Within this blog post I am going to identify a few great loading strategies to be aware of when attempting to increase strength and overall tissue tolerance. The more tolerant a joint and muscle group are to strain, the more you will get out of that muscle over time, increasing your potential for gains.
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Improving hip function:
The area I’d like to focus on today will be the hips and all of the things associated with this often troublesome area. I feel as though there is a large disconnect with why working through the hips in isolation is so important and I hope to shed some light on this often problematic area.
Train like an athlete:
A common flaw I see with a lot of training programs is their lack of intent and structure. Whilst most programs are fundamentally written well enough, their desire is aimless or narrow minded. Quite often programs are designed for nothing more than weight loss, for example. With a design like this, we open ourselves up to a world of extrinsic pressure as well as unwarranted negativity. We are already looking at ourselves as though there is something wrong and somehow this over the top, cardio focused sweat fest is going to solve all of the problems. This is flawed from the get go and serves no purpose long term.
Improving trunk integrity
An area in which I’d like to touch upon today is the idea behind your “trunk integrity”. The concept is multi-faceted but in short means your strength, stability and mobility of your entire trunk. Your trunk comprises of a multi-layered slab of muscle which is primarily responsible (along with the help of bones) in protecting your vital organs. The secondary responsibility of the trunk muscles is ensuring that your spine remains protected and healthy in its own right. Within this blog post I am going to highlight the common functions and dysfunctions of the trunk, as well as ways to ensure you have adequate trunk integrity.
Exercise complexity: weightlifting:
Whilst exercise complexity is a great way to advance a program, we must consider how important the fundamentals are first. Within this blog I am going to break down the prerequisites required to take programming from a basic to more complex plan. Whilst it’s important to have some form of weightlifting in mind, it’s more important not to jump the gun and end up trying to do something you are not ready for.
Understanding training age:
A common thought process among lifters of all experience levels, is that heavy loaded barbell movements are the most bang for buck exercise choice available to a lifter. Now, whilst this in context can be true, we need to remember that a lot of barbell exercises produce a high strain on the body whilst eliciting a high force output. If a beginner is to last the journey within the weights room, they need to be prepared for training loads and strain levels. This is an adaptation that the body goes through over time, therefore giving merit to the term “training age”.
Understanding true plyometrics:
Often programmed for just about anybody, plyometrics are considered by most people as jumping based movements. You’ll see these exercises incorporated into high intensity cardio classes or given at the end of a session as a burn out type drill, which goes against the science entirely. A true definition of a plyometric exercise is a rapid lengthening and then shortening of a muscle fibre which utilises the stretch shortening cycle in order to generate a greater force output. Within this blog, I am going to share some of the science as well as some practical examples of plyometric exercises, and how to train these movements for performance.
High reps versus low reps:
Within this blog post I am going to dive into the science behind a low repetition effort versus a high repetition effort, and give you an understanding as to what you will achieve by doing either. There is no right and wrong, but the question really should be “which repetition range is going to help me achieve my goals, whatever they may be?” If we can understand what we are trying to achieve, we can build a better pathway towards achieving those results long term.
Time under tension:
For the purpose of this blog I am going to highlight a secret weapon of strength and hypertrophy training and give you some practical examples along with scientific explanation as to why you should consider this modality within your current routine. I am talking about eccentric training alongside isometric training. Both variables have proven themselves extremely valuable in any routine and now more than ever, as we are training with limited equipment, I feel as though these techniques should be added to your regime.
Unlocking the posterior chain:
Throughout my last blog I highlighted the three movement planes which I feel need to be addressed within this isolation period, in order to build symmetry and address weaknesses within regular gym based training programs. I highlighted how almost every exercise takes place within the sagittal plane, with little to no regard surrounding the frontal and transverse planes. By having access to machines, cables and heavy barbells, we always do the same sorts of things. We always use the same excuses as to why certain exercises are too hard and we never take a backwards step. The purpose of this blog is to break down the weak points most people face with their mobility and offer solutions as to how to get the best bang for your buck with a mobility routine.