a slightly wider grip with the incline press can help prevent the elbow from traveling too far below the body’s line. That can sometimes mean stopping a couple of inches shy of an “ideal” bar-to-chest range of motion.

Seat Position and Footing

The incline bench press will have a much deeper seated position. This will be significant and noticeable, especially for taller lifters or those with relatively longer legs.

This can affect things like foot placement relative to your body and floor drive. It may not be quite as easy to achieve a “tucked” position when incline bench pressing. Because leg drive is reduced, the incline bench press is slightly more dependent on the force produced from the upper body alone. In contrast, the flat bench press can benefit from increased total-body tension created by a strong leg drive.

Point of Contact on the Body

Due to the differences in torso angle, even though the vertical line of the bar remains consistent, the point of contact on your body will indeed be different. In both lifts, the goal should be to maintain a vertical forearm so your elbow always remains under the bar at the bottom of the rep and your straight arm is under the bar at the top.

Doing this while changing the torso angle from one lift to another means the bar will most likely make contact somewhere around the mid-chest line during the flat bench press (depending on your arm length) and somewhere around your collarbones with the incline bench press. The incline pressing position may also result in slightly more outwardly flared elbows due to the higher point of contact.

Similarities Between the Incline Bench Press and Flat Bench Press

As founding members of the barbell bench press family, both the incline and flat bench press share several major similarities.

Horizontal Push Pattern

By classification, both the flat and incline bench press belong to the same movement pattern known as “horizontal pushing.” Both exercises focus on your upper body and both use your shoulder capsule as the primary load-bearing joint.

short-haired person in gym doing barbell bench press

Credit: MDV Edwards / Shutterstock

To some degree, your chest, shoulders, and triceps will be key players from a muscular perspective, even though the bench angle will determine the degree to which each muscle is recruited — as explained earlier.

Total Body Involvement 

From a technique standpoint, the incline bench press and flat bench press both require focus to keep the bar path relatively vertical and perpendicular to the floor.

That involves setting a “target” in the same place on the ceiling for every repetition. It also involves placing tension throughout your entire body, including your upper back, glutes, and quads. One cue that proves invaluable for both lifts is “Aiming to “driving your feet into the floor,” especially as weight becomes heavier.

Available Variations

In both the incline bench press and the flat bench press, the opportunity exists to use kinds of barbells, like a neutral-grip football bar or cambered bar. Both movements can also be performed with different apparatus such as dumbbells or kettlebells to suit a lifter’s preferences or needs.

Furthermore, even if using a traditional barbell, there are options to add bands or chains to the bar. This will change the resistance profile to favor certain portions of the lift without altering basic setup or technique. 

How to Incline Bench Press

The majority of cues for each type of bench press are virtually transferable. The most significant difference with the incline bench press is a change in the point of contact between the bar and your body.

Otherwise, you’ll find a similar checklist between the two movements. Regardless, be sure to treat the incline bench press as its own exercise and don’t try to simply copy “flat bench press technique using an incline bench.” Perform an incline bench press properly and deliberately.

  • Set up the bench pad and rack so your eyes start under the bar.
  • Assume four points of contact — feet on the floor, glutes on the bench, upper back on the bench, and head on the bench.
  • Create a “tucked” position — pulling your feet toward your glutes and planting your toes into the ground.
  • Grab the bar at a comfortable width that keeps your forearm vertical during the movement.
  • Drag the bar out, rather than “lifting” it, into a starting position over your eyes. Remember, it’s an incline so the bar should start and finish over your eyes rather than over your shoulders.
  • Lower to a full range of motion, toward your collarbones, without bouncing in the bottom position.
  • Remain tight and drive your feet into the ground as you exhale and press the weight up.

How to Flat Bench Press 

Some lifters take the bench press for granted, assuming that “they know how it’s done” or that it can’t be too complicated because everyone does it. Unfortunately, that approach often leads to bad shoulders, poor strength gains, and limited muscle growth.

Exactly because it’s popular, and because it has so many potential physical benefits, is why the flat bench press should be performed properly.

  • Lie on the bench so your eyes start under the bar. If possible, adjust the bar hooks to start roughly six inches below full lockout to allow a good unrack.
  • Assume four points of contact — feet on the floor, glutes on the bench, upper back on the bench, and head on the bench.
  • Pull your shoulder blades together to get tight in the upper back and allow your lower back to create a natural arch.
  • Create a “tucked” position — pulling your feet toward your glutes and planting your toes into the ground.
  • Grab the bar at a comfortable width that keeps your forearm vertical during the movement.
  • Drag the bar out, rather than “lifting” it, into a starting position over your shoulders.
  • Lower to a full range of motion, ideally reaching your mid-chest, without bouncing in the bottom position.
  • Remain tight and drive your feet into the ground as you exhale and press the weight up.

When to Do the the Incline Bench Press vs. Flat Bench Press

Though these lifts are potentially bordering on overuse in the classic gym community, they still have utility in a training program for both general lifters and athletes. Training the horizontal pushing pattern with either the incline bench press or flat bench press can be highly effective, especially if you employ loading variety like dumbbells, neutral-grip barbells, chains, or bands.

When pressing strength and muscular development is the goal, and a novice or intermediate lifter has no major history of shoulder trauma, the bench press and incline bench press can be placed into the routine.

Since training this pattern (particularly for strength) is a higher-output, CNS-based movement, program them earlier in a workout session rather than later, so they can be trained before fatigue sets in. Alternatively, if the lifts are being performed for relatively higher rep ranges (10 to 12 reps or more), either movement can efficiently be programmed later in any given workout.

long-haired person performing incline barbell press in gym

Credit: Vladimir Sukhachev / Shutterstock

However, because the incline bench press is inherently more strenuous on the shoulder joint, it’s a poor choice for very heavy, low-rep programming. If your ultimate goal is upper body pressing strength, the flat bench press is be the preferred choice.

While both movements can be ideal for beginners and intermediate lifters, neither might actually be the best choice for very experienced lifters. The further along a lifting journey a you get, the more you might realize the incline bench press and flat bench press, performed with a typical barbell, aren’t exceptional for building muscle beyond a certain point.

Other exercises may create relatively less stress on the shoulder joint, while doing a more efficient job of isolating the chest, based on the actual biomechanical function of the shoulder and muscle action of the pectoralis. Dips are a top contender in that regard.

If awesome chest development is the name of the game, some variety outside these two bench press variations will eventually become necessary, and that’s important to know. Employing that kind of variety will also likely have your shoulders thanking you over time.

Pick Your Press

Whether you’re looking to boost your pressing power or build a serious set of pecs, either bench press variation can play a role in your training plan. Don’t rely solely on engrained habits or some long-running “tradition” of emphasizing the flat barbell bench press if it isn’t the most effective tool for your personal goals in the gym. Take an objective look at which barbell chest exercise really suits your needs, and then start discovering better results.

References

  1. Rodríguez-Ridao, D., Antequera-Vique, J. A., Martín-Fuentes, I., & Muyor, J. M. (2020). Effect of Five Bench Inclinations on the Electromyographic Activity of the Pectoralis Major, Anterior Deltoid, and Triceps Brachii during the Bench Press Exercise. International journal of environmental research and public health17(19), 7339. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17197339
  2. Campos, Y. A. C., Vianna, J. M., Guimarães, M. P., Oliveira, J. L. D., Hernández-Mosqueira, C., da Silva, S. F., & Marchetti, P. H. (2020). Different Shoulder Exercises Affect the Activation of Deltoid Portions in Resistance-Trained Individuals. Journal of human kinetics75, 5–14. https://doi.org/10.2478/hukin-2020-0033

Featured Image: Hryshchyshen Serhii / Shutterstock

Source

June 16, 2023

12 Common Muscle-Building Mistakes

Filed under: Fitness,Training — Tags: , , , , — admin @ 3:58 am

The ability to build muscle in response to training is a part of our physiology. It’s deeply encoded in our DNA and persists throughout our lifespan. Meaning, lifters of any age and experience level should be able to add noticeable muscle to their frames.

Muscular man performing dumbbell row exercise in gym

Credit: MDV Edwards / Shutterstock

If you’re deliberately and dedicatedly hitting the gym in the hopes of adding muscle mass, but still not seeing results, it’s time to step back and think. Which of these twelve common mistakes are sabotaging your gains?

Common Muscle-Building Mistakes

Failing To Plan

Beyond the obvious need to schedule time for the gym, many lifters fail to make progress toward muscle-building goals because their training is disorganized. Haphazard workouts might burn some calories, stimulate a decent pump, and deliver a nice hit of “feel good” neurotransmitters, but real progress is made when your training is intentional and thought-out.

The Problem

By failing to plan your weekly training, you leave your workouts to chance. Some body parts may receive less-than-optimal training volume (sets and reps) while others are overworked.

Unlike specialized hypertrophy programs that intentionally underload one area to allocate more training to a lagging muscle group, unplanned training tends to be consistently inconsistent, resulting in inferior gains all around.

Training loads may go untracked, resulting in failure to recognize leading indicators of progress, such as the ability to perform more repetitions with a given weight or the ability to lift more weight. You may also miss leading indicators of accumulating fatigue and under-recovery, which might otherwise be addressed by program adjustments or a deload.

The Solution

Lifters serious about building muscle must structure their training, and following an effective training split is a good start. Training splits help lifters get organized and stay organized by assigning a focus to each workout.

For example, in a push/pull/legs split, your first workout of the week focuses on upper body pushing movements, which would tend to target chest, front delts (shoulders), and triceps. The second workout hits upper body pulling exercises, such as rows, pulldowns, and pull-ups, along with biceps and rear deltoid (shoulder) work. And, you guessed it, the third workout is leg day

Once each workout has a focus, even if that focus is a full-body workout, the desired weekly training volume for each body part can be allocated to each body part. Appropriate training volume for building muscle is discussed in the next section, but if you’re not planning or tracking your training volume, you’ll never know whether you hit the target.

muscular person in gym typing on phone

Credit: Prostock-studio / Shutterstock

Once you’ve established your split, you need to plan and track the specifics of each workout. At a minimum, this should include:

  • Exercise selection
  • Number of sets and target repetition range for each exercise
  • Actual number of sets and repetitions performed
  • Weight used

Keep records in your phone (i.e. using an app) or use a tried and true pen and notebook.

Volume Control

Resistance training volume refers to the amount of work accomplished in training. “Volume load” includes the number of sets, number of repetitions, and load for each exercise performed. (1) Volume load is a key determinant of hypertrophy (muscle gain). (2)

Weekly training volume load, rather than daily volume load, is a more important factor in hypertrophy training. (3) That is, whether each muscle group is trained once, twice, or three times per week, the recommendations below on appropriate weekly training volume still apply.

The Problem

Lifters run into trouble when they overshoot or undershoot effective weekly resistance training volume. Like many biological processes, the relationship between weekly volume and muscle gain appears to follow a two-tailed, bell-shaped curve — a “Goldilocks” scenario.

Perform too little volume and you’ll fail to make progress or even backslide. Perform too much volume and you’ll run the risk of non-functional overreaching, or declining performance that only rebounds to baseline after prolonged recovery. (4)

The Solution

To avoid missing out on gains due to insufficient volume or unsustainably high volume, you first need to have an idea of baseline training volume. A simple way of calculating volume is by totaling the number of weekly sets per major muscle group. (1)

According to an expert consensus statement on hypertrophy, 10 weekly sets per major muscle group is a good minimum target for trained individuals. As a general rule, total weekly sets should not increase more than about 20% per month of training. (5) While greater increases in volume may be sustained during planned “overreaching,” these temporary periods are typically followed by a deload, or a pre-planned reduction in training volume and intensity. 

Person in dark hold holding barbell on shoulders

Credit: Mongkolchon Akesin / Shutterstock

Don’t fear deloads. During a deload, dramatic reductions in training volume are common. Weekly volume may be reduced by approximately 50%. Lifters may be wary about aggressively reducing volume during deloads for fear of losing muscle; however, research shows trained individuals maintain strength and size for at least two weeks of no workouts. (6) During a deload, you’re still active and training.

Deloads are time-limited — typically one week or so. Deloads allow for recovery from hard cycles of training. Following a deload week, lifters are anecdotally more sensitive to training volume, allowing them to “reset” weekly training volume back toward moderate volume (e.g. 10 to 16 weekly sets). 

The question of top-end weekly volume may be of interest, too. Although some lifters may benefit from higher training volumes, it is likely not necessary for most to push past 20 or so weekly sets per muscle group, especially if other training variables are progressive over time.

Lack of Progression

The same sets, reps, and weights that built your current body will not build your dream physique. This is because our muscles, like all biological systems, reach equilibrium (i.e. homeostasis) quickly if not provided with progressive training stimuli.

The Problem

Informed by the tenets of the general adaptation syndrome (GAS), which describes how living organisms respond to stressors, non-progressive stimuli result in an eventual plateau of biological responses. (7) For hypertrophy training, this means non-progressive workouts will eventually become non-productive workouts and you’ll stop seeing muscle gains.

The Solution

The simplest solution to non-progressive training is to ensure you are either adding volume (sets and/or reps) or load to your lifts regularly.

Although any decent, ready-made program will already incorporate progression, a simple method of progression for building your own program is to start by identifying a weight for each exercise that allows you to perform a number of repetitions toward the bottom of your target repetition range for moderate effort sets.

For example, a lifter wishing to program neutral-grip lat pulldowns in the eight to 12 repetition range might determine she is able to use 165 pounds (75 kilograms) for 8 reps while having two or three repetitions left in reserve.

Person in gym doing cable pulldown

Credit: Master1305 / Shutterstock

Now, each week, she can either add one repetition per set or add 2.5% to 5% more weight — she can either progress to 165 pounds for nine or more reps or 170 pounds for eight reps. She will continue to add repetitions or weight until she’s unable to remain within the target repetition range. Then it’s time to take a deload period of approximately one week and restart.

Alternatively, if you feel you are not ready for a deload, simply adjust your target repetition range to accommodate a longer period of progression (12 to 15 repetitions, in this example).

Quasi-Cardio Workouts

Working up a sweat and getting the heart pumping are features of many intense sessions, and most lifters value that type of training. Supersets, which pair exercises back-to-back thereby minimizing rest, are a mainstay of many of these intense workouts. (8)

But some lifters take “minimal rest” too far. If rest between sets is limited to the point where workout quality or performance suffers, the workout may fail to achieve its ultimate purpose: building muscle.

The Problem

To be clear, the problem isn’t lack of rest between sets, per se. It’s the resulting loss of training volume and/or intensity that inevitably occurs after not taking enough rest. (9)

Reducing rest periods will play up the cardiovascular challenge of the workout. While cardio is very good for overall health, it is not the ideal type of training for building muscle. Moreover, “lifting light weights fast” or “lifting with minimal rest” is unlikely to be optimal cardio for most. Rhythmic or cyclical exercises tend to be more suitable (e.g. rowing machine, jogging, cycling, swimming, etc.).

Person running outdoors near concrete wall

Credit: Bohdan Malitskiy / Shutterstock

“Frankensteining” a cardio-like, resistance training workout will not allow adequate recovery of the phosphagen and anaerobic alactic energy systems which predominantly fuel traditional resistance training. This results in lost repetitions and/or necessitates use of lower loads. Since volume load drives hypertrophy, short rest intervals ultimately lead to inferior growth. (9)

The Solution

Outside of very specific scenarios such as supersets, ensure you are getting adequate rest between sets to maintain desired training volume throughout your hypertrophy workout. Take a minimum of two minutes rest between sets of multi-joint exercises and 60 to 90 seconds between sets of single-joint exercises. (5)

Tip-Toeing Around Tension

Those with hypertrophy goals lift weights to expose their muscles to tension. When exposed to tension, muscles experience a complex cascade of mechanical, neural, and chemical events that culminate in elevated rates of muscle protein synthesis and protein turnover. (10)(11) The end result, ideally, is bigger muscles.

The Problem

Mechanical tension is thought to be a key driver of hypertrophy. (11) However, lifters can be very efficient at working around mechanical tension, especially when sets get challenging. By using compensations or work-arounds that make repetitions easier, they end up taking tension off the target muscles.

The Solution

Develop a strong mind-muscle connection and don’t cheat yourself out of tension. From the beginning of each set, focus on controlling the negative (or eccentric/lowering) phase of the exercise. You might even linger a bit slower during the most challenging portion of the motion. For example, when lowering dumbbells during a lateral raise, focus on controlling the initial descent. 

As your set continues, disallow any compensations — don’t cheat! Keeping your form clean in the face of fatigue, burning muscles, and impending muscular failure is challenging, no doubt, but it can be mastered.

muscular person in gym curling barbell

Credit: MDV Edwards / Shutterstock

If, for example, you are performing dumbbell front squats as a quadriceps-focused leg exercise, continue to drive your knees forward as you squat down, shifting tension into your quads. Do not allow yourself to sit back into your hips during the final challenging repetitions. 

If you are new to the skills of pushing through tension or still developing the mind-muscle connection, consider certain machine-based exercises, which instill confidence and include built-in safety measures.

Always Testing, Never Training

Some lifters can’t resist training too heavy, too often. For many, nothing feels better than hitting a heavy personal best or maximum on a squat, bench, press or deadlift. But maxing out is not necessarily the same as productive training. Unplanned “YOLO sets” can sap energy, rob you of volume load, interfere with readiness to train, and ultimately detract from your hypertrophy gains.

The Problem

While there is an appropriate time and place in any program for maxing out, it is typically during a period of planned overreaching or testing to establish percentages and working weights.

Heavy singles, doubles, even triples can result in lower volume loads, a key driver of hypertrophy. (2) This is because maximum or near-maximum low-rep sets may detract from, or take, the place of sets in the five-to-30 repetition range, which are most efficient for accumulating volume load. 

Performed too frequently, heavy maximum sets might spur non-functional overreaching. Researchers reported non-functional overreaching (i.e. lack of gains) among trained squatters performing three sessions per week of two singles at 95% of one-repetition maximum (1RM) and three singles at 90% 1RM after only three weeks. (12)

Another study compared a volume load equated program using three sets of 10 repetitions versus seven sets of three repetitions. The groups gained equivalent muscle over eight weeks, but the group performing heavy triples for seven sets reported more symptoms associated with overtraining, like joint pain. (13

Ultimately, heavy training can sneak up on you. Although it may be possible to achieve equivalent volume load and growth with heavy maximum sets, they may not be as efficient in the long-term as “hypertrophy-style” sets in the moderate to high-repetition range.

The Solution

Heavy, maximum effort sets (i.e. less than three repetitions) should be few and far between when you’re in a dedicated hypertrophy program. You do not need to max out every week.

person in gym preparing to press barbell

Credit: Benoit Daoust / Shutterstock

True 1RM testing may not even be necessary for the hypertrophy-focused lifter. Programming based on multiple repetitions maximum (i.e. 5RM, 8RM, 12RM, etc.) is just as effective as percentages of 1RM, and arguably more specific to the repetition target of the sets commonly performed during training.

Plan to regularly test 8RM to 12 RM for your primary lifts approximately once or twice per four-to-six-week training cycle. On days your program does not call for maximum effort sets, resist the urge to max out.

Program Sampling

Countless training programs have potential to help you reach your physique goals. However, constantly sampling from the endless menu of workouts circulating through social media and fitness publications is a sure-fire way to slow your progress.

The Problem

With each new exercise or exercise variation, we ask our neuromuscular system to tackle a novel movement skill. Motor learning, or the process of learning a new movement skill, takes time.

If you’re constantly changing up your workout, you never approach the crest of the learning curve. Meaning, you will not get the most of your training because you haven’t spent enough time with each exercise to maximize technique, repetitions, and loads. (14)

The Solution

Think of each exercise in your workout as an investment. Keep an exercise in your workout portfolio long enough and you will experience compounding interest in the forms of technical proficiency and muscular adaptations associated with the exercise.

Keeping relative consistency allows for progressive overload, an essential feature of effective training. For hypertrophy, progressive overload is accomplished by gradually exposing your muscles to greater demands over time.

person in empty gym performing dumbbell lunge

Credit: Aleksandr Art / Shutterstock

Once you develop or identify a workout program you enjoy that’s specific to your goals, see it through for at least four to eight weeks. How do you know when it’s time to shake things up? When training gets stale. And this next section just so happens to explain more.

Stale Programming

Variation, while potentially counterproductive if applied excessively, may play an important role in preventing stalled progress. (14)(15) Variation can take the form of changes in programming variables such as sets, repetitions, and load. (16) Or, variation can be accomplished via exercise selection. (15) Your program should include both sources of variety.

The Problem

Without some variation in your training, stagnation is likely to occur. Stagnation can be mental or physical. Repeating the same workouts week-in and week-out can drain motivation to train, while highly varied programs are shown to enhance motivation. (17)

Physically, our muscles will become accustomed to the stale stimulus, as discussed in the previous “Lack of Progression” section. Moreover, muscles may grow preferentially at specific regions in response to certain exercises. With varied exercise selection, more robust growth throughout the muscle has been shown. (14)(18)

The Solution

Vary your training systematically, not haphazardly. Consider a planned, or periodized, program. If you are drawn to lots of variation or need frequent changes to stay motivated, consider a program with an undulating periodization scheme — In these programs, volume and load are varied frequently (e.g. daily or weekly). (19)

For example, one workout might call for three sets of 12 repetitions, the next workout might be four sets of eight, and a third workout might be five sets of five repetitions. Although not specifically designated as a hypertrophy program, one example of a daily undulating program is the Conjugate Method popularized by powerlifters at the famed Westside Barbell. 

For others, a more traditional approach, such as linear periodization, may suffice. Programs that are linearly periodized gradually increase load while gradually reducing volume. (19) A systematic review comparing undulating periodized training programs with linear programs showed no difference in hypertrophy outcomes between the two periodization styles. (19

person performing incline dumbbell curl

Credit: Merrick Lincoln, DPT, CSCS / YouTube

Periodization seem too complicated? Fortunately, true periodization may not be necessary for hypertrophy. (16)(20) But variation is still important. First, make sure your program is progressive by adding volume or load when training gets easy.

Next, consider including multiple exercises for each body part. Not only does this decrease boredom, but it may also lead to fuller muscular hypertrophy. (14)(18) For example, you might include spider curls and incline dumbbell curls, either in the same workout or throughout the week, to hit your biceps at different muscle lengths.

Finally, switch out your exercises for different variations when you begin to plateau — Changes might be as often as every four to eight weeks, or as seldom as every twelve to sixteen weeks.

Forgetting the Food

As the saying goes, you must eat big to get big. Elevated rates of muscle protein synthesis following resistance training are thought to be the key driving force of muscle gain among consistent lifters. (10) The raw materials for elevated rates of protein synthesis largely come from dietary protein, the most important macronutrient for hypertrophy-focused lifters.

The Problem

Although 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram body mass per day is commonly cited as a target for maximizing muscle gain, resistance trained individuals may benefit from substantially higher intake. A target of 2.0 to 2.2 grams protein per kilogram body mass may be more appropriate. (10)(21) Many lifters fail to consistently reach this target.

The Solution

While many lifters are not interested in tracking all macronutrients, focusing on optimizing protein intake may be the most practical and impactful step. A simple strategy to reach a protein target of 2.0 to 2.2 grams per kilogram body mass — roughly one gram per pound body weight — is to divide target protein intake across the number of meals you plan to consume each day.

Person on couch drinking protein shake

Credit BLACKDAY / Shutterstock

For example, a 200-pound lifter might plan to consume four meals containing approximately 50 grams of protein each. Alternatively, this lifter could consume three meals at approximately 50 grams of protein each, a post-workout shake containing 30 grams protein, and a snack containing another 20 grams. 

To effectively meet your protein target, you will need to familiarize yourself with the protein content of the foods you commonly consume. Before long, you’ll begin to memorize the protein contents of foods you commonly eat. 

For example, a single egg has six grams, a quarter-pound of beef has approximately 25 grams, and a small can of tuna fish also has 25 grams. Those with health conditions, those seeking meal plans, and those looking to optimize other facets of their nutrition, such as nutrient timing, should consult a registered dietitian, ideally one with experience with physique athletes.

Sleep Struggles

When it comes to fat loss, a common platitude goes: “Abs are made in the kitchen.” But when it comes to building muscle, a more correct claim is: “Muscle is made in the bedroom.” Recovery between workouts enables consistent high-intensity training, and recovery depends on adequate high-quality sleep.

The Problem

Sleep deprivation is known to blunt muscle protein synthesis (the building of new muscle). Just a single night of sleep deprivation has been shown to reduce the rate of overnight muscle protein synthesis by 18%. (22)

Muscular person in bed asleep

Credit: Dario Lo Presti / Shutterstock

Another study showed five nights of partially restricted sleep (four hours in bed) resulted in significantly reduced muscle protein synthesis compared to matched groups getting a full night’s sleep (eight hours in bed). (23)

Over longer periods of time, even modest restrictions in sleep duration may have profoundly negative effects on your ability to gain muscle. Beyond sleep duration, the quality of sleep may also affect adaptations from hypertrophy training.

The Solution

To improve sleep, focus on three areas: Preparation, duration, and conditions. 

First, ensure you are “winding down” in the hours prior to bedtime. Whether it’s the blue light from electronics or the highly stimulating nature of the information and activities performed with these devices, minimizing screen time before bed seems pertinent. Moreover, avoid alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine in the afternoon and evening hours. (24)

Make every effort to get into bed early enough to allocate approximately eight hours to sleep. Yes, there are likely individual differences in the total duration of sleep required, but eight hours is a good baseline goal for most.

Finally, ensure the conditions of your bedroom are conducive to sleep. Make every effort to create a cool (i.e. approximately 64 degrees Fahrenheit or 18 degrees Celsius), dark, and comfortable environment for sleep. (24) Blackout shades, earplugs, fans, and/or air conditioning units can be helpful.

Ideally, the bedroom is kept free of electronics which might interrupt sleep. Sleep can be improved with planning and attention, resulting in a fuller night’s sleep and ultimately, a fuller muscular physique.

Excessive “Advanced” Training

Drop sets, forced reps, rest-pause, heavy negatives, and supersets are typically categorized as “advanced training techniques,” a classification that may sound alluring. Equally alluring is the fact that more than 80% of competitive bodybuilders use these techniques in “most but not all sessions.” (25) Advanced training techniques are fun and can increase motivation to train. (5)(26) But here’s the rub. You might already be using these techniques too often.

The Problem

Most lifters interested in building a muscular physique do not engage in competitive bodybuilding, a sport characterized by common use of anabolic androgenic steroids that likely allows individuals to tolerate (and thrive) under punishing training regimes. Therefore, most lifters should not attempt to train like competitive bodybuilders. 

While research on advanced training techniques is sparse in some areas, studies on drop sets and supersets tend to show similar muscle gain to traditional set configurations. (5)(26)(27) Keep in mind, training studies on advanced training techniques are time-limited — typically six to ten weeks in duration.

Because many advanced training techniques push the lifter past failure or dramatically reduce rest intervals, it may be difficult to sustain frequent use of these techniques in the long term without accumulating fatigue. With accumulated fatigue, performance in subsequent workouts begins to suffer, which may ultimately hinder gains.

The Solution

Advanced training techniques should be used judiciously. Limiting use of advanced training, particularly techniques that extend sets beyond failure (i.e. drop sets and forced reps), to primarily single-joint movements and machine-based exercises may help to manage the burden of fatigue. (5)

person wearing red tank top performing cable triceps exercise

Credit: vladee / Shutterstock

It may be wise to limit use of advanced training to the final set of a given exercise or to a defined period of intentional overreaching, such as the final week of a training cycle. (5)

Finally, while survey data indicates most competitive bodybuilders use advanced training techniques, they tend to use these techniques with primarily single-joint exercises. Biceps curls, triceps pushdowns, and pec flyes are the most common. (25)

If you wish to employ advanced training techniques frequently, go ahead and take this lesson from their playbook: Use advanced training primarily when training smaller muscle groups and for isolation-type exercises.

Impatience

Real talk: building muscle is painfully slow. Young, healthy newbies (individuals beginning an organized hypertrophy program for the first time) are a population expected to make the most rapid gains in muscle mass.

This is the “newbie gains” phenomenon. However, as your training experience increases, gains are slower and harder to come by.

The Problem

Rates of hypertrophy are relatively slow and highly individual. In a clever study design, variability in hypertrophy between individuals performing the same progressive training programs was 40-times greater than variability within individuals when the individuals performed different progressive protocols on left versus right limbs. (20

Further emphasizing variability within individuals, a small study on 24 “newbie” lifters reported a 10.7% average increase in muscle cross sectional area after ten weeks of hard training. But this average is somewhat misleading, as “high responders” grew nearly 15%, while just under a third of the individuals (“low responders”) lost muscle size throughout the study, albeit this change did not reach statistical significance. (28)

Altogether, research hints that individual features are more important than the specific nuts-and-bolts of the hypertrophy program.

The Solution

Fortunately, there are no non-responders to progressive hypertrophy training. (20) But if you are a low responder, also known as a “hard gainer,” or even an average responder to training, you’d better get comfortable playing the long game.

Long-haired person in gym doing lat pulldown exercise

Credit: Joshua Resnick / Shutterstock

Practice setting expectations and goals in terms of longer timeframes. For example, an average experienced lifter not enhanced by anabolic steroids might reasonably set a goal of gaining four or five pounds of primarily lean muscle mass per month.

However, for a known low responder, a more realistic goal might be to add two pounds of muscle per month. Or better yet, aim at twelve solid pounds of muscle in a year. Rather than frantically seeking the next best program or supplement, most lifters would be better served thinking about gains in terms of months, years, even decades. Settle in and enjoy the progress.

Finally, there’s one silver lining for “hard gainers.” Although they tend to gain muscle more slowly, “hard gainers” shed muscle more slowly during periods of detraining. (28)

Avoid Roadblocks on Your Journey to “Gainzville”

Building muscle is an arduous journey but a rewarding one. A muscular physique affects your self-esteem, how you are perceived in the world, and your overall health. If you’re not getting where you want to go, now’s the time to re-examine and tinker with your programming, your habits, and even your mindset.

References

  1. Nunes, J. P., et al. (2021). Equating resistance-training volume between programs focused on muscle hypertrophy. Sports Medicine51, 1171-1178.
  2. Carvalho, L., et al. (2022). Muscle hypertrophy and strength gains after resistance training with different volume-matched loads: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism47(4), 357-368.
  3. Grgic, J., Schoenfeld, B. J., & Latella, C. (2019). Resistance training frequency and skeletal muscle hypertrophy: A review of available evidence. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport22(3), 361-370.
  4. Bell, L., et al. (2020). Overreaching and overtraining in strength sports and resistance training: A scoping review. Journal of Sports Sciences38(16), 1897-1912.
  5. Schoenfeld, B., et al. (2021). Resistance training recommendations to maximize muscle hypertrophy in an athletic population: Position stand of the IUSCA. International Journal of Strength and Conditioning1(1).
  6. Hwang, P. S., et al. (2017). Resistance training–induced elevations in muscular strength in trained men are maintained after 2 weeks of detraining and not differentially affected by whey protein supplementation. Journal of strength and conditioning research31(4), 869-881.
  7. Kraemer, W. J., & Ratamess, N. A. (2004). Fundamentals of resistance training: progression and exercise prescription. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise36(4), 674-688.
  8. Iversen V.M., et al. (2021). No time to lift? Designing time-efficient training programs for strength and hypertrophy: a narrative review. Sports Medicine, 51, 2079-2095.
  9. Longo, A. R., et al. (2022). Volume load rather than resting interval influences muscle hypertrophy during high-intensity resistance training. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research36(6), 1554-1559.
  10. Joanisse, S., et al. (2020). Recent advances in understanding resistance exercise training-induced skeletal muscle hypertrophy in humans. F1000Research9.
  11. Wackerhage, H., et al. (2019). Stimuli and sensors that initiate skeletal muscle hypertrophy following resistance exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology.
  12. Fry, A. C., et al. (2000). Impaired performances with excessive high-intensity free-weight training. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 14(1), 54-61.
  13. Schoenfeld, B. J., et al. (2014). Effects of different volume-equated resistance training loading strategies on muscular adaptations in well-trained men. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research28(10), 2909-2918.
  14. Kassiano, W., et al. (2022). Does varying resistance exercises promote superior muscle hypertrophy and strength gains? A systematic review. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research36(6), 1753-1762.
  15. Fisher, J. P., et al. (2018). Periodization for optimizing strength and hypertrophy; the forgotten variables. Journal of Trainology7(1), 10-15.
  16. Grgic, J., et al. (2018). Should resistance training programs aimed at muscular hypertrophy be periodized? A systematic review of periodized versus non-periodized approaches. Science & Sports33(3), e97-e104.
  17. Baz-Valle, E., et al. (2019). The effects of exercise variation in muscle thickness, maximal strength and motivation in resistance trained men. PloS one14(12), e0226989.
  18. de Vasconcelos Costa, B. D., et al. (2021). Does performing different resistance exercises for the same muscle group induce non-homogeneous hypertrophy?. International Journal of Sports Medicine42(09), 803-811.
  19. Grgic, J., Mikulic, P., Podnar, H., & Pedisic, Z. (2017). Effects of linear and daily undulating periodized resistance training programs on measures of muscle hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PeerJ5, e3695.
  20. Damas, F., et al. (2019). Myofibrillar protein synthesis and muscle hypertrophy individualized responses to systematically changing resistance training variables in trained young men. Journal of Applied Physiology, 127(3), 806-815.
  21. Mazzulla, M., et al. (2020). Protein intake to maximize whole-body anabolism during postexercise recovery in resistance-trained men with high habitual intakes is severalfold greater than the current recommended dietary allowance. The Journal of Nutrition150(3), 505-511.
  22. Lamon, S., et al. (2021). The effect of acute sleep deprivation on skeletal muscle protein synthesis and the hormonal environment. Physiological Reports, 9(1), e14660.
  23. Saner, N. J., et al. (2020). The effect of sleep restriction, with or without high‐intensity interval exercise, on myofibrillar protein synthesis in healthy young men. The Journal of physiology, 598(8), 1523-1536.
  24. Bird, S. P. (2013). Sleep, recovery, and athletic performance: a brief review and recommendations. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 35(5), 43-47.
  25. Hackett, D. A., et al. (2013). Training practices and ergogenic aids used by male bodybuilders. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research27(6), 1609-1617.
  26. Krzysztofik, M., et al. (2019). Maximizing muscle hypertrophy: a systematic review of advanced resistance training techniques and methods. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health16(24), 4897.
  27. Angleri, V., Ugrinowitsch, C., & Libardi, C. A. (2017). Crescent pyramid and drop-set systems do not promote greater strength gains, muscle hypertrophy, and changes on muscle architecture compared with traditional resistance training in well-trained men. European Journal of Applied Physiology117, 359-369.
  28. Räntilä, A., et al. (2021). High responders to hypertrophic strength training also tend to lose more muscle mass and strength during detraining than low responders. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research35(6), 1500-1511.

Featured Image: Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock

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June 15, 2023

The Best Kettlebell Workouts for Beginners, for Fat Loss, and More

When most people think of a gym, they usually picture a room filled with heavy barbells, a range of dumbbells, and maybe a variety of machines. But, one iron jewel has been dug out of the past and has become increasingly popular over the last 20 years — the kettlebell.

This simple-looking “cannonball with a handle,” often made of cast iron, is a versatile and convenient training tool. It can be easily transported or stored in the corner of your home, and it can be the centerpiece for brutally effective workouts virtually anywhere, for any goal.

Long-haired person in gym holding kettlebell

Credit: Leszek Glasner / Shutterstock

Because its center of gravity is away from the handle, this piece of equipment allows for unique exercises (such as kettlebell swings) and unconventional workouts that can’t always be replicated with dumbbells. Sure, you can execute some of the same exercises, but the cardiovascular work will be greater with a kettlebell, as the off-balanced design recruits more muscle mass. Kettlebell training can also help to improve balance, coordination, and core bracing.

Here are some of the best kettlebell workouts for all levels of lifters and a wide range of goals, be it size and strength, conditioning and endurance, or even fat loss.

Best Kettlebell Workouts

Benefits of Kettlebell training

Kettlebells appear to serve the same general purpose as dumbbells. They allow you to train for nearly anything, at any time, and anywhere. (1) But, with the center mass being different, a kettlebell is naturally less stable which provides a different training stimulus. Kettlebells will be slightly less efficient for building raw size because isolating muscles can be difficult due to the added stability challenge, but they are highly effective for building muscular balance and coordination. (2)

As such, kettlebells can provide more “functional” workouts and are particularly useful for athletes. Some kettlebell exercises, like the Turkish get-up, take advantage of this total-body benefit to further improve athletic qualities and conditioning. Because more overall muscle is recruited to stabilize the kettlebell, kettlebell training will also increase the demands on your cardiovascular system, making it a great choice for conditioning. (3)

The off-centered weight and distinctive handle shape allow for unique exercises requiring a swinging or arc motion. This provides even more choice in exercise selection and greater training possibilities. Kettlebells can also be used to perform the same exercises you’d otherwise do with dumbbells.

Best Kettlebell Workouts for Muscle Mass

If your priority is building muscle mass, the kettlebell can be an amazing tool. (4) Focus on the most stable exercises, allowing you to use the heaviest weight to provide the best stimulus for muscle growth. A workout should start with big basic, compound (multi-joint) exercises that recruits the most muscle mass when you’re fresh, so that you can use the most weight while focusing on good form.

Then, you can follow with isolation, single-joint exercise to target a specific muscle or improve your mind-muscle connection. These exercises stimulate less overall muscle mass, but are very useful to focus on a single body part.

muscular person outdoors holding kettlebell

Credit: Gerain0812 / Shutterstock

To progress, stay in the desired repetition range, performing “hard” sets. Improve over time, either by increasing the number of repetitions or, if available, the weight of the kettlebell. Start relatively light when you first try an exercise — allow time for your nervous system and body to master the technique required. Do not progress too heavy, too fast. Remember that muscle building is a marathon, not a sprint.

Upper Body Kettlebell Muscle-Builder

There are several ways to organize a workout or program, so we’ll detail several routines that you can use depending upon your preferences and schedule. The first one is a workout focusing on the muscles of the upper body and utilizes supersets to hit the muscles with a higher intensity in less time.

Single-Arm Kettlebell Row

  • How to Do It: Hinge forward at your hips to assume a bent-over position. Put one hand on a flat bench or a wall to increase total-body stability. Grab the handle of a kettlebell with the other hand, brace your core, and pull your elbow past your hip. Don’t allow your elbows to flare out to the sides. Lower with control to a full stretch.
  • Sets and Reps: 4 x 8-12 per arm
  • Rest time: No rest between arms. No rest before moving to the next exercise.

Kettlebell Bench Press

  • How to Do It: Grab a pair of kettlebells and lie down on a flat bench. Squeeze the handles hard and have the ball of the kettlebell resting on your outer forearm. Begin with your hands near the sides of your chest and your palms facing each other. Retract your shoulder blades and press the weight up while exhaling. As you press up, rotate your palms to face forward. Keep your elbows at a roughly 45-degree angle. Lower with control.
  • Sets and Reps: 4 x 6-10
  • Rest time: Rest two to three minutes before repeating the previous exercise.

Kettlebell High Pull

  • How to Do It: Stand tall while holding a relatively heavy kettlebell in each hand at your side. Brace your core and squeeze your lats, then hinge forward by bending at your hips and knees. When your hands are around knee-level, use your hips as a hinge to thrust the kettlebell upward with as much force as you can. Keep the weights close to your body and pull them toward your chest while squeezing your upper back muscles briefly at the top.
  • Sets and Reps: 3 x 6-10
  • Rest time: No rest before moving to the next exercise.

Kettlebell Press

  • How to Do It: Stand with a pair of kettlebells in the front rack position  — holding each kettlebell with your palm facing your chest, elbow tucked under your forearm, wrist straight, and your shoulder pulled down. Brace your core and press the weight up until your arm is fully extended overhead, then lower with control to the starting position.
  • Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12
  • Rest time: Rest two to three minutes before repeating the previous exercise.

Kettlebell Lateral Raise

  • How to Do It: Stand tall with a pair of kettlebells in your hands by your side. Keep a slight bend in your elbows and raise your arms out your sides until they’re almost parallel to the ground. In the top position, the bottom of the kettlebells should be facing the floor. Be sure to “lead with your elbows” — they should always be slightly higher than your wrists. Think about lifting out, not up, to enhance deltoid stimulus and decrease trapezius activation.
  • Sets and Reps: 3 x 10-15
  • Rest time: No rest before moving to the next exercise.

Horn Curl

  • How to Do It: Stand up straight while holding one kettlebell with both hands, gripping the sides of the handle. Curl the weight by bending at your elbows without moving your upper arms. Make sure your elbows stay in place, by your sides, to really focus on your biceps. Lower to a full stretch.
  • Sets and Reps: 3 x 10-15
  • Rest time: No rest before moving to the next exercise.

Kettlebell Triceps Extension

  • How to Do It: Stand while holding one kettlebell by the sides with both hands. Raise it over your head and fully extend your arms. Without moving anything but your hands and forearms, bend your elbows to slowly lower the weight behind your head. When your arms are fully bent in a comfortable stretch, reverse the movement. Try not to flare your elbows too much — keep your elbows aimed forward.
  • Sets and Reps: 3 x 10-15
  • Rest time: Rest one to two minutes before repeating the first exercise in the series.

Kettlebell Leg Day

This lower body workout will combine bilateral (two-leg) and unilateral (single-leg) exercises to increase muscle mass while making sure both sides are trained symmetrically. This can also help improve balance and coordination.

Muscular woman in gym performing kettlebell exercise

Credit: Srdjan Randjelovic / Shutterstock

The session starts with an explosive movement to really warm-up your knees and activate your nervous system to perform even better later in the workout.

Kettlebell Swing

  • How to Do It: Take a shoulder-width or wider stance in front of a kettlebell set on the ground. Hinge forward, making sure to keep your back flat. Grab the kettlebell handle with both hands and pull it backwards until your hands are between your inner thighs. Thrust your hips forward explosively to swing the weight up until it reaches chest- or eye-level. Keep your arms straight. Let the weight go back down between your thighs, without rounding your back. Cycle the movement rhythmically for the desired amount of repetitions.
  • Sets and Reps: 5 x 6-10
  • Rest time: Rest one minute between sets.

Goblet Squat

  • How to Do It: Stand with a kettlebell in the “goblet squat” position — holding the horns (sides of the handle) with the weight resting snugly against your chest. With a roughly shoulder-width stance, squat down as low as your mobility allows. Keep the kettlebell glued to your chest and avoid letting your upper back round forward. Return to an upright position.
  • Sets and Reps: 4 x 8-12
  • Rest time: Rest two minutes between sets.

Sumo Kettlebell Romanian Deadlift

  • How to Do It: Stand with a relatively heavy kettlebell in both hands and widen your stance past shoulder-width. Brace your core and pack your shoulders down. Hinge forward by bending at your hips, barely bending your knees — your legs should almost stay straight. Go as low as possible without rounding your back. Try to feel a deep stretch in your hamstrings. From the bottom position, thrust your hips forward to raise your torso back to the standing position. Squeeze your glutes at the top before repeating repetitions.
  • Sets and Reps: 4 x 8-12
  • Rest time: Rest two to three minutes between sets.

Front Rack Kettlebell Reverse Lunge

  • How to Do It: Hold a pair of kettlebells in the front rack position and stand tall. Take a deep breath and brace your core, then step backward with one leg into a lunge position. Only the toes of your rear leg should be on the floor. Bend your front knee until your rear knee grazes the floor. Stand up by squeezing your glutes and pushing through your front heel. Maintain most of your weight on the front leg during the exercise. Perform all repetitions on one leg before switching sides.
  • Sets and Reps: 3 x 10-15 per leg
  • Rest time: No rest between legs. Rest two minutes between sets.

Calf Raise

  • How to Do It: Stand with your toes on a step or a sturdy item higher than floor level (to allow your heels to drop below your toes). Hold a kettlebell in one hand and hold a stable rack, bench, or wall with the other hand for balance. Let your heels sink down as low as you can with control and pause for a second in the stretched position. Push through the balls of your feet to raise your heels as high as possible and pause for a second in the top position.
  • Sets and Reps: 3 x 10-15
  • Rest time: Rest one to two minutes between sets.

Fat-Burning Kettlebell Workout

The kettlebell can be a fantastic and efficient tool to shed as much body fat as possible. The compact weight allows you to quickly mobilize a lot of muscle mass and expend lots of energy. For fat loss training to be as effective as possible, you need to use “cyclic” exercises or movements that you can perform for a relatively longer duration, to sustain the energy expenditure.

As such, aim for each bout of effort to last for a significant amount of time. Don’t use too much weight or get too crazy on the pacing — the effort should not be “too hard” because you need it to be sustainable. With this workout, combined with a fat-loss focused diet, you should be able to shed fat while also improving your base cardio and endurance, as you’ll be working in the aerobic zone of cardiovascular conditioning.

Person in gym doing single-arm kettlebell swing

Credit: MDV Edwards / Shutterstock

This specific workout is a type of EMOM training — every minute on the minute — which implies that you need to set a timer and begin each exercise at the corresponding start of each minute, for a specific number of rounds. If your cardiovascular abilities are limited, start with four rounds of this circuit. Work your way up to six to eight rounds for maximal fat loss. Exercises will be performed “for time” instead of for specific repetitions.

Alternating Kettlebell Swing

  • How to Do It: Stand in front of a kettlebell with a wide stance. Hinge forward while keeping a flat back. Grab the kettlebell with one hand and pull it back until your hand is between your inner thighs. Thrust your hips forward explosively to swing the weight up until chest- to eye-level. When the weight reaches its maximum height, quickly and carefully grab it mid-air with your other arm. Let the weight go back down between your thighs, keeping your back stiff and neutral. Repeat hands with each repetition. If the coordination or alternating hands is too challenging, perform basic kettlebell swings.
  • Sets and Reps: Four to eight rounds, one total minute of controlled reps.
  • Rest time: No rest before moving to the next exercise.

Front Rack Carry

  • How to Do It: Stand straight with a pair of kettlebells in the front rack position. Flex your abs, look forward, and start walking with cautious, controlled steps. Brace your core and limit the movement at your hips during the walk. Control the kettlebells and avoid letting the weights bounce as you move. If you don’t have room to walk non-stop, perform a kettlebell march instead: With weights in the front rack position, lift one leg up until your thigh is at a 90-degree angle with the floor, then lower it with control. Switch legs and repeat back and forth.
  • Sets and Reps: Four to eight rounds, one total minute of continuous walking.
  • Rest time: No rest before moving to the next exercise.

Alternating Kettlebell Snatch

  • How to Do It: Stand in front of a kettlebell with a wide stance. Hinge forward with a flat back. Grab the kettlebell with one hand and pull it back until your hand is between your inner thighs. Thrust your hips forward explosively to swing the weight up as high as possible, keeping it close to your body. In one motion, straighten your arm over your head and carefully “catch” the weight by dipping your legs as the kettlebell turns onto the back of your forearm. Lower the weight like a shoulder press, then to your side, keeping it close to your body. Switch hands when the bell is in the bottom position. Hinge to repeat the motion. Alternate hands with each repetition
  • Sets and Reps: Four to eight rounds, one total minute of controlled reps.
  • Rest time: No rest before moving to the next exercise.

Kettlebell Sit-up and Press

  • How to Do It: Hold a kettlebell with both hands while sitting on the floor with your legs straight out. Press the kettlebell over your head, then lower it back to your chest. Keep your heels on the floor and your legs wide. Slowly lower your upper body to the ground until you’re lying down. Flex your abs and dig your heels into the ground to perform a sit-up to return to the seated position.
  • Sets and Reps: Four to eight rounds, one total minute of controlled reps.
  • Rest time: No rest before moving to the next exercise.

Kettlebell Bob and Weave

  • How to Do It: Stand with a kettlebell in the goblet position. Take one foot to the step and descend into a half-squat. Perform a “weaving” or ducking motion with the weight — imagine getting out of the way of a dodgeball coming toward your face. Bend at the waist and keep your torso neutral, don’t round your spine forward. Bring in your other foot and stand up. Then repeat to the opposite side.
  • Sets and Reps: Four to eight rounds, one minute of bobbing and weaving.
  • Rest time: No rest before starting the circuit over.

Iron-Clad Kettlebell Conditioning

If you want to become a lean, mean, non-stop machine and crank up your cardiovascular and endurance capacities, then these workouts are for you. Kettlebells allow you to work on different aspects of conditioning by providing either steady paced, sustainable exercises or high intensity, lactic-acid inducing burnout sessions.

If you’re a bit rusty, cardio-wise, then the fat loss workout will double as an effective base-building plan. When you feel capable of tackling a more challenging routine, you can replace it with one of these or combine them into your weekly program if you’re hungry for faster cardio gains.

Kettlebell Aerobic Power

Here we want to use a variety of exercises for intense bursts of work and incomplete rest — a form of high intensity interval training or HIIT. This stimulates higher oxygen utilization and addresses aerobic abilities of your muscles. Be sure to use a relatively high intensity to really stimulate the aerobic power, which is the functional capacity of the cardiorespiratory system. So make these periods of work count.

You do want the effort to remain sustainable and aerobic, hence the 1:1 work:rest ratio and the inclusion of exercises that you can perform for long duration sets. Perform 30 seconds of work with 30 seconds of rest on each exercise and repeat the circuit a total of four times to create one “block.” Rest two to three minutes between each block and perform two to three blocks per workout.

 Kettlebell Clean and Press

  • How to Do It: Stand while holding a pair of kettlebells. Swing the weights backward underneath you while hinging forward and keeping a flat back. Maintain a neutral spine and stand up explosively to drive the kettlebells up. Keep the weights close to your body and bring them to the rack position. Pause briefly to stabilize yourself and brace your core. Press both weights overhead to lockout. Carefully lower them to shoulder-level, then lower the weights to your sides. Repeat the entire sequence for each additional repetition. 
  • Sets and Reps: 30 seconds of work.
  • Rest time: Rest 30 seconds before moving to the next exercise. 

Kettlebell Burpee

  • How to Do It: Stand up holding a pair of kettlebells at your sides. Perform a kettlebell deadlift to place the weights on the floor — slightly bend your legs and drive your hips back without rounding your spine. Keep your hands on the weights, driving the kettlebells into the floor, and carefully “jump” your legs back to land in a push-up position with your arms straight. Perform a full push-up, lowering your body as far as your mobility allows before pressing to lockout. “Jump” your feet toward the weight and stand up by deadlifting the kettlebells while keeping a flat back. Repeat the entire sequence for each repetition.
  • Sets and Reps: 30 seconds of work.
  • Rest time: Rest 30 seconds before moving to the next exercise.

Kettlebell Swing

  • How to Do It: Take a shoulder-width or wider stance in front of a kettlebell set on the ground. Hinge forward, making sure to keep your back flat. Grab the kettlebell handle with both hands and pull it backwards until your hands are between your inner thighs. Thrust your hips forward explosively to swing the weight up until it reaches chest- or eye-level. Keep your arms straight. Let the weight go back down between your thighs, without rounding your back. Cycle the movement rhythmically for the desired amount of repetitions.
  • Sets and Reps: 30 seconds of work.
  • Rest time: Rest 30 seconds before repeating the first exercise.

Kettlebell Anaerobic Development

When the intensity is really high, your body will tap into the anaerobic system and use the phosphagen and glycolytic pathway to produce as much energy as possible. This type of training still uses the aerobic pathway for recovery and it will improve your aerobic base, but it primarily focuses on making you more resilient to intense, shorter bouts of exercise and lactic acid accumulation. 

This approach is particularly useful for powerlifters, CrossFitters, and strongmen/strongwomen, as it can help you to sustain very hard work lasting in the 90 to 120-second range while improving glucose storage and utilization. You can use a wide variety of intense exercises, and kettlebells are perfectly fitted for such workouts. For this workout, you want to be pushing yourself hard — aim for 90% of your maximum output. Set a timer to start every four minutes and begin the exercises when it rings. Repeat the entire circuit five or six times.

Thruster

  • How to Do It: Hold a pair of kettlebells in the front rack position while standing. Brace your core and squat down until your upper thighs just break parallel. Stand back and use the momentum of your legs to assist you into a smooth transition into an overhead press. Lockout the weights overhead and stabilize your entire body. Lower the kettlebells to the front rack position and repeat.
  • Sets and Reps: 5-6 x 12
  • Rest time: No rest before moving to the next exercise.

Double Kettlebell Snatch

  • How to Do It: Stand in front of a pair of kettlebells with a relatively wide stance. Hinge forward, making sure to keep a flat back. Grab the kettlebells and pull them back until your hands are between your inner thighs. Drive your hips forward explosively to bring the weights up, keeping them close to your body as they continue upward. In one motion, straighten your arm over your head and carefully “catch” the weight by dipping your legs as the kettlebells turn onto the back of your forearms. Lower the weights while keeping them close to you, and swing them back past your legs to flow into the next repetition.
  • Sets and Reps: 5-6 x 12
  • Rest time: No rest before moving to the next exercise.

 Kettlebell Burpee

  • How to Do It: Stand up holding a pair of kettlebells at your sides. Perform a kettlebell deadlift to place the weights on the floor — slightly bend your legs and drive your hips back without rounding your spine. Keep your hands on the weights, driving the kettlebells into the floor, and carefully “jump” your legs back to land in a push-up position with your arms straight. Perform a full push-up, lowering your body as far as your mobility allows before pressing to lockout. “Jump” your feet toward the weight and stand up by deadlifting the kettlebells while keeping a flat back. Repeat the entire sequence for each repetition.
  • Sets and Reps: 5-6 x 12
  • Rest time: Rest the remaining of the four minutes before starting the circuit again.

Kettlebell Workout for Beginners

If you’re new to kettlebell training, here’s a workout to ease you into the flow of using an unfamiliar piece of equipment. This basic full-body workout alternates kettlebell staples and more traditional exercises in a circuit to build complete size and strength as well as familiarity with the unique ‘bell. It’s also a great fit for any newer lifter that wants to improve their fitness.

Kettlebell Swing

  • How to Do It: Take a shoulder-width or wider stance in front of a kettlebell set on the ground. Hinge forward, making sure to keep your back flat. Grab the kettlebell handle with both hands and pull it backwards until your hands are between your inner thighs. Thrust your hips forward explosively to swing the weight up until it reaches chest- or eye-level. Keep your arms straight. Let the weight go back down between your thighs, without rounding your back. Cycle the movement rhythmically for the desired amount of repetitions.
  • Sets and Reps: 4 x 8-12
  • Rest time: Rest one minute before moving to the next exercise.

Goblet Squat

  • How to Do It: Stand with a kettlebell in the “goblet squat” position — holding the horns (sides of the handle) with the weight resting snugly against your chest. With a roughly shoulder-width stance, squat down as low as your mobility allows. Keep the kettlebell glued to your chest and avoid letting your upper back round forward. Return to an upright position.
  • Sets and Reps: 4 x 8-12
  • Rest time: Rest one minute before repeating the previous exercise.

Kettlebell Clean and Press

  • How to Do It: Stand while holding a pair of kettlebells. Swing the weights backward underneath you while hinging forward and keeping a flat back. Maintain a neutral spine and stand up explosively to drive the kettlebells up. Keep the weights close to your body and bring them to the rack position. Pause briefly to stabilize yourself and brace your core. Press both weights overhead to lockout. Carefully lower them to shoulder-level, then lower the weights to your sides. Repeat the entire sequence for each additional repetition. 
  • Sets and Reps: 4 x 8-12
  • Rest time: Rest one minute before moving to the next exercise.

Kettlebell Row

  • How to Do It: Hold a pair of kettlebells with straight arms, brace your core, and hinge forward at your hips to assume a bent-over position. Pull your elbows toward past your hips. Don’t allow your elbows to flare out to the sides. Lower with control to a full stretch.
  • Sets and Reps: 4 x 8-12
  • Rest time: Rest one minute before repeating the previous exercise.

Turkish Get-Up

  • How to Do It: Lie flat on the floor with a kettlebell in one hand near your chest. Press it to lockout and keep your arm straight. Bend your leg on the same side and plant your foot flat on the floor. Raise your torso to sit up, using your opposite hand to brace on the floor — keep your arm locked with the weight overhead. Push through your heels and squeeze your glutes to raise your hips. Sweep your straight leg backward to assume a lunge position. Stand up. Keep your eyes on the weight overhead during the entire movement. Pause briefly in the standing position before reversing the entire sequence.
  • Sets and Reps: 3 x 5-8 per arm.
  • Rest time: No rest between arms. No rest before moving to the next exercise.

Kettlebell Curl

  • How to Do It: Stand with a kettlebell in each hand it. Flex your biceps to curl the weight up — keep a neutral or slightly bent wrist, don’t extend your wrist back. Keep your elbows near your sides. Lower to a full stretch.
  • Sets and Reps: 3 x 10-15
  • Rest time: No rest before moving to the next exercise.

Kettlebell Triceps Extension

  • How to Do It: Stand while holding one kettlebell by the sides with both hands. Raise it over your head and fully extend your arms. Without moving anything but your hands and forearms, bend your elbows to slowly lower the weight behind your head. When your arms are fully bent in a comfortable stretch, reverse the movement. Try not to flare your elbows too much — keep your elbows aimed forward.
  • Sets and Reps: 3 x 10-15
  • Rest time: Rest one to two minutes before repeating the first exercise.

How to Warm-up For Kettlebell Workouts

Just because you’re using a “simple” piece of equipment doesn’t mean you can skip the warm-up. With any workout, a warm-up will prime and activate your body to perform better and minimize the risk of injuries. Your best course of action would be to start with a light cardiovascular activity for five minutes like jumping rope or cycling, then hop into this circuit of exercises.

  • Figure Eight: Grab a kettlebell in one hand, take a wider than shoulder-width stance, and squat halfway down. Pass the kettlebell between your legs from one hand to the next, forming a “figure eight” pattern — around the inside and outside of one leg, then back between your legs, and to the other side. Keep doing this until you perform 10 “eights,” then stand up.
  • Kettlebell Halo: Begin holding the kettlebell by the horns in front of your face. Lift one elbow to maneuver the kettlebell around your head in a tight circle. Bring it around the back of your head and in front of your face. Repeat in the opposite direction. Do 10 reps per side.
  • Alternating Kettlebell Swing: Stand in front of the kettlebell with a wide stance. Hinge forward while keeping a flat back. Grab the kettlebell with one hand and pull it back until your hand is between your inner thighs. Thrust your hips forward explosively to swing the weight up until chest- to eye-level. When the weight reaches its maximum height, quickly and carefully grab it mid-air with your other arm. Let the weight go back down between your thighs, keeping your back stiff and neutral. Repeat hands with each repetition. If the coordination or alternating hands is too challenging, perform basic kettlebell swings. Perform 20 to 30 reps.
  • Kettlebell Windmill: Press the kettlebell overhead and take a very wide stance. Slightly angle both feet toward the side supporting the weight. Keep your arms and legs straight as you “hinge” and bend in the direction opposite to the weight you’re holding. Keep you arm locked straight and aimed at the ceiling, and descend as far as your mobility allows.  Steadily stand back up and pause briefly. Repeat for ten reps before switching to the other side.

Swing Your Way to Fitness

Kettlebells are getting more and more popular for a reason. Practical, versatile, and functional, this lifting equipment can help you reach your goals of muscle size, strength, conditioning, or fat loss. Use these tailored workouts to master the flow of kettlebells and add this incredible, time-tested tool to your fitness kit.

References

  1. Manocchia, Pasquale1; Spierer, David K.2; Lufkin, Adrienne K. S.1; Minichiello, Jacqueline1; Castro, Jessica1. Transference of Kettlebell Training to Strength, Power, and Endurance. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 27(2):p 477-484, February 2013. | DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e31825770fe
  2. Jay, Kenneth1; Jakobsen, Markus D.1; Sundstrup, Emil1; Skotte, Jørgen H.1; Jørgensen, Marie B.1; Andersen, Christoffer H.1; Pedersen, Mogens T.2; Andersen, Lars L.1. Effects of Kettlebell Training on Postural Coordination and Jump Performance: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 27(5):p 1202-1209, May 2013. | DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e318267a1aa
  3. Hulsey, Caleb R.1; Soto, David T.1; Koch, Alexander J.2; Mayhew, Jerry L.1,3. Comparison of Kettlebell Swings and Treadmill Running at Equivalent Rating of Perceived Exertion Values. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 26(5):p 1203-1207, May 2012. | DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3182510629
  4. Lake, Jason P.; Lauder, Mike A.. Kettlebell Swing Training Improves Maximal and Explosive Strength. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 26(8):p 2228-2233, August 2012. | DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e31825c2c9b

Featured Image: Miljan Zivkovic / Shutterstock

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June 13, 2023

The 9 Best Squat Variations for Size, Strength, and More

Filed under: Fitness,Training — Tags: , , , — admin @ 6:31 am

While squats are the king choice for leg day, they’re also the bane of many lifters’ existence. Some people simply don’t squat due to negligent programming while they bias toward relatively easier upper body training. Others might not squat because they’ve never learned proper technique and they can’t get comfortable with the movement. 

person in gym doing partial rep squats

Credit: Bojan656 / Shutterstock

If you’re in either of these categories, you’re in luck. Sometimes it helps to consider similar alternatives to the basic squat, so you can get all the benefits of the exercise using a variation that better suits your individual needs.

Plus, it can break up the monotony of a potentially stale workout program if you’ve hit a plateau. Changing things up to find what works for you is half the battle for long-term results and one or more of these may be the game changer you need.

Best Squat Variations

Front Squat

The front squat is a classic alternative to the more common and ubiquitous back squat. As a whole, the front squat can allow similar loading, as long as your mobility is on point. It can also promote a longer range of motion with less potential for lumbar spine injury.

Because the front squat is a more “athletic” variation compared to many other squats, it relies on coordinating strength from both your upper and lower body. In certain fitness worlds, like Olympic lifting or CrossFit, it’s considered the go-to squat variation. 

When to Do it 

If you’re looking to hit the quads a bit harder or achieve a deeper squat with a long range of motion (either by choice or due to immobility in your back squat), the front squat is for you.  Many lifters’ anthropometry and leverages don’t suit the back squat, but are better suited to the front squat due to its counterbalancing attributes. If you’ve got very long femurs or long legs overall, you owe it to your lower body development to give these a shot.  

How to Do it

There are two classic grips to hold the barbell on the front of the body while squatting. The relatively easier way is to use a cross-armed grip, also known also as the “California” style. Set a barbell in a squat rack and step up with your throat close to the bar. Cross your arms over one another — place the fingers of each hand on top of the bar near the opposite shoulder.

Keep your elbows high and hold the bar place with the thumb and first finger of each hand. This will also help to block the bar from rolling forward down the shoulders. Step out of the rack with your upper body in a strong position, set a comfortable-width stance, and proceed to squat. 

The second option is using a clean-grip rack position — holding the barbell across the fronts of your shoulders with a fully closed grip. This is a more stable and relatively safer variation but requires a lot more mobility and flexibility, especially in your thoracic region (upper back), wrists, and shoulders.

To determine if you can comfortably use the clean-grip, try to touch each shoulder with the same-side hand while standing. If you can, you likely have the mobility to do these, maybe with some practice mixed in. When using a clean-grip, aim to keep your elbows high at all times, especially during the lowering phase.

Zercher Squat

The Zercher squat moves the barbell from being supported via an axial load (on your spine) and places the onus on your arms instead. That means huge accountability for your core —  both from the front (your abs) and the back (particularly your lower back) — to brace and stabilize your spine as the movement progresses.

The Zercher squat isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s a challenging squat movement that can even be simply uncomfortable to perform. It’s best done early in the workout when you’re fresh, compared to later on when your shoulders, arms, and core are fatigued.

When to Do it 

Because the Zercher squat uses an appendicular load (supporting the weight with your arms), the movement is a great way to begin a core-focused workout. Moreover, lifters who have issues getting their arms and shoulders into position for standard barbell squats  — think about how some shoulder injuries can prevent holding the bar during a back squat — the Zercher squat can be a suitable alternative. Aside from these stipulations, these can be added to any training session as a worthy challenge for any lifter up for the task. 

How to Do it 

Performing Zercher squats requires placing the barbell in the crook of your arms, so it’s being carried and supported by your elbows. Set up a barbell at waist-level. When placing your elbows under the bar to unrack it, avoid an arm width that’s too narrow. That will lead to limited stability, likely causing the bar to tip one way or the other. Aim to keep your knuckles facing the ceiling at all times. This way, the bar will be positioned squarely between your upper and lower arm, rather than falling toward your forearms. 

Holding your hands together while performing the movement may be helpful to fulfill the above cues. As you squat, keep the weight relatively close to your body. In the bottom position, let your elbows rest between your thighs and maintain as vertical a torso as possible. Drive up to the top, and repeat.

For added comfort, try using “fat grips” or thick padding on the bar where your forearms will go. The added surface area will disperse some of the loading, which should take some pressure off your elbow joint. 

Overhead Squat

Of all the squat variations of this list, the overhead squat requires the most prerequisite mobility and stability. The movement simply cannot be done without proper joint integrity at your shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles. You also need good extension through your thoracic and lumbar spine.

Doing this exercise forces a lifter to be highly accountable to factors like tempo and technique, while respecting physics, the weight lifted, and the multitude of muscles involved. There’s no arguing with the laws of the universe. Anything out of sorts will cause the barbell to come down. With all of this said, this movement should be reserved for those who have uninhibited ranges of motion in their load bearing joints.

When to Do it

Especially if you’re an Olympic weightlifter performing the snatch or the clean & jerk, the overhead squat can improve strength in the catch or push jerk phases of those lifts. The overhead squat should be done without the presence of any muscular fatigue, so programming it first in the daily order of exercises is a wise choice. 

How to Do it

An overhead squat requires a snatch-grip to secure the bar. To find your snatch grip, stand tall while holding the barbell with a palms-down grip. Gradually adjust your grip wider and wider until the bar naturally sits in your hip fold. Next, raise the bar overhead to full extension, maintaining that hand width.

Get into your ideal squat stance and squeeze “outward” on the bar with both hands to create tension through your entire back. As you descend into a squat, aim to never let the bar fall outside of your footprint — either forward or backward. The bar should descend and ascend in a generally straight line. Move slowly and keep reps on the lower end.

Kang Squat 

The Kang squat can be used as its own exercise or as a premier mobilization drill, warm-up, and pattern developer. Its biggest benefit is that it uniquely segments the squat into a more posterior chain-biased movement pattern. This emphasizes a good range of motion and bottom-end stability.

Another great thing about the Kang squat is the fact that it places the hamstrings in a loaded stretch, which can allow them to release tension in the pelvis due to eccentric lengthening. That can mean a deeper and more comfortable squat that also helps cranky knees, due to improved activation of the hamstrings.

When to Do it

Use the Kang squat in the first half of a squat-focused workout. This approach will torch your posterior chain (hamstrings and glutes) and make those muscles more available for activation during squats later in the session. Starting your leg workout with Kang squats can also act as a good CNS primer for any larger compound (multi-joint) movement.

How to Do it

The Kang squat begins similar to a good morning — performing a deep hip hinge with slightly bent legs, holding the bar on your upper traps. It’s essential to place tension across the bar by “pulling it apart” to keep the barbell in place.

After your hinge reaches its limit, it’s time for the knees to enter the picture by allowing a full knee bend, enabling your glutes to descend into a deep squat. Next, come out of the hole by raising your hips back into the good morning position. Your glutes and lower back extend your body back to its upright starting point. Try to pause in each phase to make the movement concise and segmented. Focus on sets of four to six reps.  

Heels-Elevated Dumbbell Squat 

Whenever mobility is lacking, or if your goal is to really hammer your quads, it may not be in the cards to simply rely on dorsiflexion (ankle mobility) or a front-positioned load to get the job done.

If you’re a lifter with stiff ankles, or if you have great mobility but want to really make your knees and quads bionically super-strong, elevating your heels and holding dumbbells at your sides is the squat variation for you.

When to Do it

This movement is less of a “big lift” compared to other large movements like barbell-loaded exercises, leg presses, or deadlifts, so it can actually happen second or later in your workout. Doing so will also make your quadriceps more targeted, especially if other leg muscles are fatigued. Using dumbbells rather than a barbell also keeps the movement more focused on your lower body with relatively less involvement from your upper body. 

How to Do it

If possible, use a dedicated slant board rather than simply elevating your heels on the edges of weight plates. Having your entire foot on a slope makes a major difference due to the angle of your metatarsals, which affect your arches and weight distribution.

This movement will definitely promote a rock-bottom range of motion, which means maximal knee flexion for a massive hit to your quads. The quads generally respond well to high reps, so that should be the aim for this movement. Pump out sets of 10-15 reps and try to enjoy the burn. Make sure not to rush the tempo — more time under tension can mean more muscle growth. (1)

Goblet Squat 

Goblet squats are a go-to movement for anyone, especially beginners, looking to improve their squatting technique. Not only is the exercise accessible for every lifter, but it’s front loaded, making counterbalancing and stability easier. Since your elbows are positioned downward and the weight’s position near your torso is slightly adjustable, it usually promotes a great depth with minimal modifications necessary.

In general, lifters should aim to become competent enough to perform relatively heavy goblet squats to start out and build a foundation, and then transition to a barbell back squat.

When to Do it

Novice lifters can use this as their bread and butter squat to really nail down the patterning and get a great lower body hit. Using this exercise on its own, or as part of a superset with another leg exercise, is effective.

It’s unlikely you’ll be able to use maximum weights, as most gyms don’t have extremely heavy dumbbells (and your strength will eventually exceed the limit). For that reason, using the goblet squat as a muscle-building tool for moderate to higher repetitions is the right call.

How to Do it

Hold a kettlebell or dumbbell in front of you at shoulder-height using both hands. Keep the weight in this position, set your feet for your ideal squat stance, and sit down.

To get deep and feel comfortable, you may feel better pushing the weight a couple of inches away from your torso as you descend. This is especially useful if you’re lacking mobility at the ankle or hip joints. Focus on using a slower speed on the way down and a stronger, powerful speed coming up. Focus on sets of eight to 10 reps.

Box Squat 

Squatting to a box does a few unique things. First, it keeps you accountable to a consistent target so there’s no margin for error or questionable depth. Secondly, it encourages a dead stop for no transfer of energy or use of the stretch reflex to “sling” your way out of the bottom position using momentum or elastic forces rather than muscular control.

Lastly, the box squat can hit your posterior chain a bit harder and salvage your knees from unwanted joint pain. Using the box helps to eliminate forward migration of the shin and prevents you from reaching too deep a position which could require more knee extension.

When to Do it 

The box squat is typically treated as strength-focused movement. Perform them heavy, with standard principles of progressive overload applying — adding repetitions or increasing the weight each workout. Box squats can also occupy a high-volume role in your workout, using relatively low rep ranges, plenty of sets, and focusing on hip drive and overall technique. In either case, perform the box squat as the first movement of the workout.

How to Do it

When box squatting, it’s typical to use a sturdy box that puts your upper thigh parallel to the ground, not lower, when you’re in the bottom of the squat. This becomes even more important since your body’s geometry needs to slightly change from that of a typical back squat.

Use a low-bar squat position, to accommodate for keeping your shins much more vertical, which will force your torso to lean forward more than usual. Your foot width will be a bit wider — at least one extra step to the side — to allow for the low-bar position and to suit the box width.

Focus on remaining tight while gently, but fully, sitting down on the box. After sitting down, drive hard with your hips — upward and then forward— to create the posterior chain tension necessary to get out of the hole. Sets of three to five reps is ideal for this exercise. 

Hatfield Squat 

The Hatfield squat makes use of a safety bar and the squat cage in a unique way.  The squat is actually performed “hands free” while using the rack itself as a guide to encourage more repetitions with heavier weights.

The support of the rack will also take some of the focus away from your upper body to shift attention to your lower body. The results is better technique, a stronger pump, and deep range of motion. Note: You cannot perform this exercise with a standard barbell.

When to Do it 

This is more of a hypertrophy training tool and they can be added to a lower body workout geared toward building muscle. This movement is most conducive to higher reps, while giving your muscles a chance to push themselves a bit further than normal with heavier weight. 

How to Do it 

The one non-negotiable piece of equipment needed for a Hatfield squat is a safety bar. Place the loaded bar on the rack, get into the pads, and carefully step out from the rack. Place both hands on either support beam around waist height. The safety bar will be balancing on your upper back, but it should be secure due to its handles and offset center of gravity.

Squat down using the support beams for assistance. Keep your torso upright, but really use your hands to guide your way up and down. It’s okay if you don’t come to an absolute full extension — the name of the game is getting a few more reps in. You can use a slightly faster pace as long as you remain in control of the weight. Focus on sets of 10-15 reps, and don’t shy away from heavier than normal weight for said rep range. You should be able to do it with the hand-supported assistance. 

Skater Squat 

A list of squat variations wouldn’t be complete without highlighting a unilateral exercise, and one of the most important ones that doesn’t lend itself to cheating is the skater squat. This enforces stability through your hip and knee joint and makes your glutes, quads, and ankles work overtime to stabilize the leg, making this exercise possible.

Especially if you’re suffering from bilateral imbalances or joint issues in your hips, knees, or ankles, this variation belongs in your program. It likely won’t take much more than bodyweight to get a major training effect from them, so they can be performed nearly anywhere or anytime.

When to Do it 

Positioning this exercise as an accessory movement in a squat workout, as a primer and warm-up before a lower body workout, or as its own prioritized exercise on a “weak link” training day is all fair game. What matters the most is that it gets done. A good skater squat is an indicator of lower body health and strength. 

How to Do it 

Stand with on one foot planted on the ground and the opposite leg bent roughly 90-degrees with the foot in the air. Lean forward slightly and extend your arms in front of you as a natural counterbalance. Making fists can also help with stability. Descend slowly, aiming to gently touch the back knee to the ground. On contact, drive with your front leg — don’t push off with the knee, shin, or foot of the back leg — and return to a standing position.

You can adjust the depth of movement by placing a short platform or stacked mats where your back knee contacts the ground. This will create a shorter range of motion so you can build strength and stability. Focus on sets of anywhere from six to 12 reps per leg, depending on your lower body health, strength, and conditioning.

Back Squat Form Tips 

Of course, it’s worthwhile to go over the old classic. As far as squats go, the barbell back squat is the most ubiquitous “squat” you’ll ever see, but it’s also the most butchered. Let’s go over the checklist for an exercise that’s effective at training your quads, glutes, core, and total body mobility.

person in gym holding barbell on back

Credit: BAZA Production / Shutterstock

Let’s break things down step by step. 

  • Set the loaded bar in the rack at shoulder level and step underneath it. Position your hands just outside shoulder-width.
  • Pull your shoulder blades back and bring your elbows slightly behind your body to create a perfect “shelf” to rest the bar on. Stand up under the bar so it’s comfortably positioned on that muscular shelf.
  • Unrack the bark, take two steps backward, and even out your stance. You should be far enough away from the rack supports that you don’t crash into them on your descent or ascent. 
  • Try to pull the barbell apart. This will help you brace your entire upper body. Maintain this tension for the duration of your set. Get your feet ready in a comfortable, stable width and turn feet slightly out. 
  • Take a big breath in and brace your core — if your six-pack looks selfie-ready when you’re squatting, you’re doing it wrong. Get a big belly full of air and hold it for most of the repetition. Try to only let the breath out near the top of each rep.
  • Descend slowly and under control. This will allow you to focus on tension, bracing, and alignment. Your knees should not cave inward. Instead, ensure they track in the same direction as your toes (slightly outward).
  • Once you’ve descended with your thighs just below parallel, drive up strongly by squeezing your glutes. Aim for your shoulders to lead the way up, not your hips. The bar should travel in a straight line up and down, and your heels should remain planted.

Plenty of Squats, Plenty of Gains

Some lifters think a leg workout is incomplete without squats. That may or may not be true, but the bottomline is that some type of squat — whether it’s the classic back squat or any of the unique variations listed above — can be just the answer when you’re looking for a stronger lower body, more muscular legs, or improved mobility. Time to get some wheels.

References

  1. Burd, N. A., Andrews, R. J., West, D. W., Little, J. P., Cochran, A. J., Hector, A. J., Cashaback, J. G., Gibala, M. J., Potvin, J. R., Baker, S. K., & Phillips, S. M. (2012). Muscle time under tension during resistance exercise stimulates differential muscle protein sub-fractional synthetic responses in men. The Journal of physiology, 590(2), 351–362. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2011.221200

Featured Image: Photology1971 / Shutterstock

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June 10, 2023

Lat Pulldown vs. Pull-Up: The Battle for a Bigger Back

Filed under: Fitness,Training — Tags: , , , , , — admin @ 2:22 am

The lat pulldown and the pull-up are staples across many training programs — sometimes even coexisting within the same workout. Both exercises train the “vertical pulling” movement pattern and can be highly effective for targeting your back muscles, which is why some lifters regard them as nearly interchangeable. Despite how visually similar the movements may seem, they can actually offer pretty significant and distinct benefits.

long-haired person in gym doing pull-ups

Credit: Microgen / Shutterstock

Whether you should focus on pulldowns or pull-ups can depend on a few factors, including your experience and your goals. From technique, programming, and step-by-step execution, here is everything you need to know about these foundational back-building exercises.

Lat Pulldown and Pull-Up

Exercise Differences

Recognising the differences between the lat pulldown and the pull-up can put you on the fast track for better results. Some key differences involve the equipment used, or lack thereof. Some relatively subtle, but significant, differences in programming can also be found.

Human Body vs. Machine

The major visual difference between the lat pulldown and pull-up is the fact that one is a bodyweight exercise and the other requires a full cable station. This brings with it two major considerations.

The lat pulldown uses a specialized cable stack pulley system to anchor your body in place while you move an adjustable weight stack, whereas the pull-up simply requires a fixed overhead bar that can support your body weight.

Two people in gym doing pull-ups on an overhead bar

Credit: Ground Picture / Shutterstock

This can affect the relative ease of implementing each exercise into your program based upon availability of equipment, as well as your own capabilities — body weight pull-ups may be too challenging for beginners, while pulldowns can accommodate lifters of any experience or strength level.

As a calisthenics exercise, the pull-up places a greater stabilization challenge on your entire body, from your back and shoulders through your core to your lower body. The stable machine and fixed anchor points provided by the pads on a lat pulldown machine make it tremendously easier to take a seat and get to work. The machine itself provides stabilization, so you can focus targeting your back muscles.

Loading

One of the largest differences between the lat pulldown and pull-up is the range of resistance you can use. The lat pulldown is a highly adjustable machine that simply requires you to add more plates or lower the pin on the weight stack further and further — sometimes exceeding a comparable pull-up load.

The lat pulldown is more scalable than a pull-up — the resistance can be quickly and easily reduced to allow relatively weaker lifters to perform the exercise. Aside from getting creative using resistance bands to assist a pull-up or having access to a dedicated assisted pull-up machine, it can be quite challenging to overcome the baseline level (your body weight) needed to perform a pull-up. This is especially true if you want to perform multiple repetitions per set.

Sets and Repetitions

Similar to the differences in loading, the lat pulldown and pull-up are often paired with distinct set and repetition schemes. For many people, the pull-up is an upper body strength movement that lives in a lower repetition range. Whereas, the lat pulldown typically exists as an effective muscle-building tool that thrives with more moderate repetitions.

You’ll often see pull-ups performed for two to three sets of anywhere from one to 10 repetitions. While the pulldown could be performed with much heavier weights for low-rep sets, it’s nearly impossible to maintain strict form with such programming due to poor leverage. Having your lower body and core locked into position becomes a limiting factor.

In contrast, a lat pulldown is typically done for two to four sets of eight to 12 repetitions. Reaching that type of volume with pull-ups is typically reserved for experienced lifters of a significant strength level, either performed with added weight or with body weight alone.

Exercise Similarities

While there can be several key differences, the lat pulldown and pull-up do share some significant overlaps to consider, as well. They will hit many of the same primary muscle groups, both require some degree of overhead mobility, and the exercises share many basic variations.

Muscles Worked

The lat pulldown and pull-up primarily target your latissimus dorsi — a large swath of muscle located on either lateral side of your back. While the latissimus dorsi (lats) are the prime mover, both exercises will also heavily involve your upper back, biceps, and varying degrees of core musculature to stay in an efficient pulling position.

Mobility Requirements

The vertical pulling pattern used in both exercises requires you to be able to successfully, comfortably, and safely get your arms fully extended overhead. While that may sound simple enough, shoulder mobility and joint health is a very important component of avoiding training-related aches or pains in the long-term.

Muscular man performing lat pulldown in gym

Credit: martvisionlk / Shutterstock

If you can achieve the overhead position effectively, both the lat pulldown and pull-up can be effective at maintaining your overhead mobility, especially when you focus on working through a full range of motion in the stretched (overhead) position.

Grip Variations

When it’s time to introduce exercise variety, the lat pulldown and pull-up can both allow narrow or wide hand positions, which can alter the muscle emphasis from your lats to your upper back or even your biceps. (1)

Both exercises can also be performed using unique grip orientations, from neutral-grip to overhand or even freely rotating (using individual handles or straps to allow your wrists to rotate during each repetition). Like grip width, changing the orientation of your hands and forearms is an effective way of altering muscle recruitment by making slight adjustments. (2)

Technique Differences

The lat pulldown and pull-up have some definitive technique differences. Because one is a calisthenics exercise and the other is performed while seated on a machine, your overall body position will affect exercise technique.

Hollow Body

The hollow body is a full-body bracing technique that helps to create a rigid body posture. The high level of total body tension it creates allows you to better control your movement through space. This technique is especially important during the pull-up, where you will be freely moving without any anchor points aside from your grip.

In order to successfully perform a pull-up, establishing a strong hollow body technique is essential to maintain stability. The lat pulldown, on the other hand, provides this stability on your behalf by offering leg pads to hold you in place.

Torso Angle

Your torso angle during each repetition is a major difference between the pull-up and lat pulldown. Because your lower body is secured under the knee pads, the lat pulldown allows you to manipulate your torso angle to target subtly different muscles. A greater degree of backward lean could emphasize more of your upper back, whereas a more vertical torso angle puts your upper back into a less advantageous position and emphasizes lat activation.

On the other hand, fairly consistent technique and upper body position is required for a proper pull-up. From a dead-hang position (gripping the bar with your arms fully straightened), you must set your shoulder blades by first “shrugging” yourself up. In doing so, you will be able to better leverage your latissimus dorsi to complete the rep and actually pull you up.

When you get this technical cue right, you will have a slightly backward-leaning torso angle while performing each repetition, but nowhere near the freedom of motion provided by the lat pulldown machine.

Lower Body Position

Your lower body positioning will certainly be a notable difference in each exercise. Similar to the stability requirements during the hollow body technique in the pull-up, your leg position will be affected by the need to stay rigid. Fully lock your legs out, leaving them either hanging straight down or angled slightly ahead of your body. You cannot achieve a strong, stable hollow body position with bent legs.

With a lat pulldown, you will be in a completely seated position with your feet flat on the ground driving your knees up against the pad. While some lifters disregard the knee pad and let their heels leave the ground during pulldowns, this poor form doesn’t add any benefit and only reduces your stability and upper body pulling power.

How to Do the Lat Pulldown

Sit on the lat pulldown machine and adjust the knee pads to snuggly anchor your legs in place with your feet flat on the ground. Stand back up and grab the lat pulldown bar evenly, about shoulder-width apart, with an overhand grip.

Brace your full body and sit down, securing your legs under the knee pads. Squeeze the bar tight, brace your core, drive your legs into the knee pads by performing a static calf raise.

Lean back slightly and pull the bar toward your chest. Focus on feeling your back squeeze in the bottom position before straightening your arms to return to the starting position.

Form Tip: Be diligent to avoid momentum. Secure your body in the machine and brace hard – only move the bar by squeezing your back and pulling with your arms. Do not excessively sway your torso backwards. 

Benefits of the Lat Pulldown

  • The lat pulldown has a high degree of stability, making it a more effective way to focus on the back muscles.
  • The pulldown machine offers highly scalable loading, making it easy to perform for lifters of all experience levels.
  • Multiple handle attachments allow many variations for different benefits.
  • It’s relatively safe to take this exercise close to muscle failure.

Lat Pulldown Variations

The majority of effective lat pulldown variations will capitalize on different handle attachments to slightly change your technique and alter muscle recruitment.

Close-Grip Pulldown

Close-grip pulldowns draw your hands slightly closer together than the standard, shoulder-width grip. This increases the amount of leverage your lats have and slightly increases the range of motion — both of which can lead to a stronger training stimulus.

The close-grip pulldown can make the exercise more effective when you’re just learning general technique by delivering a strong training stimulus without needing heavy weight.

Wide-Grip Pulldown

Wide-grip lat pulldowns place your hands slightly farther apart than the standard issue grip placement. This will put your lats at a greater disadvantage, making some of the supporting musculature in your upper back, shoulders, and arms contribute more. This will also reduce the load you’ll be able to lift.

This is a great exercise to fill gaps in your physique or in your strength development. By strengthening relatively weaker links, wide-grip pulldowns can also prolong the amount of time you can make progress before adding weight.

Dead-Hang Pulldown

The dead-hang style of lat pulldown will have you fully “relax” your shoulder blades and assume a completely upright torso between each repetition. Your teres minor (a small shoulder muscle) will get some added work helping to stabilize your shoulder for each repetition.

This is a great way to gain, and maintain, shoulder stability. The increased muscle recruitment will also help upper back development.

Single-Arm Pulldown

The single-arm lat pulldown turn the exercise into a unilateral (single-sided) version. This forces each side of your body to work independently of the other, which will greatly help to accommodate any body size or shape while addressing any natural asymmetries.

The single-arm pulldown is also a tremendously effective way to add more progression time to your lat pulldown exercise by essentially doubling the amount of load each side will have access to.

How To Do The Pull-Up

Perform the pull-up by grabbing a straight bar that is high enough for your legs to dangle freely without touching the ground. Use a small box or (safely) jump to grab the bar with an overhand grip approximately shoulder-width apart.

Perform a hollow body technique by flexing your core, depressing your shoulder blades, engaging your glutes, and locking your quads.

Engage your lats and flex your arms to pull your chest toward the bar. Once you have reached the highest point that you can pull yourself to, slowly lower back to the starting position using control. Maintain your brace and perform for your target repetitions.

Form Tip: Be diligent about maintaining hollow body tension and eliminating any lower body sway. Performing a pull-up gets exponentially more difficult when you have to counter any unneeded movement. Stay braced and aim to start each repetition from a motionless position. Swinging your hips and legs may help you perform more reps, but it reduces muscular stress on your back.

Benefits of the Pull-Up

  • The pull-up requires little-to-no equipment.
  • Bodyweight exercises can improve coordination and proprioception (body awareness) which can carryover to general athleticism.
  • Scalable to suit either strength or hypertrophy goals when appropriate programming and loading is used.

Pull-Up Variations

Pull-ups can be modified to attack a few different goals. Similar to pull-ups, changing your grip position can deliver some unique benefits.

Wide-Grip Pull-up

Wide-grip pull-ups place your upper back (teres minor) on blast. A wider grip will make it harder on your lats, but also put a bigger emphasis on your ability to maintain the right shoulder positioning for each repetition.

When you’re looking to train nearly your entire upper body, while also seriously roasting your shoulder stability, use the wide-grip pull-up.

Neutral-Grip Pull-up

On the opposite side of things, a neutral-grip pull-up places you in a much more inherently stable position. The relatively closer grip and neutral (palms facing in) hand placement will make it easier to harness your back muscles to pull you up, but also take some of the shoulder stability challenge away.

When you’re looking to go for moderate or higher reps, or build a foundation of strength and muscle, neutral-grip pull-ups are a great option.

Towel Pull-up

Towel pull-ups are a huge boost to your grip strength. This low-tech modification, draping a simple (but sturdy) towel over a bar, will seriously challenge your ability to simply hang on.

If you’re in the market for a stronger grip and bigger arms — and if you can already perform more than a handful of pull-ups — challenge yourself with towel pull-ups.

When to Program the Best Pulling Movement for Your Goal

There are several instances where either the lat pulldown or pull-up might be the better option. Your specific goals and training experience are unique factors to consider.

Beginner

When you’re a beginner, you’ll be looking to build a base of muscle and strength before eventually launching into a more structured and challenging program. With that in mind, you may struggle with pull-ups because they can be very unforgiving.

While there are ways to make pull-ups more accessible for beginner lifters, such as using resistance bands for assistance, oftentimes a pull-up is a bit of a tall order. Instead, spending some time building a super-strong lat pulldown can be a relatively lower barrier to entry. Once you’ve accomplished this, either option is freely available and effective.

Muscle Gain

Both the lat pulldown and pull-up can be very effective muscle-building tools, but there are some subtle differences that likely edge the lat pulldown ahead. The lat pulldown is a more stable training tool. This means that there will be less “moving parts” in your way while you chase highly stimulating sets that accumulate volume needed to build your back. (3)

The lat pulldown also allows for a slow, controlled, and incremental increase in loading which once again provides a boost to long-term muscle growth. The pull-up is great in its own right, but it’s hard to beat the lat pulldown for pure muscle gain.

Strength Gain

Gaining strength can be accomplished with both the lat pulldown and pull-up. However, the lat pulldown can more easily be loaded and trained for strength-focused results. With that in mind, it’s going to offer you more lat-specific strength.

On the other hand, the pull-up, as a bodyweight exercise, is more of a full-body exercise. In this instance, the pull-up will help build greater full-body strength. If you want better overall strength potential, emphasizing the pull-up will likely be the better option.

Limited Equipment

When you don’t have access to a gym, the choice is a simpler one. The lat pulldown literally requires a machine, which likely is only accessible through a commercial or home gym equivalent.

While a pull-up bar may seem mandatory for doing pull-ups, it is not actually required. A pull-up can, technically, be performed anywhere you have access to a strong, stable anchor point to safely grab. The pull-up wins when you have limited equipment. 

Advanced Athlete

If you’re an advanced athlete in nearly any sport, it’s a toss up. Once you’ve developed a strong base of muscle, strength, and coordination, both the pull-up and lat pulldown can be tailored to your needs.

Both can be loaded and progressed, both have unique variations to prolong your progress, and both are relatively easy to master after a short amount of focused time. Depending on your goals or needs, either the pull-up or lat pulldown (or even both) can be effectively programmed for athletic goals.

Prioritize Your Pulls

The lat pulldown and pull-up are both iconic staples of weight training. The exercises have unique benefits, times of superiority, and some clear drawbacks. Depending on your training age, goals, and available equipment, one option may jump out as the obvious choice. Review the information and make the best decision for your goals. Prioritize your pulls for some big gains and, one day, both classic movements may find their way into your program.

References

  1. Andersen, V., Fimland, M. S., Wiik, E., Skoglund, A., & Saeterbakken, A. H. (2014). Effects of grip width on muscle strength and activation in the lat pull-down. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 28(4), 1135–1142. https://doi.org/10.1097/JSC.0000000000000232
  2. Signorile, J. F., Zink, A. J., & Szwed, S. P. (2002). A comparative electromyographical investigation of muscle utilization patterns using various hand positions during the lat pull-down. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 16(4), 539–546.
  3. Schoenfeld, B. J., Contreras, B., Krieger, J., Grgic, J., Delcastillo, K., Belliard, R., & Alto, A. (2019). Resistance Training Volume Enhances Muscle Hypertrophy but Not Strength in Trained Men. Medicine and science in sports and exercise51(1), 94–103. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000001764

Featured Image: Tom Wang / Shutterstock

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June 8, 2023

Low-Bar vs. High-Bar Squats: What’s the Best Lower-Body Builder for You?

Filed under: Fitness,Training — Tags: , , , , — admin @ 7:13 am

Squats are probably the first exercise a person ever performs — simply standing up from the ground. This is likely why squats are often dubbed as the king of exercises. Indeed, they are one of the best, if not the best exercises to develop lower body size, strength, and power while making you a universally stronger athlete with a core of steel. 

Man in white sleeveless t-shit squatting with a loaded barbell across his back

Ivan Kochergin / Shutterstoc

When lifters talk about squats, they’re generally referring to the barbell back squat, even though there are many different ways to perform “a squat.” But there are even two primary types of back squats — the low-bar squat and the high-bar squat. In the high-bar squat, the barbell is resting on your upper traps, while the low-bar position nestles the bar across your posterior deltoids or even lower in some extreme cases.

Even though the two exercises might look similar from a distance, they have their own benefits and one or the other might better suit your specific goals. To figure out which squat setup is best for you, let’s compare them.

Low-Bar Squat and High-Bar Squat

Exercise Differences

At first glance, there are only a few inches of difference in bar placement. Surely that can’t make a dramatic difference, can it? It can. Here’s how each squat best serves a different purpose.

Strength Potential

Setting the barbell in a lower position decreases the moment arm between the bar and your hips. As such, you can use heavier loads with the low-bar squat. The lever is shorter, which means the same amount of force generated by your hips and back muscles, you can move more weight.

muscular person performing barbell squat

Credit: Dragon Images / Shutterstock

Your core is also more compact and resilient, and your upper back is stronger in a low-bar position. You face less risk of bending forward or having your upper back collapse with the low-bar squat.

This is why this variation is favored by powerlifters and most strength athletes. Some of them even put the barbell as low on their back as it can be without sliding down — to decrease the moment arm as much as possible, improve their leverage, and lift as much weight as possible. If you’re concerned with lifting as much weight as possible, then you should probably make the low-bar squat your primary choice. (1)

Muscle Recruitment

One consequence of having the barbell lower is that you have to adopt a more forward-leaning torso position. This increases your hip angle and, the greater it is, the more you’ll recruit your hip muscles: glutes, lower back, and hamstrings.

On the other hand, with the high-bar squat, you can maintain a more upright posture, but it increases knee flexion. You’ll put more stress on your quadriceps and it will be easier to feel them working. You also target the abs more because they’re more strongly recruited in an upright position.

This makes the low-bar squat more of a “posterior chain”-dominant movement (emphasizing your glutes, lower back, and hamstrings) while the high-bar squat also recruits your “anterior chain” (emphasizing your quadriceps and abdominals).

This is why the high-bar squat is the more common choice for bodybuilders and physique-focused lifters.The exercise suits those interested in building more muscular legs, particularly the relatively larger quadriceps.

Go with the high-bar squat if you want to emphasize your quads, but use low-bar squats if you’re more concerned with targeting your glutes and hamstrings.

Technique and Mobility

It can be difficult to find your ”groove” and adapt to low-bar squatting. You have to find your own ideal torso angle, decide an optimal barbell position, determine how much to sit back, etc. And this is emphasized because mobility requirements in your shoulders and hips will dictate the limits of your form.

Indeed, the barbell position in a low-bar squat requires a good deal of shoulder mobility to hold the bar in position, as well as external rotation and wrist stability. Low-bar squats are notorious for putting a relatively high degree of stress on your wrists and shoulders. This is why some powerlifters wear wrist wraps when squatting, or avoid the low-bar squat to save shoulder strain for their bench press.

If you have no mobility issues or old injuries nagging you, you’re good to go. But if you’re a battered gym veteran, or if your shoulders and elbows are tender, stick to the high-bar squat — at least until the pain and issues are gone and you have developed adequate mobility to squat pain-free.

Exercise Similarities

With both exercises being squats, they do share many similarities and overlapping benefits.

Bilateral Development

Both types of squats are multi-joint leg exercises that involve hip, knee, and ankle joints to work many muscle groups including the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and even your back and core. (2) Squats will mainly grow your legs, but they can actually contribute to making your whole body bigger and stronger. (3)

Because these squats work both lower body limbs at the same time, you’re more stable, and can generate more strength, lift more weight, and potentially stimulate more hypertrophy. They also help save time since you don’t have to switch legs with every set you perform.

Posterior Loading

Compared to other squats variations, both the low-bar and the high-bar squat are back squats, meaning that the loading is focused on your posterior chain because the bar is resting on your upper back muscles. This isn’t the case, for instance, with the Zercher squat or front squat which load the front half of your body and emphasize your anterior chain.

As such, both the low-bar squat and high-bar squat have the potential to load relatively heavy weight and they are effective for building strength. Compared to front-loaded squat movements, your torso is less upright and you undergo more hip flexion and less knee flexion.

Shirtless muscular person in gym doing barbell squat

Credit: antoniodiaz / Shutterstock

The back-focused bar position, whether it’s low-bar or high-bar, implies more recruitment in the posterior chain — hamstring, glutes, and lower back — and less recruitment in the anterior chain — quadriceps and abs. (4) If you’re interested in developing your posterior chain and lifting plenty of weight, then one of these back squat variations are your go-to.

How to Do the Low-Bar Squat

With the low-bar squat, the barbell is not placed on the traps. Get under a barbell and position it even lower, on your posterior deltoid (the rear of your shoulders) above the top of your armpits. Squeeze your shoulder blades as much as possible to create a “shelf” needed to hold the barbell in place. Bend forward slightly at the waist to prevent the bar from moving around or possibly falling.

Once the barbell is secure, step back and adopt a shoulder-width (or slightly wider) stance. Bend at your hips and knees until your thighs break parallel with the floor. Aim to keep the barbell over your midfoot at all times. This keeps you in a powerful position of leverage.. Push back up until your legs are straight.

Form tip: To help create the cushion of arm, shoulder, and upper back muscles necessary to hold the barbell in position, bring your hands slightly closer. This will help you squeeze your shoulder blades even more. It might prove uncomfortable at first, so make sure to properly warm-up your shoulders and back before low-bar squatting.

Benefits of the Low-Bar Squat

  • The low-bar squat puts you in a position to lift the most weight of any squat variation. This is the one you want to prioritize if you want to compete in strength sports like powerlifting or strongman/strongwoman contests, or if you’re simply interested in lifting really heavy weights for fun.
  • Low-bar squats deliver more posterior chain recruitment. Your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back will be activated more than with other squat variations.

Low-Bar Squat Variations

If you want to give your shoulders a break, or want to attack the squat from another angle, here are some variations you might want to try.

Safety Bar Squat

If you have access to a safety bar, it can be an excellent piece of gym equipment. Its main purpose is to make the exercise less stressful on your shoulders, elbows, and neck. In summary, it’s a very accessible squat for people who have joint mobility issues. You can mimic the low-bar squat torso angle and general technique, while sitting back farther and bending forward with less trouble.

The safety bar squat also has the benefits of overloading your traps, upper back, and abs. (5) If the low-bar squat irritates your shoulders or if you want to improve your upper back strength, give this variation a go. 

Box Squat

Technically, you could do box squats with a high-bar position, but the overall mechanics and purpose of box squats are better suited with the low-bar position. For this variation, you use a box or a bench, sit back, and squat down. Pause for a second on the bench or box, then contract your glutes and hamstrings to explode upwards. Don’t allow yourself to crash down uncontrolled onto the box.

This movement is a favorite among powerlifters because it’s a great way to teach proper squatting mechanics and consistent depth. The box squat also recruits your posterior chain more efficiently and teaches you to improve explosive power out of the bottom position.

How to Do the High-Bar Squat

Position yourself in front of a barbell in a rack, then duck under and position the bar to sit in the “shelf” of your upper back and traps. Do not rest the bar on your neck or cervical spine. When you have a somewhat comfortable position, grip the bar tightly and unrack it.

Take one step back, then another small step to adjust your position. Your feet should be around shoulder-width, but your exact stance will vary slightly depending on your individual morphology. If you have longer legs, you may be more comfortable with a slightly wider stance.

Take a deep breath and brace your core. Bend your knees and hips simultaneously until the crease of your hips is lower than your knees. Stand up with the weight, exhaling as you pass the midpoint of the repetition.

Form tip: Make sure that your big toes, little toes, and heels are always in contact with the ground. It will help you engage your glutes and should prevent bending forward during the ascent.

Benefits of the High Bar Squat

  • This is one of the best exercises to develop muscle throughout your lower body, especially your quadriceps. The powerful stimulus of this total-body exercise is an incredible trigger for overall size and strength.
  • High-bar squats are a relatively simple and beginner-friendly barbell squatting variation.
  • This movement will put relatively low stress on your joints, particularly sparing your hips from excessive strain.

High-Bar Squat Variations

If you want to take things to the next level and go beyond the traditional high-bar squat, try these variations. Each has its own benefits and could be a better suit for your training goal once you master the initial exercise. 

Smith Machine Squat

The Smith machine has the advantage of being more stable since the bar is on a guided rail. As such, this variation will require less stability and coordination, and you can push yourself harder with reduced risk of injury (from dropping the bar of fatiguing your core and upper body). This is a useful variation if you want to turn up the intensity and approach or reach muscular failure.

It also allows you to focus on the mind-muscle connection and really feel your legs working. This is an ideal exercise if you prioritize hypertrophy or overall safety above strength and heavy weights.

Front Squat

With the high-bar squat, you’re standing quite upright, but the front squat takes things to the next level by demanding super-strict form — if you bend forward, the bar will roll away. This is a useful exercise for teaching good general squat mechanics. The front squat also prevents the lifter from bending too far forward, which would turn the squat into a lower-back focused good morning exercise.

The front-loaded position of the front squat will also emphasize your quadriceps and core even more than other squat variations. It’s a prime choice to boost your Olympic lifts and has direct carryover to the clean & jerk. However, a proper front squat requires a degree of thoracic (upper back), shoulder, and wrist mobility, so it may not be an immediate option for all lifters without doing some mobility work. Choose the front squat if you want to grow your quadriceps as much as possible, improve your core strength, or support your Olympic lifts.

How to Program the Best Squat For You

Both of these lifts are bilateral multi-joint exercises, recruiting a ton of muscles. As such, they can be an effective fit in many training programs for a variety of purposes.

Building Strength

To get as strong as possible, your best bet is to use three to five sets of one to five repetitions with a heavy weight. Both variations are suited for this kind of programming. Which one you employ will depend on your goals. If you’re a powerlifter or a strongman/strongwoman, stick to the low-bar squat, as it is the one with which you lift the most overall weight.

If you’re an Olympic weightlifter or a CrossFitter, the high-bar squat will be your variation of choice, as it has more carryover to the Olympic lifts and the movements you’ll find in competition. If you’re a general gym-goer, pick the variation that feels most natural.

Growing Muscle

For maximal muscle growth, use a classic repetition scheme of three to four sets of eight to 12 repetitions. The lower rep range will deliver a moderately heavy stress on the body, while the longer duration sets create a burning sensation for muscle growth.

If your goal is to build muscle, either squat setup could be useful, but most experienced bodybuilders and physique-focused lifters stick with the high-bar squat. Why? They’re not concerned with putting the biggest weights on the bar, but with getting the biggest muscles.

The high-bar squat will target your quadriceps, which are among the biggest muscles on the human body. High-bar squats also put relatively less stress on your shoulders and elbows, which sometimes take a beating from various presses, extensions, and assorted upper body training.

Explosive Power

If you’re an athlete trying to run faster or jump higher, it’s a good idea to add some explosive, power-based squats to your training regimen. Five to 10 sets of two to five reps, using a moderately heavy weight that you can still accelerate, will be your best bet. Stick to the high-bar squat. The general technique and muscle recruitment will have the most carryover to improving jumping and running.

Don’t End Up With Diddly Squat

Squats are dubbed the king of exercises for a reason. Don’t miss out on back squats. Use the bar position best suited to your body and goals, whether you want to build an impressive set of wheels, lift a pile of weight, become a better athlete, or boost your overall fitness.

References

  1. Glassbrook, Daniel J.1; Brown, Scott R.1; Helms, Eric R.1; Duncan, Scott1; Storey, Adam G.1,2. The High-Bar and Low-Bar Back-Squats: A Biomechanical Analysis. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 33():p S1-S18, July 2019. | DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000001836
  2. Ribeiro, Alex S. PhD1,2; Santos, Erick D. MSc1,2; Nunes, João Pedro MSc2; Nascimento, Matheus A. PhD2,3; Graça, Ágatha MSc3; Bezerra, Ewertton S. PhD4; Mayhew, Jerry L. PhD5. A Brief Review on the Effects of the Squat Exercise on Lower-Limb Muscle Hypertrophy. Strength and Conditioning Journal 45(1):p 58-66, February 2023. | DOI: 10.1519/SSC.0000000000000709
  3. Myer GD, Kushner AM, Brent JL, Schoenfeld BJ, Hugentobler J, Lloyd RS, Vermeil A, Chu DA, Harbin J, McGill SM. The back squat: A proposed assessment of functional deficits and technical factors that limit performance. Strength Cond J. 2014 Dec 1;36(6):4-27. doi: 10.1519/SSC.0000000000000103. PMID: 25506270; PMCID: PMC4262933.
  4. Yavuz HU, Erdağ D, Amca AM, Aritan S. Kinematic and EMG activities during front and back squat variations in maximum loads. J Sports Sci. 2015;33(10):1058-66. doi: 10.1080/02640414.2014.984240. Epub 2015 Jan 29. PMID: 25630691.
  5. Hecker KA, Carlson LA, Lawrence MA. Effects of the Safety Squat Bar on Trunk and Lower-Body Mechanics During a Back Squat. J Strength Cond Res. 2019 Jul;33 Suppl 1:S45-S51. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000002912. PMID: 30363042.

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