WHAT REALLY GRINDS MY GEARS!

WHAT REALLY GRINDS MY GEARS? 

Gyms and fitness centers are more popular than ever. You'd be hard pressed walking into any commercial gym on a Monday night, and not to find it busting at the seams with dedicated individuals, trying to get in shape and improve their health and performance. For most people, sticking to gym etiquette is common practice, and not a difficult task. But there's always the select few that can't grasp the simplicity of not being a douche in the gym. Those people are what really grind's my gears.

Anyone that knows me, knows that I can be a tightly wound guy at the best of times. As therapeutic as it might be for me to rant my way through this post, I'm going to try my best to keep it less like a rant, and more like a guide on how to be a better member/trainee. If you find yourself reading through the points below and come across something that you might do, scraping your crappy gym habits will improve your workouts, intensity and focus. And even if it doesn't, at least less people will hate you.

#1 - PUT YOUR FRIGGIN WEIGHTS AWAY!

This one is simple. If you use it, once you’re done put it back! I understand that your Mum might pick up your dirty clothes when you’re at home, but remember YOU'RE MOTHER DOESN'T WORK HERE. No one wants to pick up your crap in the gym. If that's what you want or need, buy your Mum a membership and have her follow you around the gym to clean up for you. Nobody else wants to!

Obviously someone’s Mum stayed at home this day

#2 - LEARN HOW TO COUNT

Similar to the one above. Just so where all on the same page it goes like this.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10!

Now I can count higher than that, but if that's something that you're struggling with I'm sure there's a kindergarten teacher that could fill you in on the rest. It amazes me how many people see an empty spot on a dumbbell rack, and regardless of the dumbbell they hold in their hand, just put it where ever they want. It should not be a mission to go searching for 2 dumbbells of the same weight! 

No way this guy gets it wrong!

#3 - BACK AWAY FROM THE RACK

Here's a sure fire way not to get in peoples way after you've picked up your dumbbells. Choose your weight, pick it up, take 5 big steps back, and STOP BLOCKING OTHER PEOPLES WAY TO THE DUMBBELL RACK! Nothing worse than finishing a set, walking up to put your weights away, only to find someone standing right in front of the rack busting out a set. Actually, the only thing worse than that is when you ask them to move, and they get frustrated at you for interrupting them! 

#4 - USE THE EQUIPMENT FOR ITS INTENDED PURPOSE

I'm all for creativity and experimentation, but there are just some pieces of equipment that should be used for its intended purpose and that alone. For example, if you're using a squat or power rack to do curls, and you're not Ronnie Coleman, you should probably take your barbell and use it somewhere that's not in the way. I'm not saying these racks are only to be used for squatting; I’m just saying there are a bunch of exercises higher on the list before you get to bicep curls. Now if you can't pick it up off the floor, and you have a set of fully functioning lower limbs, you have no business curling it. Stop wasting your time, get back in the squat rack, and start training those bean poles you call legs.

Even Rambo hates you

#5 - REMEMBER, SOME PEOPLE COME TO THE GYM TO WORK OUT

Part of what makes a great gym is the community! A great gym is a place where like-minded people can come together to work out and improve their bodies. I am all for that! Social chatting and discussion is healthy, but some people just need to remember that the gym is not a coffee shop. If you spend more time talking than lifting or training, you really need to check how important your goals are to you. The only thing that's worse than wasting your own training time is wasting the time of others. If someone is training, and you get the vibe that they don't want to chat, best leave them alone. Nobody likes a pest!

And that's a wrap. Turns out it was a rant.....

I could go on at this all day as I could list many more gear grinding habits. Probably best to stop just to be sure I don't lose too many more readers. If you’re still reading, thanks taking part in what could be seen as my very own online vent and counselling session.

Check back here next week for a new blog entry. I promise the next one will be RANT FREE and informative. I'd also love to hear from you, so if you have any feedback, questions, or topic suggestions be sure to send me an email on seanosheapt@y7mail.com

Why most people suck at Chin Ups!

If you want to be LEAN, STRONG, MUSCULAR or ATHLETIC you should be doing chin ups. If you can't, you should be doing everything possible to get there. A strong chin up will help you develop a massive amount of strength, huge amounts of upper body muscle mass, and will burn up calories in the process. People speak about the Squat as the 'King of the lower body exercises'. When we talk about the upper body, the same should be said about the Chin Up!

Over my time as a trainer I have taken great pride in helping people get to the point of completing FULL CHIN UPS. I use capital's to emphasize that I'm not talking about people squirming and flipping around, trying to get a single eyelash above the bar. I mean a full chin up that starts in a dead hang, moves with a controlled but powerful pull, and finishes with the chin over the bar. On many occasions I've seen people get to the point of not only completing full chins with proper form, but doing it with additional weight hanging from them! And this isn't just for my male clients. Truth be told, more often than not this has been with the girls!

In my experience, most people who can't get there can  narrow it down to a few weak points. For example; they need to lose a few kg's to make themselves lighter. For others, it can be a little more complex. Below is a list of some common problems people face on their road to completing chin ups, and my opinion on how they could over come them:

1. THEY DON'T THINK THEY CAN, SO THEY DON'T TRY

Try and fail, but don't fail to try.

Stephen Kaggwa

The mind is a very powerful thing. I'm not saying you're going to be able to 'wish' your way to chin ups. What I'm trying to say is that if you don't commit to the goal, your not going to get there by accident. As I said above, chin ups should be a goal for nearly everyone who can't already do them. Do your research, assess your limitations and weaknesses, then start to correct them. Making the decision to work towards this exercise is your first step in getting there.

2. THEY PRACTICE POOR TECHNIQUE
Doing crappy chin ups is only going to make you very good at doing crappy chin ups. You'll see it every time you walk into a gym. Some guy starts his chins by jumping up to the top of the bar, lowers himself about 1/8th the way down, pulls back up with a posture that would make a hunchback look good, then does it for a set of 10. 10 points for trying!!!

All jokes aside, practicing chin ups with proper technique is only going to make you better! For those of you wondering what that might look like, here's an awesome clip of Poliquin Strength Coach, Mary-Pier Gaudet, completing 2 full chin ups WITH an additional 10kgs!

YouTube video credit: charlespoliquin.com

3. THEY NEGLECT THE IMPORTANCE OF STRUCTURAL BALANCE
When looking at structural balance, what I'm talking about is the strength balance between the prime movers (like the lats), and the stabilizers and assistance muscles (like the external rotators, the biceps, and the lower traps).
Here's a bit of a case study to stress the importance of structural balance in a chin up. Recently, I've had a client who came to me with the goal of being able to properly perform chin ups. At this point they could not do a proper chin up. On assessing that clients structural balance, we found that they had very strong lats, but very weak rotator cuff, traps and biceps. For the next 8 weeks, my client DID NOT PERFORM A SINGLE BACK EXERCISE as part of their training plan, and spent a lot of time completing exercises that brought up the strength of the weak muscle groups. At the end of the 8 week block, I asked my client to jump up on the bar and give chin ups another go. They completed 5 FULL CHIN UPS (with perfect form)!  If this sounds like you, find yourself a reputable trainer and have them assess your weaknesses. You'll be there in no time.

4. NO TICKETS TO THE GUN SHOW

We all know that Lat strength plays a big part in chin ups. But what a lot of people neglect is the role the biceps play as well. I'm not saying that everyone needs to step out and do a full day of arms every week in an effort to get the job done (even though you don't know what your missing if you don't). What I'm saying is that neglecting to train this important muscle group may limit you in achieving your goal. Try adding some direct arm work to your training plan. Remember to vary your elbow position (elbows in front, in-line or behind the body), and hand position position (palms up, down and hammer positions) to achieve the best results.  

5. THEY HAVE THE GRIP STRENGTH OF THIS GUY

This isn't to say that all nerds have weak grip, but this guy definitely isn't winning any strongman contests in the future.

If you find yourself always having to re-grip the bar during a set of pull-downs or rows, or having to put the bar down on a deadlift because of your grip, I'm afraid that you may be in the same boat as this guy. If this is you, start training your grip strength! Simple movements like dumbbell extensions and curls are a good start, and implements like THICK BARS and FAT GRIPS are another great way to bring up your lagging body parts.

6. THEY DON'T TRAIN IN LOWER REP BRACKETS
No matter the training goal, we all have our favorite rep range to train in. For some unknown reason, I love to train around the 8 rep mark (I have no idea why). One of the best ways to break plateaus and discover new strength is to break that habit and move to another rep bracket.

We all know that lifting heavier weights than you do habitually used to will make you stronger. This principle can also be applied to your chin up training. Once you find where you're weak, try training it in with low reps ranges (less than 5 reps) and use a weight that challenges you within those reps. By doing this you'll increase strength, and take it one step closer to your goal. This does not apply to everyone though. Like I've said before, novice trainers must earn their stripes in the weight room before progressing to advanced training methods. If you're not sure where you fall on the strength training totem pole, or aren't sure how to apply low rep/high weight training in your plan, find a trainer who can help you!

That's it. Remember that these are only a few of the limitations that I come across (and there's a lot more). Assess your weaknesses, address those weaknesses, and you'll get there.
And along the way, do your best not to look like this guy.

ACHIEVING FAT LOSS SUCCESS

Every day I see and hear from people that want to lose weight, drop a couple of dress sizes, or achieve a seemingly impossible six pack! I've been around gyms and the fitness industry for over 10 years  (9 of which I've  worked as a personal trainer), and in that time I've seen a lot of people achieve amazing fat loss results. The flip side is that I've seen so many more join a gym, even spend their hard earned money on a trainer and really get nowhere. Even with myself, I’d be lying if I said that I hadn't trained somebody who didn't achieve their fat loss goals!

Not everyone’s goals are the same, and no one comes into the gym with the same skills, motivation and fitness education. But when I think back to some of my most successful clients, there are some definite similarities! I've spent a lot of my time recently studying common trends and habits that these guys possess. Below is list of those trends. Read and practice these tips, and you’ll achieve FAT LOSS SUCCESS!

RECORD AN HONEST FOOD DIARY

This is a big one! For this, I mean sit down after every meal, snack or drink and write it down. And be honest! No point keeping a diary just to leave out the cheesecake and 2L Coke you downed for lunch. If it’s measured, it managed! You can also up the stakes by making yourself accountable to somebody. Whether it’s a trainer, friend or family member, show someone regularly who doesn't mind telling you off when you fall off the wagon. Something about having to look at the crap you've eaten on paper seems to deter people from eating it to begin with.

EAT A DIET SIMILAR TO THAT OF OUR PALEOLITHIC ANCESTORS

The Paleo diet has become increasingly popularity recently, and with good reason. By looking back at what our ancestors were eating, people are getting leaner and healthier. Although we don't have the exact types of food available to us today, by adopting similar nutritional ideas, you should find yourself one step closer to your fat loss goals. Bodybuilders have been using lower carb diets to get lean for years as well. And these are the guys that get their body fat down as low as 3% for competitions! Why not give it a try!

I'll start this by making it clear that I am not against eating carbohydrates. They are an essential macronutrient that should be a part of every diet. What I am saying is that people need to pick their carbs carefully, especially when we're looking at fat loss. Generally speaking, I tell all of my fat loss clients to choose LOW GI and FIBROUS alternatives when looking at carbs. As with our paleo ancestors, we should aim for these to come from plant sources. By doing this, you'll be eating more nutrient dense carbs (with more of the stuff you need), and fewer processed and refined carbs (generally containing empty calories that we don't need). On top of that, you'll be keeping your fibre intake high as well (a very important aspect of any fat loss diet). Here are a couple of examples to get you started;

-Broccoli

-Green beans

-Cauliflower

-Kale (becoming a new favourite of mine)

-Different types of berries

-Spinach and other green leafy vegetables

-Cabbage

-Various root vegetables (e.g. Sweet potato)

As a target, keep your daily intake somewhere between 50-150g. The amount you need will vary person to person, and may depend on factors like daily activity, current bodyweight/muscle mass, and at what point you're at in your fat loss mission. 

As with the point above, bodybuilders have known this info for years. If you want to be lean, you need muscle cells to burn fat, and if you want muscle YOU WILL NEED PROTEIN. I've found that best results are achieved through eating around 1.5g of protein per kg of body weight per day. Aim to eat protein from leaner sources (e.g. chicken, lean red meat, fish, or tofu for you vegetarians), and consume them in wide variety. Work out your total intake for the day, and then break that up into smaller, frequent serves throughout the day.

And lastly, aim to get all of your fats from healthy, essential sources. It is important to remember that not all fats are created equal, and for a long time now fat has received a bad rap! 

If you eat mostly mono-unsaturated fats and you'll be fine. These are found in foods like nuts, oils and avocados. These play an essential part in our health and fat loss goals. 

Some poly-unsaturated fats are o.k as well (such as those found in omega-3 fish oils). Just aim to avoid those that contain high levels of omega-6, like those found in vegetable oils, baked goods and snack foods.

Remember nutrition should be a fairly individual thing. I'd recommend doing your own research to understand all of this a little further too. Seek out the guidance of a reputable trainer or dietician to individualize those targets. 

The Evolution of the Western man!

PREPARE YOUR MEALS

Failing to plan is planning to fail! This is another one that bodybuilders have used successfully forever. It just makes sense to follow!

From personal experience, I find it much easier to stick to my nutritional plan when I have my meals made up. It can be as simple as making extra at dinner so that you have you left-overs ready for lunch tomorrow, or as complex as a weekly cook up, where you could weigh and measure the content of your meals. It's really up to you how far you take it. Either way, if you have a prepacked meal ready to go, you're less likely to go for a triple cheeseburger on your next lunch break!

WORK HARD (AND I MEAN REALLY HARD) AND DO IT A LOT

I won't complicate this one as the title pretty much sums it up. I spoke previously in my 5 star fat loss article that most people underestimate what it takes to achieve fat loss success. Any type of exercise is great, if what you're doing isn't challenging you, it's probably not going to change you! You need to make sure that every time you head into the gym, you’re looking to '1 up' your last effort. Lift more weight, run a little faster, or bust out a few more reps than the last time. A 2% increase per workout is generally a good guide. That probably doesn't seem like much, but 2% more than your previous MAX will be enough! 

When you’re starting out, doing this kind of thing every day will be too much. Talk to an experienced personal trainer or strength coach, and have someone who knows what they're doing help you progress right way.

LIFT WEIGHTS

In my experience, people that lift weights are more likely to lose the fat, then keep it off. I'm not just talking about your typical 'weight loss' workout that involves holding a pair of 2kg dumbbells and doing sets of 15 lateral raises sitting on a Swiss ball! I mean getting stuck into an appropriate strength training program written to cater to your current experience level. Big movements, challenging resistance, and frequent exposure to it! Don't just guess your way through it, talk to someone who knows what they're doing, do some research and start clangin and bangin!!

GET A PERSONAL TRAINER

I'll be the first to admit that not all personal trainers are created the same. It's almost like anyone with two legs and a pulse can get a Personal Training qualification if they pay their money! Find someone with a PROVEN TRACK RECORD, APPROPRIATE QUALIFICATIONS, and make sure THEY WALK THE TALK!! If they talk a big game, but look like Rosie O'Donnell do not pay them to get you in shape.  

PRIORITIZE AND WANT IT!

This one is really simple, but the most important. YOU HAVE TO WANT IT! If you want it, no matter the hurdle, you'll do your best to overcome it. End of the day, if you want to stick with the lifestyle that made you fat in the first place, more than you want to be lean and healthy, chances are that’s what you’ll stay, or worse! If you find yourself in this situation, think long and hard about what you really want. If lean is where you’re at, set some realistic goals and GET THE JOB DONE! Think, if what I’m doing isn't moving me towards my goals, it’s probably moving me away from them!

Remember this is just the start, and only a compilation of common trends in successful trainees. Everybody has different needs and obstacles. Start here, and identify your own. By doing this, I'm sure you'll achieve your own FAT LOSS SUCCESS.

FULL SQUATS vs HALF SQUATS: HOW LOW SHOULD YOU GO?

As a Personal Trainer in a large commercial gym, I have the privilege of seeing A LOT of squat depth variations. Half squats, quarter squats, 1/8^th squats, even the occasional 1/16^th squat. And every now and then I get to see someone doing a full squat. Either way, if you’re looking to get stronger, leaner, bigger or faster (to name a few), almost everyone should eventually be looking to squat!

So where all on the same page, here’s a quick description of the two variations I want to discuss in this blog:

The ½ Squat – Typically described as lowering down to 90 degrees, hamstrings parallel and usually done with the knees behind the toes.

The Full Squat – Completed to the point in which the hamstrings come into contact with the calves. In this variation, you will typically see the knees travel in front of the toes!

Here's a great picture of  Ukranian Olympic lifter, Anatoly Pisarenko, at the bottom of a full squat.

More often than not, the ½ squat will be the popular option. From my experience, it’s either done this way because they've been told to by a PT or coach (as its ‘better for your knees’), or because the person squatting wants to train their ego over their lower body, as the ½ squat will typically result in you being able to load more onto the bar.

It’s not uncommon for me to hear trainees/trainers/coaches say things like:

"Only squat to ½ way. If you go any further, it places too much stress on the knee”

Funnily enough, this has never really been proven. What we do know is that the knee is actually most stable (and protected by its supportive ligaments) at both the top position (standing up at the top of the movement), and the bottom position (squatting all the way down, hamstrings touching the calves) of a squat. Also, when completed properly, the major stress at the bottom of the squat is actually placed on the powerful muscles of the glutes and hamstrings, and NOT the knee joint!

Might be exaggerated, but close to the belief of some trainers and coaches!

When we look at the stress placed on the knee joint during a ½ squat, we’ll find that for most it is actually the WORST position you could stop and reverse the movement in. In the 90 degree position the protective ligaments of the knee become lax and do not provide the appropriate support. Other than that, only training in this limited range does not train the muscles of your quads evenly, eventually resulting in imbalances that could lead to injury.

Now before you head down the gym to start busting out some full depth back squats, there are a few things you’ll need to check off the list first:

-         You must have reasonably healthy knees: Simply put if you’re injured or recovering from an injury make sure you take care of that first. Talk to your treating professional and have them help you get back on track.

-          Flexibility: Most commonly I find people with tight hip flexors, quads, hamstrings or calves (to name a few) will not be able to complete a full squat properly. Simply put, if it’s tight, stretch it! Until you've achieved the required flexibility, you’ll need to step back from the rack and leave squatting out for a while. By repeating the movement improperly over and over again, you’re just making it harder for yourself to improve your technique, not to mention putting yourself at a much greater risk of injury!

-          VMO strength: Your VMO (vastus medialis oblique) is one of the quad muscles responsible for maintaining support of the knee, by limiting unwanted ‘inward’ movement. If you find your knee rolls in while performing any lower body exercise, you need to strengthen this muscle! There are many split squat and step up variations that are very effective at doing this.

-          Experience: Basically, if you walking in off the street for your first ever gym session, and you think you‘ll be going straight to back squatting, your dreaming! Find a reputable trainer or strength coach who can show you the steps to doing this right the first time.

    

      After all of that, I think it's obvious that I'm an advocate of full squatting. As said before, make sure you tick of the above points before jumping in. Here's a quick explanation of how I teach the full squat, using the back squat in this example.

     

     1) Approach by placing your hands evenly on the bar, ducking under, and placing the bar evenly on the upper traps. Keep your elbows underneath the bar throughout the lift. 

     2) Stand with feet hip to shoulder width apart, turning the toes out approximately 15 degrees.

     3) Start the lowering portion of the movement by bending first at the knees, then following on with the hips.

     4) While staying as upright as possible, lower yourself down to the point in which your hamstrings come into contact with the calves.

     5) Your knees CAN travel forwards from the toes, but ensure that the heels remain in contact with the ground.

     6) Drive back up to the start position by pushing through the hips and knees simultaneously. Aim to keep the torso as upright as possible through out the ascent.

  

      Happy squatting! 

   

      P.S. Here's a great clip for those of you wanting to know how not to squat!

      Squat Fail!

Fat Loss Giant Set Video

As promised, here's a clip to demonstrate how to perform the giant set workout from my last blog post.

This video shows Aquafit Personal Trainer, Steph Baker, on her 5th set of the giant set. Fatigued would be an understatement on how Steph was feeling at this point! 

Aquafit Personal Trainer Steph Baker after a massive giant set workout!

For anyone looking to give this a shot, make sure you're approaching each exercise knowing that you have to take it TO FATIGUE. To check what what the workout involves, look back to my 5 Star Fat Loss post for details. 

If you're up to it, make sure you get in there and give it a try yourself! 

**5 Star Fat Loss***

One of the biggest misconceptions that I come across in a gym is the way in which you achieve FAT LOSS. Most people think of this as WEIGHT LOSS, but I assure you this is not always the same thing. When discussing fat loss with a client here is what I mean:

FAT LOSS = Decreasing the individuals BODY FAT, whilst aiming to maintain (or even build on) lean muscle mass. This is the best approach as it promotes better body composition, performance and health. You could lose 5kgs of FAT, gain 5kgs of MUSCLE and remain at the same BODY WEIGHT. The difference is now your leaner, stronger and healthier.

WEIGHT LOSS = Decreasing the individuals BODY WEIGHT. That's it! No matter the tissue, muscle, bone, fluid or fat. Decreasing the bodies stores to any of these will result in decreased body weight. Now depending on your goal, you may need to lose weight, especially if you have large amounts of body fat to lose. But like the above example, you could go on a crappy weight loss shake diet, LOSE 10kgs of BODY WEIGHT, only to find out 5kgs of that was MUSCLE MASS!

WHICH WOULD YOU PREFER???

        
It's an obvious choice! But people still go the weight loss route!

Is it a matter of education? Maybe.

Are those mid-day marketers are just too good at selling the next best thing in diet and exercise?Could be!

In my opinion it's that achieving FAT LOSS (not just weight loss) is HARD WORK!

For those of you looking for superior results, optimal body composition, and don't mind putting in some hard work, I've included a workout below. This workout is designed for the advanced trainee (at least 1yr of strength training experience). So if that's you, have a go and let me know your thoughts. For the beginner to intermediate trainee's, your best bet would be to get to a gym, find a credible trainer and earn your stripes. Jumping straight into something like this would not only be dangerous, but you wouldn't be able to complete it in the way I'd intended.

FAT LOSS GIANT SETS
To get the desired effect, you must train each exercise to failure, within the rep range listed. Once your reach failure, quickly move onto the next exercise. Keep your rest between exercises to a minimum, and rest 2-3mins once you have completed each exercise in succession. If you feel like you don't need that much rest, you are simply not working hard enough! If done right, good luck tying your shoes for the next couple of days.

A1. Barbell Deadlift, 5 sets, 8-10 reps. 31X0 tempo, rest 10sec
(lower for 3sec, pause for 1sec, lift as fast as possible, 0sec pause at the top)
A2. Incline Bench Press, 5 sets, 8-10 reps. 30X0 tempo, rest 10sec
A3. Mid Foot Hack Squat, 1 1/4 reps. 5 sets, 8-10 reps, 30X0 tempo, rest 10sec
(Squat all the way down, PAUSE, push up a quarter of the way, PAUSE, squat back down, PAUSE, now push all the way back up. That's 1 rep)
A4. Chin up, 5 sets, 8-10 reps. 30X1 tempo, rest 2-3mins

This would be completed 2-3 times per week with additional time spent doing high intensity interval training (like sprints). Of course for maximal fat loss, this MUST be accompanied with a strict and focused diet.

The goal of this type of advanced fat loss training, is to fatigue as much muscle fiber as possible, stimulate maximum growth hormone release (one of our bodies most prominent fat burning hormones), and to maximise your calorie burn. This is achieved through HIGH VOLUME, HIGH INTENSITY TRAINING! As noted above, make sure you train every set to failure and do this with perfect form. Leave your ego at the door and aim to 'feel' the muscles you are using. Train hard, and let me know how things go!

PS. I'll be looking to film this in the coming week to give you a visual look at how this would be done. Keep checking in for updates. Thanks for reading!

TOP 3 Exercises for a Bigger Back!

No matter what the muscle group, we all have our favorite exercises to train it. But are our favorites always the best choice? Just because you have a great bench press, does that mean you should spend more time on there? Should you continue to work on your strengths, or more time bringing up your weaknesses?

Realistically, you should always aim to choose your exercises (no matter what the muscle group), based on their overall effectiveness, and not just how good you are at it. Now this doesn’t mean just because you become good at a particular lift, you should drop it, and move onto the next challenge. What I’m saying is that everyone who is serious about seeing results in the gym should take the time to step back sometimes, assess their strengths and weaknesses, and start to work on balancing them out.

For a lot of guys and girls I see come into the gym, the muscles of the upper back tend to be a major weak spot. Guys tend to spend more time working on the muscles they can see in the mirror (chest and biceps), as opposed to the ones they can’t (the back). Girls will tend to shy away from big, effective back training movements like chin ups and bent over rows as they're afraid that doing them will cause them to become “too big” (another topic for another blog for sure)! Both of these excuses and the many more that I hear really don’t cut it! If you’re serious about gaining muscle, or losing fat, training the strong and powerful muscles of the upper back should be a staple in any training program (especially if it’s a weakness)! To get you started, below I’ve listed my TOP 3 exercises for an effective back training program:

3. Lat pulldown –

I really like the lat pulldown for 2 reasons. 1, because of its many variations (grip widths, varied attachments, uni-lateral and bi-lateral movements). And 2, It’s a great way for people to prepare for chin ups if they aren’t strong enough yet. Just make sure that when you perform these, you maintain a solid upper body position from start to finish of the set. Remember, the lat pulldown is not a ride, do your best not to swing around on it!

LIFTING TIP – whatever variation you choose, start the movement off by pulling your shoulder blades back and down. Having your shoulder blades positioned correctly will ensure the proper recruitment of the upper back muscles.        

2. Bent over barbell row

Another great and versatile back training exercise. The bent over row can be performed with a stack of variations (wide, underhand, narrow, different grip widths, using an EZY bar, ect). But like the lat pulldown, this is one exercise that I commonly see performed incorrectly. When assuming your position for a bent over row, you want your shoulders positioned just above the height of your hips. Keep your lower back straight with a strong arch, and your knees slightly bent. Once you have this down, keep your position strong and pull the bar up to the abdominal area.

1. The Chin up

If you can complete them correctly, the chin up is your best bet for developing a strong and muscular upper back. Big, strong athletes have been using chin’s for years, so as the saying goes “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it”!

Performing chin ups with correct form will not only be a fantastic way to build on your lats, teres major, posterior delts, rhomboids and the middle and lower portion of your trapezius muscles. It is also an awesome exercise when it comes to bicep and forearm development.

If you find that you’re not quite strong enough to perform chin ups, get stronger! Park yourself over near the lat pulldown machine and start lifting. Find yourself a reputable trainer who can put a program together for you focusing on developing the strength required to start repping out those chins.

                                      

BIG BACK WORKOUT:

Here’s a quick upper back workout for the road. Try it out, possibly in addition to your chest, biceps or triceps training. Within this workout, you’ll be using the 6,12,25 method, first made famous by strength coach, Charles Poliquin. Do this properly, and you’ll find yourself struggling to brush your teeth the next morning!

A1. Underhand grip chin up (weighted if needed)

6 reps

REST 10sec

A2. Bent over BB row, over-hand grip

12 reps

REST 10sec

A3. Standing straight arm cable pulldown (using rope attachment)

25 reps

REST 2mins, then repeat another 3 times.