Creating the perfect training routine

Aris DeMarco

In my blog entry here, I mentioned the importance of finding a 'best thing', routine-wise, at any given point in time in your training; a straight line between you and your goals that, however short, will help you progress efficiently. Program design is really all about logic and common sense--put a bit of thought into it and making gains will be much easier. 

Your thought process should be pretty simple:

1. What are my goals? 

Basically, what do you want to get done? (Numbers are good here--more reps, more weight, faster time, longer distance, bodyweight gained/lost, and so forth.) Also, how should you prioritize your goals, if you have more than one? Of course, if you have multiple goals, it's probably a good idea to make sure that they're synergistic to some extent. Losing ten pounds and adding 5 reps to your best set of strict pullups? Sure. Training to complete your first marathon while putting 50 pounds on your front squat max? Not such a good idea. 

2. When do I want to achieve them by?

This one comes down to common sense and balance, just like #1. Sure, everyone wants to add a plate to their max bench, but it ain't gonna happen overnight, and if you're due to travel in two months and won't have gym access for a while you have to set up your plans accordingly. Also, the faster you want to achieve one goal, the more you'll have to let other things go while working at it, which brings us to....

3. What am I willing to sacrifice?

This is an important one. Obviously, unless you're a professional athlete you probably don't want to progress in your training at the expense of a social life, work, general health, etc. But if you're running smolov (for example) you might have to get a few extra hours of sleep a night, spending less time doing other things; or spend more money on food, or whatever else you need to do in order to enhance your recovery. 

Another consideration here is your other lifts. Taking the example from #1, if you want to drastically increase your running ability, general fatigue in your hips/knees/ankles will probably hold you back on squats for a while. Whether you're willing to sacrifice max squatting ability for running endurance is up to you. The more varied your goals are, and the busier your day to day life is, the more your training might end up looking like this:

...but that's just the way things go. 

4. What is most effective for me?

This is big, of course, when you're considering efficient training. After a few years of experimenting with various programs, you'll learn what's most effective for you. This has to be taken into consideration with everything else, of course. Using the example from #2, a traditional 12 or 16-week powerlifting cycle might be most effective for your bench. However, if you only have 2 months before going on your trip, you obviously can't fit that in, so another plan is necessary. 

5. What do I enjoy the most?

For the vast majority of people, training is for either health, aesthetic purposes, or personal enjoyment (or some combination of those three). Yeah, everyone wants 'functional strength' too, but let's be real here: The most functional thing we could do in today's world is progressively adding weight to our dinner utensils, tv remote, and cell phone. 

Personal enjoyment is important because you'll be more likely to focus, you'll be more enthusiastic about training, and, of course, you'll like it. I read something recently about a few guys who competed in geared powerlifting--they hated training in bench shirts. The shirts were uncomfortable, a hassle to get on and off, and the poundages gained from putting the shirts on weren't very rewarding. The guys weren't getting paid to compete, or breaking any substantial records, so... if they didn't enjoy it, why were they doing it? Beats me. 

6. What is limiting me?

Finally, you have to consider limiting factors. Flexibility can be an issue if you want to perform certain lifts, for example. A rough work schedule, sleep issues, a physically demanding job, frequent travel, negativity from friends and family, old or new injuries, dietary restrictions, less-than ideal training conditions... the list of possibilities goes on, but all these must be taken into consideration. If your recovery is inadequate, reduce training volume, or frequency, or intensity. If you have a physical weakness, fix it, or work around it... or with it. Ensure that you have a base in place--don't try to work up to doing one-arm chinups when you can barely do 15 half-assed reps with two arms. Don't try to squat like an olympic lifter if you can't hit powerlifting depth without weight. And so forth.

In short--
-Define what you want to achieve
-Think carefully about your current situation and limitations
-Apply your past experiences and knowledge of yourself and what works for you
-Design a sensible, efficient, specific training routine to attain your goals
-Have at it.

Better get started, he's way ahead of you. 

...do I need an excuse to post this? No? Thought not.

It really is that simple. In the next 'program design' blog I'll give a real-world example or two of my own; after that I'll write about finding the balance between doing too much, and too little.

Handstands, Part 2: "Supplementing" your Training to Maximize Results

Josh Trammell

Warning: These exercises are to be tried at your own risk. Some of these exercises, if performed incorrectly or before they are properly progressed or prepared, can do more harm than good. Proceed with caution (and patience).

Webster’s Dictionary defines a supplement as “something that completes or makes an addition” to something else. The following tips, exercises, and progressions are just that: supplements to part 1 of the Handstand guide. They are NOT absolutely necessary; however, they can help speed up progress greatly. With that said, let’s dive right in.

Supplement #1: The Frogstand Progressions

One of the biggest factors keeping people from achieving that elusive handstand is the concept of balance. The fingertip “handbalancing” is something that can be felt, but never quite adequately described. Frogstands help to get a better feel for the front-to-back balancing aspect of the handstand.

The progression is simple: once you can do step 1 for 60 seconds relatively easy (it should NOT be a struggle!), move to step 2.

Step 1: Bent-Arm Frogstand

Step 2: Straight-Arm Frogstand

Supplement #2: Wrist Push-Ups

A lot of times, especially after a few weeks, people will complain about wrist soreness or pain. The following progression can definitely help cure weaksauce wrists:

 1. Knee Wrist Push-Ups.

 2. “Long” Knee Wrist Push-Ups.

 3. One-Leg Extended Knee Wrist Push-Ups.

 4. Full Wrist Push-Ups.

Once you can do 10 reps of the first step comfortably and easily, move to the next step in the progression. BE CAREFUL with these and take your time. If you rush it you WILL regret it.

Supplement #3: Wrist Care and Fixing Mobility Issues

Take care of your wrists! I can’t say it enough. If you’re not properly warming up your wrists, it WILL come back to haunt you. If you thought shin splints were bad…you’ve never experienced forearm splints. You don’t want to either. So again, TAKE CARE of your wrists! Rather than reinvent the wheel, here are two great ways to incorporate some wrist care:

1. Use this as your wrist warm-up: Novel Movements for the Wrist, Hand, and Elbow

2. Hammer Wrist and Finger Extension - Joe Hashey has a great set-up here:

Other options include rubber band finger extensions and rice bucket exercises.

3. Smash Trigger Points:

While what is wrong with YOU specifically is something you're going to have to find out yourself, in general, these muscles can all play a role in limiting how 'open' your handstand is: infraspinatus, supraspinatus, subscapularis, teres major/minor, lats, pectorals, and the long head of the triceps, to name a few.

Pick 1-2 muscles per session, and spend a quality 1-2 minutes per side. Here's a guide to help you out:

Trigger Point Therapy Guide

Putting it all Together

The following routine is something you could follow for a while and make great progress. This is just one example of many, and is meant to teach you how to apply the information presented thus far.

Warm-Up:

1A) Novel Wrist Movements

2A) Wrist Push-Up Progression 1 - 1 x 10 (EASY)

3A) Trigger Point Work: Lats and Infraspinatus - 1 x 1 minute per side for each muscle

Handstand Work: 5 minutes

Finish with:

1A) Bent-Arm Frogstand - 1 x max hold for time (once you hit 60 seconds, progress it up)

2A) Wrist Roller - 2 x 5 w/ 10lbs

3A) Ironmind "Expand-Your-Hand" Band Extensions - 1 x as many reps as possible (AMRAP)

Lastly, cool down with some light wrist stretching: contract/relax, static stretching, whatever makes ya feel good.

That’s it! With time and patience, your handstand will look and feel better and better.

How do YOU normally warm up for handstands? Are there any other tips you think are worth mentioning? Let us know through the comments or email (affectinggravity@gmail.com).

Simple progression part 1: staggered conditioning and 'the daily max'

Aris DeMarco

The 'simple progression' articles will be a series of blog entries giving examples of some of the most straightforward and effective ways to progress with basic training. This first method is primarily intended for beginners or intermediates using high repetition exercises--primarily bodyweight, but also kettlebells, or sandbags. Perhaps high repetition barbell lifting as well, though not many people do that (I'll have a post giving one useful example of that soon). Of course, more advanced athletes and lifters can use this first method as well, when in a deload or base building phase when more endurance is desired.

For a rank beginner, movement is most important. Or, to be more precise, making movement a daily habit. I don't train hard every day, but I believe it's important to be active on some level, every day or close to it, in order to be generally healthy. It's a cliched saying in training but I believe it holds  for beginners nonetheless--if you are only active for 30 minutes each day, do you think your body will respond to those 30 minutes, or the 23 hours and 30 minutes you spend sitting in a chair behind a desk, on a couch, or lying in bed? The most important thing to do is not only begin activity, but maintain it, and force your body to adapt and 'realize' that it has physical demands to meet.

Thus, beginners should train every day. It won't be possible to make progress or even give a best effort every day, of course; (though beginners can certainly progress more quickly than more advanced trainees as their bodies rush to adapt to the new strains). So, a very basic rep cycling program can be easily implemented to make those first forced progressions a bit more efficient. Some days, you'll work harder and go for a new 'personal record', or PR. Others, you'll take it easy. These lighter sessions will help get some blood into your muscles and aid in recovery (some people call this 'feeder' work), and also keep you moving and doing something even on the days you can't go all-out.

Here's an example. Say you can do 30 pushups to begin with. You'll do one set each day.
Monday: 30 reps (all out effort)
Tuesday: 15 reps (very sore from the day before, but this wasn't too hard)
Wednesday: 20 reps (last one was only slightly challenging)
Thursday: 33 reps (struggled, but got a new PR!)
Friday: 25 reps (not as sore as after Monday's effort, so did a decent number)
Saturday: 15 reps (took it easy, did these with scarcely any effort)
Sunday: 35 reps (another PR)
etc.

If you want a percentage plan, 100-50-75-100+ is one simple way to program this, i.e. max out, do half the reps the next day, three-quarters of your best the day after that, and if you feel good on the next day, try to beat your original number.

Because you're doing only one set, recovery is fairly easy, and your body will adapt quickly, so gains will be rapid. Also, you should probably do several exercises one after the other if you want some conditioning/cardio benefits, because a single set won't do much for elevating your heart rate. A set of pushups, then squats, then pullups or rows, then glute bridges or hyperextensions, then situps or leg raises (see Alex's blog here)--each following the above pattern of high reps on some days and low reps on others, can form a complete mini-routine that can be done daily. Before too long you'll be hitting some pretty good numbers.

After a few weeks of this (yes, you really will adapt that quickly!) you'll likely have doubled your initial reps, maybe more. I used this format several times when I was just starting out, for bodyweight squats and kettlebell swings. I went from 100 to 200 consecutive squats pretty quickly, and went from under 100 straight swings with a 16kg kettlebell to over 300 straight within less than a month.

The Daily max:
Doing this sort of daily work is extremely effective but after a month or so it can become monotonous for some--that's why I'll have plenty more basic progression examples in blog posts to come. However, if you like the habit of doing 'one set for everything, every day' here's the next step. You'll keep doing one set daily, but stop alternating between 'easy' and harder sessions on purpose. Each day, you'll go for a 'daily max'; this is a maximum effort but not a truly all-out one, something that requires hard work but won't cripple you because you'll be doing another 'daily max' the very next day.

An example with unweighted (bodyweight) squats: your best is 150 reps.
Day 1: 130
Day 2: 120
Day 3: 150
Day 4: 125
Day 5: 140
Day 6: 155

Or maybe something like that. One good way to go about a daily max is simply to do as many consecutive reps as you can without pausing in between. When you're really going all out, stopping and breathing a few times between the last rep (or dozen reps, depending on how many you're doing) is natural. But with daily max work you don't want to prolong the effort. Instead, you'll do close to your best (80-90%, perhaps) without really pushing yourself, every day, and every now and again if you feel good push just a little harder and break through to a new PR. And if you don't succeed in a new PR, don't worry about it--there's always the next day, and the day after that....

This is one of the more effective methods that you can use as a beginner, or for general conditioning, improving your max reps in one set, or building the work capacity to train every day. Try it--good luck!

The Minimalist series: step 1, getting started!

Alex

This is a series of post that I will write to help people who want to be their own personal trainers. Most of all it will be about high lighting the concept of simplicity and how you can get strong and fit using little but your own fantasy and a lot of hard work.

Now, this will not be about becoming a bodybuilder or a power lifter or to shred belly fat in 6 weeks or whatever. It will be about getting super strong using your own body and to have fun with it. To get awesomely strong will be a marathon and not a sprint. No quick fixes here.

If you like to hit the gym, equipment will be there in abundance. If you do like me and train at home, you’ll have to get a few items somewhere along the road.

This is my list:

 Door way pullup bar, a MUST have! No way around that one.

 Pushup handles, after a while they will be great for taking pushups further

Some free weights, start with adjustable dumbbells and some plates

Rings are a great way to push training further. I like metolius rock rings a lot because I like to train my grip. Gymnastic rings are great to and you can also make your own, using cargo bands.

At first, we start with some basic training to know your level and find what you like. For this, you’ll do good with a pullup bar.  I recommend starting with a very simple training routine:

Three to five days per week, you will be doing the same routine. Even strong individuals can benefit from this bare bones routine and maybe even see it as a wakeup call to work on your weak links. I’m a believer that you should be able to dominate your own body before trying to dominate the weights or harder progressions such as gymnastics, so here it goes:

1.       Pushups

2.       Pull-ups OR inverted rows

3.       Squats OR Bulgarian split squat

4.       hip thrusts

Basic, fool proof and humbling. You will pick a variation of the exercise that’s pretty demanding. If you already can do 100 squats in a set, do a harder variation like the Bulgarian split squat for instance, feel free to add weight.

 If you are great at pushups, do close grip pushups or put your feet on a chair to make it harder. If you can’t do pushups, do them on your knees.

I doubt that many are so extremely good at pull-ups that they can’t benefit from strict wide grip pull-ups with slow tempo but add weight in a backpack if you want!

If you can’t do pull-ups at all, do timed pullup lowerings. Jump up to the bar and lower yourself for a set time, say 5 seconds. Count this as your reps instead!

An alternative to pull-ups is rows, done with weights or with your body weight. You’ll find it on google, either “bent over rows” or “inverted rows” can be done if pull-ups are too hard or you don’t have a bar for it yet. The most spartan thing to do would be inverted rows under your dinner table, so no excuses to neglect the important muscles of the back!

 Hip thrusts are for your lower back, glutes and hamstrings. You are lying on the floor with feet on the ground close to your butt and raising your hips up high and then down again. Slow and controlled and if it’s too easy, do it on one leg and/or put your feet on a chair for greater resistance. Same here, add a weight plate in your lap to make it harder. Google it.

What you will do now is to find you max number of repetitions for each of your chosen exercises and multiply it with 2.5. The number you get is your target amount of repetitions for your workout.

If you can do 10 pullups, that number equals 25 reps. You will do 25 reps in as few sets as possible and when you manage that in just 3 sets, you increase your total reps with 10% for the next session. This is the way of progression!

An example workout, showing the pushups part, would be:

Pushups (tested max reps 15): total reps for the workout is then 15x2.5= 37.5. Make it 38.

Set one: 15 reps

Set two: 13 reps

Set three: 11 reps

Three sets and I’ve done 39 reps. This means I will increase my total reps for next session with 10% (that’s 4 reps) so next time, I’ll go 38+4=42 reps total!

Then comes pull-ups (tested max 5 reps): total reps for the workout 5x2.5=12.5. Make it 13.

Set one: 5 reps

Set two: 4 reps

Set three: 2 reps

Set four: 2 reps

I couldn’t get my 13 reps in three sets so I will have 13 as my target reps next session as well.

You continue this way squats and hip thrusts as well, only increasing your reps when you hit target in three sets or less. You will do this same workout every time you train and add nothing else if you are new to this type of thing! Use it and really build up your numbers, it will build a great base for future training endeavors.

This is a beginner’s routine but it can serve a purpose if you just want a break from weight training, want to get some training done during vacations or you can even add it to your current regimen, as your bodyweight training day of the week!

Train good!

Handstands: An (In)Complete Guide

Josh Trammell

I have a confession to make: I'm one stubborn son of a gun. Luckily, being stubborn has its uses, especially when it comes to doing your first handstand. When I first started teaching myself the handstand, I hit my back over...and over... and over again. For 30 days. By the end of those 30 days, my stubborn tenacity paid off, and I was able to hold the world's ugliest handstand for 15 seconds or so.

A year later, when I realized just how horrible my handstands looked, stubbornness paid off again, and over the course of a few months I was able to reproduce a much more aesthetically pleasing handstand. Luckily for you, I made all the mistakes so YOU don’t have too.  Without further ado, here’s my guide to Handstand domination.

Prerequisites:

Before taking the first step on your handstand journey, there are 2 things in particular that will greatly aid your progress if you can do them before you start.

1) 5-10 QUALITY Push-Ups: This should be obvious, but the handstand is a very shoulder dominant movement. If your shoulders aren’t conditioned upon starting, you will find that, by the time you walk your feet all the way up the wall, your shoulders will be screaming at you to come down. A little strength here goes a LONG way. While not always a hard and fast rule (for example, it may take women a while to work up to 5 high quality push-ups), in general, it’s a good rule to stick by.

2) Hollow Body Hold x 30 - 60 seconds: The hollow body position is one of 2 fundamental gymnastics positions. In other words, it’s kind of a big deal. Unless you want your handstands to look like garbage, a 30 second minimum hollow body hold is a MUST. Read that again. A MUST. 

The Wall

The wall is your best friend, initially. Ideally, you will be practicing handstands with your belly facing the wall (BTW – belly-to-wall). This prevents an overextended, extra ugly-lookin’ handstand. Climbing up the wall is relatively self-explanatory – but what do you focus on when you get up there? In other words, what should your positioning look like, and what cues are at your disposal to help you hit that position?

In general, there are 3-4 cues that I find most beneficial:

1) Crack a Walnut with your Butt Cheeks

2) Break Your Ribs in Half with your Abs

3) Push the Ground Away

4) Point your Toes to the Sky

Your handstand should end up looking something like this:

“But wait…there’s a problem. How in the heck do I get down?!?!”

I'm glad you asked!

Preferred Technique: The Bail

Chris Salvato does a fantastic job of outlining and demonstrating this technique:

Alternatively, the Handstand-Forward Roll can be utilized:

Practice Makes Permanent

You’d think that people know how to effectively practice, but that’s definitely not the case. While effective practice is worthy of an article in and of itself, it’s outside of the scope of this article. However, if you get nothing else, remember this: Stay FRESH when practicing this or any other skill. Once your form breaks down, bail out. No exceptions. Practicing ugly handstands will only make your handstands more ugly. This is NOT something you want to push to failure anytime soon, especially when first learning the skill. With that out of the way…

First things first: get REALLY familiar with one of the aforementioned bail-out techniques. A good rule of thumb involves assessing your level of fear while up on the wall – if you’re still scared to death of being in that position, you haven’t practiced enough. You should know the bail like the back of your hand.

Once you have achieved a moderate level of proficiency with a bail-out technique, the real fun begins: handstands for time. 

1) Set a time for 5 minutes.

2) Get into your wall handstand.

3) When you start getting a little tired and feel like your form may break down soon, bail out. BEFORE your form breaks down.

4) Rest.

5) Repeat steps 2-4 until 5 minutes have passed. 

Goal: a 60-second Handstand hold against the wall.

Alright. You can hold a handstand pretty easily against the wall for 60 seconds. What's next?

Moving Forward

Foot wall taps are definitely beneficial here:

Once you feel confident with the wall taps, the next step is to take a leap of faith and step away from the wall. There are two ways to do this: with, and without, a spotter. If you have someone who can spot your feet on the way up, great. Otherwise, the bail comes in handy big time here when practicing in a more open space.

If using a spotter, AS SOON as you can, get rid of him/her. Over time, the safety of having a spotter becomes a crutch – don’t let that happen. Use the spotter until you are feeling more comfortable and then get rid of them. 

In summary:

1) Take care of those prerequisites.

2) Get confident with bailing.

3) Hold a solid Wall Handstand for 60 seconds.

4) Move away from the wall ASAP.

While far from exhaustive, taking this approach, and practicing just 5 minutes a day, 4-6 days/week, a 15-30 second handstand can be achieved within a month.

For those who teach handstands, what methods do you use? What are you struggling with? Let me know in the comments, or email me at affectinggravity@gmail.com and I will get back to y’all as soon as possible.

A big shout-out to all of the people who have had a huge influence on my teaching process: Chris Salvato, Ido Portal, Gold Medal Bodies, and Jim Bathurst.

Stay tuned for Part 2…

The seven-lift total: continental weightlifting competitions at the turn of the century

Aris DeMarco
This is part of a series that'll include both 'iron game history' and 'lifter profiles', the first is here: Marvin Eder

The 'old(e)time strongmen' are always something of a hot topic in the strength enthusiast's world. I mean, what's not to love about the oversized stage weight-toting, heavy overhead lifting, beer-swilling, mustachioed, leotard-wearing weightlifters who started popping up everywhere near the end of the 19th century?

"Clothing? Oh no, thank you, I couldn't possibly ask you to go to the trouble..."

The fact that wearing both a fig leaf and gladiator sandals, with nothing else but a mustache, as Eugene Sandow (pictured) was wont to do, is a bit of an overkill, I'll chalk it up to the fact that the Victorian era was a bit of a strange time, especially in terms of their various homages to the classical era, and leave it at that.

Anyway, wardrobe choices aside, as a group the 'turn of the century strongmen' were a seriously powerful group of guys. For lifters today who have a bit of nostalgia for the drug-free era of overhead lifting-obsessed European fellows, there are, of course, two relevant questions that everyone asks:

1. What did they lift, really? After all, numbers were often exaggerated, and fake weights were very popular in stage and circus shows. 

2. How did they train? 

This latter question is especially relevant when we consider the fact that some of these fellows could lift prodigious weights in a manner that no one today can duplicate. The most commonly used example: Arthur Saxon and his 370-pound bent press. 

Saxon definitely deserves a 'lifter profile' written about him....

At the time, weightlifting competitions were not really regulated as of yet, but in Germany, Sweden and Eastern Europe, a 7-lift competition was the most popular (In his book The Super Athletes, which I'll reference heavily, Willoughby says that 8 lifts were involved, but only lists seven):

One arm snatch, right and left arm

One arm continental and jerk, right and left arm

Two hands snatch

Two hands continental press

Two hands continental jerk

The lifter with the highest total of those seven lifts was, of course, the victor. 

Now for a bit of explanation regarding the lifts themselves....

The one arm snatch was done squat-style, which enabled the use of some pretty fair poundages. Many lifters could one-arm snatch their own bodyweight or more. 

The one arm jerk was done 'continental' style--in this case, taken to the shoulder with two hands; with the lifter's elbow resting on his hip, or the bar on his shoulder, and jerked overhead with one. This, too, was done in a 'squat' style. In most cases, it seems that a skilled lifter could one arm jerk roughly the same weight he could military press. 

The snatch, of course, should require no introduction--it's the same two handed barbell snatch used in weightlifting today. Of course, given the size of the bigger lifters in Europe at the time, and their general lack of flexibility, it's unlikely that they would have been able to do full squat snatches. Press-outs likely would have been allowed as well, though to what degree I'm not sure. Either way, these were most likely shallow power snatches. 

The 'continental', of course, referred to the method of bringing the weight to the shoulders. The barbell was either lifted 'clean' to the shoulders (like a power or squat clean), which at the time meant not contacting the body on the way up; or it was 'continentalled', i.e. touching the body on the way up. Most lifters rested the bar on their stomachs and from their boosted it to their shoulders. It's still commonly used to shoulder heavy thick barbells, too heavy to power clean, in strongman competitions today. 

Zydrunas Savickas using the 'continental' to shoulder and press/jerk a 437lb axle at the 2010 ASC

Thus, as you can see the term 'continental' clean is a misnomer--as Willoughby notes, "certain writers, presumably unfamiliar with weightlifting... have used the term 'continental clean'. This is meaningless, since a lift to the shoulders has to be either 'clean' or 'continental'. It cannot simultaneously be both!" 

The 'continental press', unlike the 'military press'--in which the heels had to be together, and no back lean was permitted--allowed an unlimited degree of back bend, and the feet could be spread wide or 'split' for balance. Anything really, as long as leg drive was not used. 

Arthur Saxon military pressing

Karl Swoboda 'continental' pressing. 

Finally, the 'continental jerk' was brought to the shoulders in the same manner as the press, and then jerked overhead with leg drive and a catch at lockout. It's worth noting that many of the strongest European lifters were so large and relatively inflexible that they did not split or squat under their jerks, instead using a 'heave press', i.e. a push press followed by laying back under the weight and pressing it out. Moreover, they did not yet have the 'double layback' technique in the press that eventually got it banned from the olympics. 

Looking for numbers to beat? Here are a few of the more notable 'continental' lifters of this period:

Josef Steinbach (5'10'', 250lb)

Mustache: check. Leotard: check. Beer gut (not pictured) check. 

Dan John wrote that "if all you did was clean and press, you could be awesome." Steinbach was a living example of this--as well as being the archetypal big, brutish, not-very-technical European lifter in the 1900s. He did all the competition lifts, but as you can see by his official records, he really liked pressing. 

Right hand snatch 188.5lb (these are official measures, obtained by weighing the uncalibrated barbells Steinbach competed with)

Left hand snatch 176

Right hand clean and jerk 234

Two hands continental press 329

Two hands continental jerk 392 (also 347x7)

Two hands continental press with dumbbells 309

Two hands continental jerk with dumbbells 335

Two hands seated press (sitting in a chair, not on a lifting bench with back support) 264

As you can tell, given the "relatively slight superiority of Steinbach's jerks over his presses" (Willoughby) his jerk technique was most likely the aforementioned 'heave press', similar to what Zydrunas Savickas does (see video above). 

Josef Grafl (6'3'', 285lb)

Mustache, leotard (bonus points for animal skin), beer gut....

Right hand snatch: 194.88lb

Left hand snatch: 180.76

Two hands snatch: 258

Two hands continental press: 317 (also 100kg x18 consecutive reps, feet together)

Two hands continental jerk: 389

Two hands continental press with dumbbells 286

Two hands continental jerk with dumbbells 330

Karl Swoboda (5'10'', ~300lb--picture above)

Right hand snatch 179lb

Left hand snatch 168

Two hands snatch 231

Two hands continental press 352.7

Two hands continental jerk 409

Hermann Goerner (6', ~250lb)

Goerner was more than a little awesome. He mainly lifted in the 1920s and '30s, after the 'first generation' lifters I mention above, but he did many of the same lifts so I'll reference him as well. I'll also definitely be writing an article about him in the future, anyone who can 'dance' with an elephant (pictured) as part of his performing strongman routine deserves to have his training studied, don't you think?

Right hand snatch 100kg/220lb

Left hand snatch 90kg/198lb

Right hand C&J 120kg/264lb

Left hand C&J 100kg/220lb

Two hands snatch 297 1/2lb

Two hands military (not continental) press 276

Two hands clean (not continental) and jerk 390

...So there you have it. A bit on how (and how much) they lifted, some numbers to chase, and some history, as well! Part II is now up here. 

I hope you enjoyed the article--comment or email (affectinggravity@gmail.com) with questions, or stuff you want me to write about (subject list here), and subscribe to our youtube channel. 

Alex’s philosophers club: episode 1

I had a discussion with a 90 year old man on the bus the other day. Among many other things, we got to talk about training. Not very farfetched since I take any chance of hearing what someone has to say about it, good or bad. Apparently, he was a Greco roman wrestler in his youth, a bantam weight. You know, the 160 cm tall guys that hovers just around 60 kg most of the time. Now, you may think “that’s small! He’s not jacked! Why is this of interest?!”

(Note: 60 kg at that height, carrying just about NO bodyfat is not that small, but that’s a whole other story about how most (at least males) overestimate their lean body mass and underestimate their fat weight.)

This is of interest because when he was wrestling training, they also trained for strength. “What did you do for strength and conditioning then?” I asked. The answer was squats, pushups, wrestlers bridge (neck bridge) and carrying each other on the back or in fire man’s carry.

Ok, that’s simple enough. Some may think “No UFC-fighter’s 12 week to ripped abs grappler workout?!” or “No crossfit inspired metabolic conditioning with kettlebells and barbells and rings and boxes and ropes and cages and tires and sledge hammers and ropes?” Nope.

He continued to talk about how they trained. For pushups, they were expected to be able to do 100 in a single set. Not in 5 min, not during a whole workout, not with pauses – in ONE set. This was a standard level. For neck bridge, he could get up balancing on his head in a high bridge and rolling around the way you see wrestlers do. Sometimes a friend of similar weight would sit on the stomach for some extra resistance.

One day came the big guy at their club and sat on the bantam weight wrestler’s stomach while he was holding the bridge. When he had held it a while without collapsing, the big guy took his feet off the ground and put his whole weight on the little bantam in bridge position. The big guy was 110 kg and the bridge didn’t fall.

 I’m not sure about you, but I think these feats are pretty impressive for anyone!

This guy was made of steel at his prime, and he didn’t even know about activation exercises, body part splits, fast or slow twitch muscle, peri workout nutrition, supplements or even what exercises he “should” be strong in to be considered cool by others guys at a gym today. He just trained really hard with what he knew and got bullet proof in those movements simply because of old fashioned hard work. 

In what way is your or my training better than his was? Who decides what goals are worth training for and what measures are to be used? 

My point is to drop the mentality that you must follow something that someone else has decided. If you want to be bull strong in the neck bridge, get STRONG in the neck bridge! If you want a great handstand, work on being an awesome hand balancer. Like the bench press? Bench press a lot! The regular cookie cutter training program is not “better training” just because it’s standard procedure, so learn how to work out for you! 

The whole "why" of training has become all about following some pre made model of how you look, what you wear, how you behave or what group you consider yourself a part of. Training does not have to be conformity.

Remember the 110 kg neck bridge if you get astray......

....Then bang out 100 consecutive pushups.

My 'Top 10 books about strength training with weights'

Aris

Part of sharing useful information is definitely telling people where it can be found.
The following books contain a wealth of knowledge and have been a big influence on how I think about training. Read them all and you'll have a pretty serious knowledge base when it comes to strength training in just about any form, with any methodology.

So, here is my top 10 list of books on strength training (with weights).

1. Dinosaur Training (Brooks Kubik).
It may seem a bit simplistic and outdated now that pure strength training is more 'mainstream' now as a recreational pursuit, but that doesn't make it any less useful. You want to learn about the basics of hard work, heavy weights, and progression, look no further; and there are plenty of inspirational words and iron game history to be found here, as well. I read this in, I think, my junior year of high school, and it blew my mind--at the time, I thought that a 200-pound squat and bench were 'heavy'.

2. Easy Strength (Pavel/Dan John).
I don't think Pavel's last name really needs to be listed, do you? Anyhow, this is a brilliant work, a goldmine on developing strength for athletics or life as a general phenomenon... as well as training for strength as an end unto itself. All about being stronger (and bigger and faster) and yes, making it easy. This is, I think, perhaps the most relevant book on strength training for any purpose around today.

3. Maximum Muscle (Matt Perryman).
 If you were to read only one book on getting stronger and bigger, it should be this one. Perryman examines the science of progressively building muscle and strength; and the book contains tons and tons of programs, not to mention overviews of many different training styles. He released it free in pdf form, so there's absolutely no excuse not to get it and read it.

4. OTS III 'Big Beyond Belief' (Leo Costa).
Even if you aren't a professional bodybuilder (if you're reading this, odds are that you're not) and don't intend to use the programs written here, this is an eye-opening book. The 'Eastern Method' of high frequency training is applied to bodybuilding here. You'll learn about manipulating volume, intensity, frequency... rep ranges, rest periods, slight overtraining or undertraining, everything--to break through strength and size plateaus. Not only that, but there's a section on exercise choice that is quite good.

5. The Steel Tip Collection (Ken Leistner).
I think that this is the definitive book on oldschool HIT, even moreso than Arthur Jones' original manuals. By 'oldschool' I mean extremely hard work in a moderate rep range with maximal weights--not counting seconds doing one-legged leg curls on a nautilus machine. There are a number of great pieces on the full squat, deadlift, overhead press, and grip work, as well as powerlifting prep cycles and examples of athletic (mostly football) training. Even if you don't agree with HIT principles, this book is a 'must' in order to understand them. Not to mention that it's an inspirational read.

6. Beyond Bodybuilding (Pavel).
This is likely the most expansive book of the bunch in terms of programs, workouts and sheer volume of information. There is literally zero excess here, and contains all of Pavel's philosophy, condensed. There's some real 'true knowledges' here in terms of volume training, basic powerbuilding (i.e. powerlifting + bodybuilding), linear and wave cycles, and periodization for top-tier powerlifting.

7. From the Ground Up (Dan John).
Basically, weightlifting (olympic lifting, that is) for everyone. Very accessible, especially for those just starting.

8. Metroflex Gym Powerbuilding Basics (Josh Bryant).
This book brings powerlifting, bodybuilding, and strongman training all together in one place. These are 'the basics that everyone's using' in the field today.

9. Destroy the Opposition (Jamie Lewis).
If you like high frequency training, love experimenting with exercise variations, and don't mind some profanity, this is a tremendous book on powerlifting. Program design, exercise choice, form variations, everything. There's little that you can't find on his blog, but I like to get my strength training information without sifting through scat porn (which is often just the beginning, actually)... that's just me, though. And, it ties all his best articles together in a neat package, which is nice.

10. The Westside Barbell Book of Methods (Louie Simmons).
As with Ken Leistner's book... even if you aren't into 'westside' or geared powerlifting, Louie's had a huge influence on powerlifting and you'll learn a lot by reading this, period, whether you intend on doing it (or even agree with it) or not.

Happy reading!

You only do pushups, chins and squats?!

Alex

Training at home. Most people will either think of someone having a home gym á la Matt Kroc or they'll just think you're a whimp that does pushups a few sets a week. "yeah.. for sure, you can train at home, just as well as in the gym...". And then they think "...right".

Now, this way of thinking is in a way very accurate. You won't become a good bodybuilder if you don't have access to a lot of good gear. O-lifting will be hard to do in an apartment if you have living neighbors. Crossfit will not be done. You won't learn MMA in your bedroom only.

But, in my humble opinion, there are a few things that are actually better trained at home. Besides it being economically great and time saving, it allows for very high frequency training. It allows for focus on a few things and to build skills that take many, many, (manymany) hours to master. Training them several times per week can be done if you train at home. Also, having less options in form of what equipment you have makes some people more probable to focus on the task at hand since it's human nature to get bored and try new stuff if there's a lot available.

(No need to stop doing pilates ball kettlebell-pistol-squats in the smith machine, with a blindfold and double shake weights attached to the cable cross on the dip stand with 4-way neck on it. I love that movement as much as the next guy.)

Yeah I hung it there. Also hung two alien handbags on my pullup bar.

I believe that home training is perfect for max strength bodyweight work. My personal training layout is high set, low rep training. Eight to ten sets of 1-3 reps usually done with exercise pairs. An example of this would be this workout, split into three sections:

1. Handstands, free standing for time (as a warmup)
paired with front lever holds, working up to a full front lever for 5-8 seconds and then consider me warmed up for chinning.

2. One arm pull-up: 5 singles per hand
alternated with slow negative straddle planche pushups: 5 singles

3.and capped off with weighted static one arm chins at 90 degrees for 5 sets of increasing weights.
These would be well paired with advanced tucked planche pushups for 5 sets of 3-5 reps.

 I'm a great cameraman. And have a lot of space to train.
link if you can't see the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_t_r80LspX4

So, yeah, in this workout I only do pushups and chins actually, but as you see, progress can be made with such a simple and almost laughably thin exercise selection.

This training style allows for very demanding exercises done with high frequency.
I will outline how to work your way into this type of routine, because it's hard to just jump into a high tension, high frequency, high skill routine and not destroy your elbows, shoulders and knees.

Weak points will reveal themselves and will need work with such a routine and that's crucial for progress. Movements will have to be chosen, tested, loved/hated, broken down and  trained in their small parts. Good news is, home training and some creativity allow you to hammer the weak as well as the strong links very often.

...Why this?

Aris DeMarco

Hopefully, anyone writing a blog not only really enjoys what they're writing about, but has something useful to say as well... and offers something a bit different from everyone else.

As of late, in the strength and fitness world, it seems as though everyone is anxious to clearly define themselves and not always in a good way. This blog will be about experimentation, free thinking, and doing what works--specific, goal-oriented training. This isn't about 'weights or bodyweight' or 'kettlebells or barbells' or 'bodybuilding or powerlifting', 'west vs. east' or even 'functional/nonfunctional training'; there'll be a bit of everything and we'll try hard not to dismiss anything completely if it can be of some use. 

My own training philosophy is based around training for clearly outlined goals. Maybe you want a bigger squat, a smaller waist, a faster 100m time, another five pullups, thicker forearms; maybe you just want to be healthy, maybe you want more mobility, flexibility, a wider athletic base to compete in your chosen sport. There will always be a best way to accomplish that goal, based on how you enjoy training, the time you have available, the equipment you can use on a regular basis, how quickly you want to reach your goal, what you'll be willing to sacrifice to get there, and so forth.

To progress efficiently, you always have to strive towards finding that 'best way'. 

The 'best way' will always be changing because of you and all the things affecting your training at any given point in time.

You have to know yourself--this will take experimentation and experience. 

You cannot confine yourself to a 'box', trying to use one method to accomplish everything, every time.

Ideally, your training will be a constant evolution, and you'll have more than a little fun along the way. 

We hope to share quality information from a variety of sources, and our own experiences, with you through Affecting Gravity. Reach us via comments and emails to affectinggravity@gmail.com. 

...I've been training about five years. I started out because I didn't want to embarrass myself in my highschool gym class' 'presidential fitness test' and never looked back after that. First it was an emotional outlet, then, a fun way to pass the time. Eventually my training became a huge part of my life.

The first year or so was spent doing a lot of bodyweight exercises (at first I weighed under 110 pounds at 5'8'' and couldn't do one full chinup or more than 10 pushups--this was *after* my big teen growth spurt) and running with the school track team.

In the next year or so I added kettlebells, sandbag and stone lifting and more advanced bodyweight exercises. When I went to college I started lifting in earnest, I remember being enthused about working up to a 255lb deadlift in my first session.

Now, a few years later, I've deadlifted triple bodyweight (412.5) in a competition with the Strongfirst Deadlift Team, I can do a full one arm pullup with my right arm and strict overhead press more than my own weight just about anytime I want... I've made decent progress in the past few years but really, I'm only just beginning. 

I'll be writing about:

-Program design and exercise selection

-density training

-Bodyweight exercises for general fitness, and progressions to approach higher levels

-odd object lifting

-kettlebell training

-lift/exercise tutorials 

-the training of individuals from the pre-drug era

What's this?!

Alex

Yet another training blog? Yeah. All about showing our abs with a lot of work done in form of crunches and photoshop for “inspiration”? Nah, not this time. This is not about me, it’s about my hobbies.

My name is Alex and I’m a 26 year old from Sweden. I started training when I was 13, to get in shape and back then, all I did was pushups and situps. They went from zero to sets of 50+ and after that I knew training could deliver results.

Later came some thai boxing training for a few years and after that I started training more seriously at home. The search for my own training style began! I’ve been messing around with many different things here: kettlebells, rubber bands, bodyweight training and free weights but the last year and a half has been the most productive and serious.

One way of looking at your feet.

 You’ll see in my posts that I’m not an endurance or cross training athlete, not bodybuilding, not classic strength training or conditioning either. I try to train strength through movements and skills that really push my boundaries every session I do, using minimal equipment and space.

I don’t care if the movements come from gymnastics, climbing, circus or Arnold – if it’s fun and awesome, it’s worth mastering!

My posts will be about: 

-No space, low on equipment training for max strength

        -Gymnastics fun

       -Methods from rock climbing, bastardized!

       -Philosophy related to training, super deep thoughts!

        -Weak point bodybuilding, (meaning the whole body then.. .

        -Grip and finger work / for the T-rexes

       And photoshopped pics with great lightning. 

Who is this Josh Guy?

Josh Trammell

Some say I’m a jock, a nerd, a douche, an avid gamer, a “Jack of All Trades” if you will. While I have worn all these hats before, it wasn’t until after a marathon 17-hour Guild Wars session (yes…you read that right) followed by two vomit-inducing trips up and down the basketball court the following day that I realized I needed to get serious about my horrid state of fitness. From that point on, fitness had become a very large part of my life, and there was no turning back.

While I’ve been involved in sports throughout my life – basketball, soccer, football, track, badminton, you name it, strength training in general was always something that I was FORCED to do; I never really pursued it seriously. That quickly changed after those 2 trips down the basketball court, however. My fitness path has been a winding road – from screwing around with WAY too much volume, to being a push-ups fanatic, to teaching myself gymnastics and becoming intimately involved with sports performance. I’ve done it all.

White Boys CAN Jump...

What You Can Expect:

• A “Simple” Strength Training Philosophy that WORKS
• Gymnastic Progressions for the Average Joe
• Past Dietary Experimentation and Application
• Injury Management Made Simple
• Glute-Building Awesomeness and Sports Performance
• A Rant... or Three
• A General Focus on APPLICATION

Enjoy the blog guys!