What is the optimum length for a training session? If I spend 2 hours in the gym am I spending too long in there? Is 2 hours in the gym long enough, since I read in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s autobiography that he used to train for at least 3 hours? If you do a bit of…
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What is the most difficult part of getting in shape, or meeting a training goal? For most people, once they get into a training routine they enjoy, the hard part is not actually going to the gym or hitting the streets for a run. It’s eating properly. This is because while training might be 3…
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This is a continuation from the post Why you don’t need to bench press. In the post above I outlined the reason why despite its status as THE gym exercise you don’t actually need to bench press to get great results. Sure, you won’t be able to answer the ‘how much do you bench then?’…
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Everyone knows about the power of the mind. Mental attitude and belief are fundamental ingredients when it comes to making things happen, and although obviously there are physical limits, you’ll probably never get near them because you don’t believe that you can. I’m not saying that ‘if you believe it you can do it’ because…
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There are actually three certainties in life: 1. Death 2. Taxes 3. You’ll always be waiting to use the bench press on Mondays Monday is IBD- International Bench press Day. If you look like you go to the gym, or it comes up in conversation even with people who don’t lift, the first question is…
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You only appreciate what you have when it’s gone, or so the saying goes. Everyone lucky enough to move about freely without pain or restriction takes it for granted. When you are someone who trains even more so, because you’re striving to be better than that- you want to do more than just move, you…
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As those of you who follow this site know, I’m a big fan of squats. I truly believe that they have a part to play in everyones routines, regardless of your goals. I don’t mean everyone should be low-bar powerlifting as much as they can handle but the movement is such a fundamental ingredient of…
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A big buzzword in fitness in recent times has been the theory of muscle confusion. Some of the fastest growing fitness followings such as Crossfit are built on the idea that doing traditional programs that focus on the development of the body through repetition and practice are not the optimum way in which to achieve…
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For the volume of material that is and has been written about it, you might think that building muscle is a highly complicated process. Certainly when it comes to trying to eek out the last one percent of performance at a high level it can get quite scientific and complex. But for most of us…
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If you ask anyone involved in weight training about what they find to be the hardest muscles to train, the chances are you’ll get the same answer: calves and forearms. Out of all the muscles, calves in particular seem to get an indecent amount of attention and focus, with many dedicated gym-goers practically obsessing over…
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