DESIGNING BETTER LIVING THROUGH STRENGTH
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EUGENIZATION
a personal training blog

From the category archives:

Muscle and Strength Gain

The Missing Link – Intensity.

October 23, 2008

You would think that with all of the information on fitness and exercise currently (and freely) available on the web, we would be experiencing a boom of fit, trim bodies; that Arnold and Rae-look-a-likes would be spilling out of every building across America, yet nothing could be further from the truth.  In fact, we’re experiencing [...]

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Lift Slower, Not Faster.

July 9, 2008

Ok, I know it’s a poster study and as such I’m aware of its limitations, yet it’s great to see “slow” training validated (can’t wait to see the actual data).
Slow Exercise (Not Fast) Is Better For Menopausal Women.
Summary: Groups of menopausal women (45-55 yrs old) were trained “standard style” (normal speed), or SuperSlow (10 secs [...]

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When There’s No Time To Exercise…

June 10, 2008

…you have to make time. Or break “the rules.” Or both.
Ways to make time for exercise:
1. Make it a recurring appointment on your calendar. That way you’re less likely to miss it in the future.  Making it a meeting you’re accountable for will do wonders for you actually doing it.
2. Get up a [...]

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Three Indicators That You Need a New Personal Trainer.

May 27, 2008

1. You’re talked to instead of guided.
As in, instead of telling you to brace your abdominals while military pressing, they’re telling you about housebreaking their new puppy, or (insert random non-exercise related topic here).
Edit: Not to be confused with friendly banter between exercises, as in when resting. But when “under load”, it’s time to [...]

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Healthier Joints Through Strength Training.

May 20, 2008

One fear that clients (particularly older individuals) have regarding strength training is the integrity of their joints:  “Won’t I hurt my back (or knee/elbow/shoulder) lifting weights?” 
If you’re concerned at all about joint integrity on a resistance training program, don’t be.  Assuming you choose weights that are appropriately heavy, your joints should get stronger.  Here’s why:
First, [...]

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Weights; Bodyweight; Big Tires; I’m Confused!

April 16, 2008

Thomas, my aforementioned gregarious meat monger, asked me today,”Is it better to use dumbbells or barbells?”
There isn’t a day that goes by that I’m not asked this exact question or some variant of it.  While it is true that there are different advantages to each training implement, the honest truth is this:
What you use doesn’t matter so [...]

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Want To Make Your Deadlifting Easier?

March 15, 2008

Having trouble with exercises that involve grip? Specifically, exercises where your grip gives out first, such as chinups or deadlifting?
Over grip. Use your best GiJoe kung fu death grip on the bar. Squeeze that bar like you’re trying to make the metal ooze out between your fingers.
This will have the added benefit of [...]

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Reasons To Strength Train #47

February 7, 2008

Yesterday I was sent three different links to the same compelling study (thanks guys):
Fast/Glycolytic muscle fiber growth reduces fat mass and improves metabolic parameters in obese mice.
which I’m sure sounds exactly like something you’d want to read about in your spare time. 
Let me cut to the chase: the mice in the study were fed the [...]

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Predicting Your One-Rep Max.

January 9, 2008

“Hey, whadduya bench?”
What if you never tested your max?
What if you didn’t care to?
One of my clients asked me recently what I thought he could maximally lift in bench press based on his current level. While it’s impossible to know what his true one-repetition maximum (the maximal amount of weight he can bench just [...]

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Working the Angles…

December 12, 2007

Thomas, the gregarious meat monger at my local Ottomanelli meat shop asked me:
“…but don’t I need to work the muscle from all different angles? Won’t my results be limited if I only do bench for chest and not decline and incline?”
(A bit of context is needed here – Thomas originally asked me why he’d stopped [...]

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