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If you"re looking for an abdominal exercise well-suited to power development without bulk, look no further than the Janda sit-up.
Pavel has been able to register contractions in excess of 175% MVC (maximal voluntary isometric contraction) for the rectus abdominis at Dr. Stuart McGill"s laboratory performing the Janda sit-up with a device called, appropriately enough, the Ab Pavelizer. Some scientists theorize that the downward contraction of the hamstrings forces the hip flexors to relax, which largely prevents them from helping with the movement. Ergo, more than 100% MVC of the remaining workhorse: the rectus abdominis.
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To perform the Janda sit-up without any equipment, do the following: 1. * Loop a towel around your calves and have a training partner pull on it lightly at a 45-degree upward angle, trying to lift your feet.
Or, less ideal but practical for solo use: * Wrap a resistance band around the k.n.o.b of an open door and wrap the band around your calves, ensuring a downward 45-degree angle.
Then: 2. * Bring your tailbone and your navel together, and slowly sit up without allowing your feet to lift up or to slide toward you.
It"s much harder than it looks: even if you can do 50 normal sit-ups, don"t be surprised if you can"t complete a single proper Janda sit-up in the beginning.
In this case, start with lowering from the top position (negatives) only.
The "rule of 10 reps" can be applied here. For instance, you might start with five sets of two (5 2) negatives and then progress through the following rep schemes as you get stronger: 2323 ("2323" means four sets total: 2 reps, 3 reps, 2 reps, and 3 reps), then 343, then 235, and then 2 5. Once you can do these negatives under control, you can start doing full reps using the same progression or another "rule of 10" combination.
Remember to maintain a continual speed for negatives: don"t stay in one spot forever and then free fall to the floor. Hold on to something with your hands if necessary, such as a table leg or a resistance band around a door k.n.o.b.
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"Chron.o.biology" is the science of investigating time-dependent changes in physiology.
Muscle strength and short-term power output peak in the early evening (4:006:00 P.M. P.M.), which coincides with daily maximum body temperature.15 Pain tolerance, at least for arthritis and fibromyalgia, is also highest between 4:00 and 5:00 Pain tolerance, at least for arthritis and fibromyalgia, is also highest between 4:00 and 5:00 P.M P.M.
But 4:006:00 P.M. P.M. workouts never produced the best results for me. I believe this is because the ideal window depends on circadian rhythm and therefore wake time. These variables are almost never accounted for in studies. workouts never produced the best results for me. I believe this is because the ideal window depends on circadian rhythm and therefore wake time. These variables are almost never accounted for in studies.
If we a.s.sume an average wake time of 8:00 A.M. A.M. for most subjects who have work or cla.s.ses beginning at 9:00 for most subjects who have work or cla.s.ses beginning at 9:00 A.M. A.M., and if peak power output and pain tolerance is between 4:00 and 6:00 P.M. P.M. in their studies, this corresponds to 810 hours after waking. in their studies, this corresponds to 810 hours after waking.
I am a night owl, and my average wake time is 11:00 A.M. A.M. Using this average, Using this average,16 810 hours after waking would put my ideal window between 7:00 and 9:00 810 hours after waking would put my ideal window between 7:00 and 9:00 P.M. P.M.
That"s how I arrived at an optimal workout time of 7:00 to 9:00 P.M. P.M., which has allowed me to add two to three repet.i.tions to most exercises when using less than 85% of a one-repet.i.tion maximum (usually a set of six reps or more).
This doesn"t mean you have to train at night, but you should keep training times consistent so you can accurately gauge progress.
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TOOLS AND TRICKS.
Over-unders Dynamic Warm-Up (www.fourhourbody.com/over-under) This is a demo of the hip mobility movements using a single bar. Focus on the side hurdle (0:30) and under-the-hurdle side squat (1:30), which, when alternated, const.i.tute the over-unders Barry recommends as a dynamic warm-up. This is a demo of the hip mobility movements using a single bar. Focus on the side hurdle (0:30) and under-the-hurdle side squat (1:30), which, when alternated, const.i.tute the over-unders Barry recommends as a dynamic warm-up.
Underground Secrets to Faster Running by Barry Ross ( by Barry Ross (www.fourhourbody.com/underground) Allyson Felix used this strength training system right before she ran the fastest 200 meters in the world back in 2003. Allyson Felix used this strength training system right before she ran the fastest 200 meters in the world back in 2003.
"High-Speed Running Performance: A New Approach to a.s.sessment and Prediction" by Matthew W. Bundle, Reed W. Hoyt, and Peter G. Weyand (www.fourhourbody.com/hsrp) This is the original study from Rice University that developed the ASR speed algorithm. In Barry Ross"s words, "What they found was the Holy Grail to faster running speed." This is the original study from Rice University that developed the ASR speed algorithm. In Barry Ross"s words, "What they found was the Holy Grail to faster running speed."
ASRspeed (www.fourhourbody.com/asr) The actual sprinting program that Barry Ross discussed in this chapter. Any athlete who plays a sport requiring sudden bursts of forward speed (sprints, basketball, baseball, football, soccer, etc.) can benefit tremendously by using this program. It will largely eliminate the need for hill runs, sled towing, parachutes, and all the other tricks and toys people use to get faster. The actual sprinting program that Barry Ross discussed in this chapter. Any athlete who plays a sport requiring sudden bursts of forward speed (sprints, basketball, baseball, football, soccer, etc.) can benefit tremendously by using this program. It will largely eliminate the need for hill runs, sled towing, parachutes, and all the other tricks and toys people use to get faster.
"How to Add 100 Pounds to Your Squat in 13 Weeks with the Smolov Cycle" (www.fourhourbody.com/smolov) The Smolov Cycle is a Russian strength training routine designed by Master of Sports S. Y. Smolov. This cycle, though complex and very brutal, can easily add 60100 pounds to your squat. You can also download an Excel spreadsheet that"s designed to help you keep track of your progress during the Smolov program ( The Smolov Cycle is a Russian strength training routine designed by Master of Sports S. Y. Smolov. This cycle, though complex and very brutal, can easily add 60100 pounds to your squat. You can also download an Excel spreadsheet that"s designed to help you keep track of your progress during the Smolov program (www.fourhourbody.com/smolov-excel).
Fat Gripz (www.fourhourbody.com/fatgripz) Thick-bar training increases grip strength fast. The problem is that thick bars cost $200 or more. The solution is Fat Gripz, each the size of a Red Bull can (easy for travel), which slide onto normal bars in ten seconds. Take a week after every four weeks of heavy training to use Fat Gripz with lighter weights (I do stiff-legged deadlifts). Trust me, it will be harder than you think. Thick-bar training increases grip strength fast. The problem is that thick bars cost $200 or more. The solution is Fat Gripz, each the size of a Red Bull can (easy for travel), which slide onto normal bars in ten seconds. Take a week after every four weeks of heavy training to use Fat Gripz with lighter weights (I do stiff-legged deadlifts). Trust me, it will be harder than you think.
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End of Chapter Notes 1. To avoid shoulder problems, do not lower the bar to the chest, but to approximately 45 (the width of your fist) above the chest. Use a power rack if needed, and set the pins at this point. Doing compet.i.tion-standard lifts is of no interest, as his athletes are training for sports performance, not powerlifting compet.i.tion. To avoid shoulder problems, do not lower the bar to the chest, but to approximately 45 (the width of your fist) above the chest. Use a power rack if needed, and set the pins at this point. Doing compet.i.tion-standard lifts is of no interest, as his athletes are training for sports performance, not powerlifting compet.i.tion.
2. Once athletes can complete 12 standard push-ups, Barry has them elevate their legs to increase resistance. The legs aren"t elevated above 50 degrees (relative to the floor) because it would involve the shoulders more than the pectorals. For pure runners, the exercise is for general pectoral work, rather than for the purpose of the sport. The pectorals are just about the only muscle group not stimulated by the deadlift, which follows. Once athletes can complete 12 standard push-ups, Barry has them elevate their legs to increase resistance. The legs aren"t elevated above 50 degrees (relative to the floor) because it would involve the shoulders more than the pectorals. For pure runners, the exercise is for general pectoral work, rather than for the purpose of the sport. The pectorals are just about the only muscle group not stimulated by the deadlift, which follows.
3. The idea is to keep ground contact as short as possible on each landing, six landings maximum. In Barry"s training sessions, these jumps are sometimes onto a box, sometimes over a box, and standing triple jump or broad jump can also be subst.i.tuted. Personally, to keep it simple, I used a standard flat bench and tapped both feet on the top (rather than landing) before returning to the ground, repeating six times. The idea is to keep ground contact as short as possible on each landing, six landings maximum. In Barry"s training sessions, these jumps are sometimes onto a box, sometimes over a box, and standing triple jump or broad jump can also be subst.i.tuted. Personally, to keep it simple, I used a standard flat bench and tapped both feet on the top (rather than landing) before returning to the ground, repeating six times.
4. Also referred to as "turnover." Also referred to as "turnover."
5. Lamar appears to be slightly rounding his back in his photos, but it"s his thoracic (upper back) spine and not his lumbar (lower back) that"s rounded. This upper rounding is common in the conventional deadlift when handling world-cla.s.s poundages. Mere mortals should maintain a flat back until deadlifting well more than two times bodyweight. Lamar appears to be slightly rounding his back in his photos, but it"s his thoracic (upper back) spine and not his lumbar (lower back) that"s rounded. This upper rounding is common in the conventional deadlift when handling world-cla.s.s poundages. Mere mortals should maintain a flat back until deadlifting well more than two times bodyweight.
6. Note that the opposite is not true. Lifting before running is fine, but running before lifting is asking for injuries. Note that the opposite is not true. Lifting before running is fine, but running before lifting is asking for injuries.
7. This is one place where I diverged from instructions and performed warm-up sets of 12 reps leading up to my heaviest work weight. If I have an unidentified injury, I"d prefer it to blow out with 100 pounds instead of 400. This is a topic that Barry and I agree to disagree on. This is one place where I diverged from instructions and performed warm-up sets of 12 reps leading up to my heaviest work weight. If I have an unidentified injury, I"d prefer it to blow out with 100 pounds instead of 400. This is a topic that Barry and I agree to disagree on.
8. This format wasn"t practical at my closest gym, which is crowded and only has one rack. I opted instead to simply step sideways over a bench with knees as high as possible, which I followed with an immediate parallel squat and sidestep that increased in width with each repet.i.tion. The lateral "unders" are particularly important for increasing hip mobility before heavy "sumo" style deadlifts, which both Barry and Pavel recommend when possible. This format wasn"t practical at my closest gym, which is crowded and only has one rack. I opted instead to simply step sideways over a bench with knees as high as possible, which I followed with an immediate parallel squat and sidestep that increased in width with each repet.i.tion. The lateral "unders" are particularly important for increasing hip mobility before heavy "sumo" style deadlifts, which both Barry and Pavel recommend when possible.
9. It"s not limited to 1530-year-olds either. Take a look at Professor Arthur DeVany and his version of alactic training. Art, a professor emeritus of the University of California Irvine in economics and mathematical behavioral sciences, is 72 years young, 61, and 205 pounds at 8% bodyfat. It"s not limited to 1530-year-olds either. Take a look at Professor Arthur DeVany and his version of alactic training. Art, a professor emeritus of the University of California Irvine in economics and mathematical behavioral sciences, is 72 years young, 61, and 205 pounds at 8% bodyfat.
10. Felix used the conventional stance with her legs inside her arms, but Barry suggests sumo-style for those who can perform it. Felix used the conventional stance with her legs inside her arms, but Barry suggests sumo-style for those who can perform it.
11. This was also inconvenient to set up at my gym, so I either used a decline bench press bench, where I could hook in my feet with bent legs; or I simply sat on a BOSU ball at home with my feet hooked under the couch (be sure to weigh down the couch; I used a 24kg kettlebell). This was also inconvenient to set up at my gym, so I either used a decline bench press bench, where I could hook in my feet with bent legs; or I simply sat on a BOSU ball at home with my feet hooked under the couch (be sure to weigh down the couch; I used a 24kg kettlebell).
12. If unable to recover, the deadlift can be reduced to Monday and Friday. If unable to recover, the deadlift can be reduced to Monday and Friday.
13. One-legged squats with the unused leg extended straight in front of you. One-legged squats with the unused leg extended straight in front of you.
14. Note from Tim: Coincidentally, I"ve made my greatest strength gains outside of the deadlift using two work sets of six, two exercises per workout. Note from Tim: Coincidentally, I"ve made my greatest strength gains outside of the deadlift using two work sets of six, two exercises per workout.
15. Heart ratebased tests of work capacity appear to peak in the morning because the heart rate responses to exercise are minimal at this time of day. Heart ratebased tests of work capacity appear to peak in the morning because the heart rate responses to exercise are minimal at this time of day.
16. It"s important to use an average, not just the wake time on a scheduled workout day. It"s important to use an average, not just the wake time on a scheduled workout day.
EATING THE ELEPHANT.
How to Add 100 Pounds to Your Bench Press Just remember: somewhere in China, a little girl is warming up with your max.-Jim Conroy, Olympic weightlifting coach If you get to 315, you can change the music on the iPod."
I laughed again, not getting the joke. But it wasn"t a joke. DeFranco pointed a finger at the wall, where a large piece of paper was taped: Bench 315?Squat 405?Play on ESPN?If not, don"t touch the iPod!
There was some distance to go before I benched 315.17 I would have to wait to put Disco Duck on the loudspeakers. I would have to wait to put Disco Duck on the loudspeakers.
DeFranco"s boys, on the other hand, had no problem with 315. His cadre of beasts included freaks of nature like Rich Demers, who could bench-press 215 pounds for 39 reps. That impressed me.
It impressed me, but it didn"t stun me.
Stunning was Joe Ceklovsky, who has bench-pressed 600 pounds in compet.i.tion at 148 pounds bodyweight.
Stunning was Scot Mendelson, who has bench-pressed 1,031 pounds in compet.i.tion at 275 pounds bodyweight.
To put 1,031 in perspective, imagine loading a standard gym barbell with 45-pound plates until no more can fit. That is a measly 885 pounds. Scot has to use 100-pound plates, and the tempered-steel bar literally bends around his hands. He wears a mouth guard so he doesn"t shatter his teeth with jaw tension, and his vision gets pulled out horizontally when the bar pauses at his chest.
These are unusual people. But that"s a compliment. You can learn a lot from the extremes.
Background on the Bench: My Achille"s Heel The bench press has always been my weakest exercise. Few sports require much of the chest, and my princ.i.p.al sport of wrestling practically made a point of neglecting it.
Even on a steady diet of doubles (sets of two) on Barry"s program, my maximum bench wouldn"t budge. In this, I was an exception.
So I called one of the sages of powerlifting to settle the issue.
Marty Gallagher stays out of the limelight, but has long been in the record books. He has coached some of the most legendary powerlifters of all time, including Ed Coan, Kirk Karwoski, Doug Furness, Mike Hall, and Dan Austin. Coan alone set more than 70 world records. Kirk "Captain Kirk" Karwoski increased the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) world record for the squat an astonishing 100 pounds during his reign, from 903 to 1,003 pounds, and this world record still stands 16 years 16 years later. later.
Marty is also a three-time master powerlifting world champion and six-time master national powerlifting champion, not to mention that he coached the U.S. powerlifting squad to the IPF world team t.i.tle in 1991.
Suffice to say, he understands the subtleties of the iron game.
In his words, what follows was his pound-by-pound, workout-by-workout presciption for me, or anyone who wants to add 100 pounds to their current max in six months.
Enter Marty Gallagher Is it possible for a regular fellow with a 200-pound bench press to add 100 pounds to his bench press in six months? The answer is that, while improbable, it is not impossible. It requires eating the elephant one bite at a time.
There are three requirements: Requirement #1: A periodized tactical game plan. Periodization is another word for progressive resistance preplanning. Elite powerlifters, Olympic weight lifters, and professional athletes use periodization to stair-step their way upward to ever greater strength levels over a specified time period, usually 1216 weeks. By expropriating a periodization strategy and applying it to the bench press, the impossible becomes plausible. Periodization is another word for progressive resistance preplanning. Elite powerlifters, Olympic weight lifters, and professional athletes use periodization to stair-step their way upward to ever greater strength levels over a specified time period, usually 1216 weeks. By expropriating a periodization strategy and applying it to the bench press, the impossible becomes plausible.Toward the end of his career, Kirk Karwoski never missed a rep in any lift over an entire 12-week cycle. Can you imagine? A man sits down with a pad and pencil 12 weeks prior to a National or World Championship, writes out the projected poundage, reps, and sets for every single session for every workout for the next three months, then never misses a single predetermined rep. Ed Coan and Doug Furness could do the same.Precision is critical.Requirement #2: No missed workouts.Requirement #3: Adding a significant significant amount of muscular bodyweight. amount of muscular bodyweight.
Let us a.s.sume our hypothetical athlete is a fairly serious fitness buff who has several years of progressive resistance under his belt and can already bench-press 200 pounds using proper technique. Regardless if he is 61 and weighs 200 pounds with a 14% bodyfat percentile or he"s 56 and weighs 200 pounds with a 30% bodyfat percentile, in order to increase his bench press from 200 pounds to 300 pounds, it is critical critical to increase lean muscle ma.s.s. Our man will need more muscular firepower. to increase lean muscle ma.s.s. Our man will need more muscular firepower.
Any "fitness expert" who tells the uninformed that they can add 50% to their bench press in short order with no weight gain by using (or more likely purchasing) some utopian bench-press routine is either delusional or a shyster. There is no magical, mythical exercise routine that will miraculously add 50% to the bench press without a concurrent gain in muscle ma.s.s. It takes a 10% increase in lean muscle ma.s.s to net a 50% increase in strength, and that"s being optimistic. Period.
Our hypothetical athlete starts off weighing 200 pounds and will need to push his lean muscle ma.s.s up 1520 pounds over a 26-week period.
Bench press will be trained once per week, and in each session, you will train three grips: compet.i.tive grip, the most powerful grip; wide grip, which builds starting power; and narrow grip, which builds finishing power.
PHASE I: 12-WEEK BENCH-PRESS CYCLE18.
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It"s possible to estimate the grip widths without bringing a tape measure to the gym. Here are several guidelines, keeping in mind that the narrow smooth bands on a standard Olympic barbell are 32 inches apart: If you are 5106, the power grip will have the edge of your pinkies just inside the rings.For someone 5659, the power grip will have your hands one hand-width in from the rings.
If in doubt, the power grip is simply the placement that allows you to lift the most weight. Experiment.
For all heights, from the power grip, the wide grip would be one hand-width out in both directions, and the narrow grip would be one hand-width in for both hands.
In this phase I, the athlete jumps his lean muscle ma.s.s upward by 11%, resulting in a 30% increase in the bench press. Calories are methodically increased each week, keeping the individual anabolic. How many calories? As many as necessary to provoke the requisite weekly weight gain. How much weight gain? If you weigh less than 200, aim for one pound per week of gain. If you weigh 200+, two pounds per week. There is no hard number of calories-you just need to move the scale up.
Protein must be kept high: 200+ grams per day each and every day.
Now What? Alike Yet Different Experience has shown time and time again that after an athlete has completed a successful 12-week cycle, gains need to be solidified. Engaging in yet another power cycle immediately after a successful initial cycle is doomed to failure. The natural inclination is to be greedy and continue down the same path-that, however, is biological suicide.
Science and empirical data have shown that the body needs 46 weeks to reset and regain its physiological bearings. The hypothalamus gland controls bodyweight, body temperature, hunger, thirst, fatigue, and circadian cycles. The interim phase allows the hypothalamus gland to recalibrate and readjust. It is equally important to "get away" from the three bench-press versions used in phase I. We also kick the reps upward.
The ideal interim phase retains bench power by subst.i.tuting heavy dumbbell pressing for barbell bench pressing. Allowing the body to "forget" the three exercises (compet.i.tive grip bench, wide grip bench, and narrow grip bench) makes these movements feel fresh and new when they are reinst.i.tuted in phase III, and the training effect is profound.
The paused flat dumbbell bench press and the paused incline dumbbell bench press are the phase II workhorses and are performed together in each workout, once per week. Maintain tension for a one-second pause at the chest; do not relax and rest the weight Maintain tension for a one-second pause at the chest; do not relax and rest the weight on on the chest. the chest.
PHASE II: REESTABLISH HOMEOSTASIS19.
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After the six-week interim phase, all initial gains have been solidified: the athlete"s bodyweight regulation thermostat has been reset, while pushing strength has been retained. The body has "forgotten" flat barbell benching, and when we reinst.i.tute our cla.s.sical regular/wide/narrow flat bench strategy, the training effect is achieved. Chest, arms, and shoulders are (once again) shocked into growth. More muscle means a bigger bench.
PHASE III: a.s.sAULT ON 300.
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This is how you can, if you don"t miss a thing, add 100 pounds to your bench press in six months.
TOOLS AND TRICKS.
The Bench Press Interviews (www.fourhourbody.com/bench) What separates the 1x bodyweight bencher from the 2x? The 2x bencher from the 3x? If you could add one thing to most training programs, what would it be? I asked all of the above questions and more of some of the best in the power business, including Dave Tate, Jason Ferruggia, and Mike Robertson. Unfortunately, due to s.p.a.ce constraints, we couldn"t include them in the book, but you can find them here. What separates the 1x bodyweight bencher from the 2x? The 2x bencher from the 3x? If you could add one thing to most training programs, what would it be? I asked all of the above questions and more of some of the best in the power business, including Dave Tate, Jason Ferruggia, and Mike Robertson. Unfortunately, due to s.p.a.ce constraints, we couldn"t include them in the book, but you can find them here.
The Purposeful Primitive by Marty Gallagher ( by Marty Gallagher (www.fourhourbody.com/primitive) Perhaps the single best book on bodybuilding, powerlifting, and fat-loss that I"ve read in the last five years. This diverse tour of elite physique enhancement covers training, diet, and otherworldly anecdotes from a wide cast of characters, including Dorian Yates, Ed Coan, and Kirk Karwoski.
Powerlifting USA Magazine ( Magazine (www.powerliftingusa.com) If you want to get serious about the sport of powerlifting-where bench, squat, and deadlift maxes are totalled in compet.i.tion-Powerlifting USA is the oldest and most trusted source for training and gym recommendations. If you have any delusions of strength grandeur, find an upcoming meet in "coming events" and observe world-cla.s.s powerlifters live. Stop puffing out your chest before you walk in. is the oldest and most trusted source for training and gym recommendations. If you have any delusions of strength grandeur, find an upcoming meet in "coming events" and observe world-cla.s.s powerlifters live. Stop puffing out your chest before you walk in.
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