The Benefits of Olympic Weightlifting

Olympic style lifting has many health benefits including:

Multi-joint movement. These are not isolated exercises. Many muscles work at the same time as a group.

Lots of core work (back, side and stomach muscles) involved.

Trains for speed, power and agility.

Strengthens ankles and wrists.

More functional than isolated exercises like bicep curls.

Some examples of Olympic Lifts are:

1. Hang Jump Shrug

2. Clean and Snatch Pulls and High Pull

3. Power Clean and Power Snatch

4. Front and Back Squats

5. Split Squasts and Side Squats

6. Deadlifts

7. Good Morning, Push Press and Push Jerk

But first...
 
Two Basic Weightlifting Positions You Should Learn First

Squat Jumps

This plyometric exercise (a power exercise, your feet will leave the floor) is a staple movement for many Olympic lifts. It's comparatively easy! Start by assuming a basic squat stance with your feet hip width apart, all of the weight on the heels, and your buttocks pushed back like you're about to sit in a chair. Keep your abs tight and back straight.

Next, place your hands behind your head, go down into the squat, until your thighs are basically parallel to the floor.

Finally, focus your energy on pushing up through the heels and ankles and spring upwards. Your feet leave the floor and your body straightens completely in the air.

Tips for Beginners - Begin by using body weight only, and by coming about an inch or so off the ground, just to test for limitations, and to perfect your form. When it becomes too easy, aim for more height. The intermediate step would be to add dumbbells, or a barbell behind your head, placed over your trapezoids.

The Hang Position

This " power position" is the basis for many Olympic lifts. It will set you up for explosive power with jumping lifts, and work on having excellent form for your deadlifts.

Start by getting back into the basic squat position with knees slightly bent, weight on the heels, and buttocks back. With your back straight, and shoulders back, slide your hands down your thighs to your knees. This movement is initiated by bending at the hips, not the knees.

Now that you are leaning forward, arms down, hips back you are ready to start lifting!

Hang Jump Shrug

Hang Jump Shrug is a simple weightlifting exercise that is recommended after mastering the jump squat.

Instructions

1. Start by holding a lightweight loaded barbell or a light pair of dumbbells with a pronated (palms facing back toward your thighs) grip. Your grip is shoulder width apart and your feet a little wider than hips.

2. Lower the weight down to your knees and get into what is called the "hang" or "power position".

3. Remember to slightly bend your knees, and stick your hips back while lowering. Keep the back straight with the eyes and chest lifted. This position will feel like leaning forward to look out a short window.

4. Next, push into the ground with your feet and jump up and straight with power. During this movement, with arms straight, simultaneously shrug the shoulders up toward the ears.

5. Land flat footed with knees bent and hips back. This absorbs the landing in the hips, oppose to landing on your toes and taking the impact in the knees.

6. Reset position for next rep.

Do 3 sets of 20 or 6 sets of 10, whichever you are more comfortable with.

How fast / slow should I lift weights?

Q

"Hello! I have read that there is advantages and disadvantages to going faster or slower while lifting weights. What are the pros and cons?

- K. Duncan"

A

Hello!

Yes, you are correct there are pros and cons.

The best thing to do is to go slowly and keep your form correct. Correct form while weightlifting reduces injuries. Going slowly builds more muscle and brute strength.

Fast Weightlifting will feel a bit like a cardio. It still builds strength, but it builds muscle speed and endurance more. 'Muscle Speed' is more desirable for people into martial arts. But it increases your chances of injury so it is better to stick to lighter weights.

It really depends on your goals. Strength = go slowly. Endurance = quickly, but pay attention and try not to hurt yourself.

If you get into the whole muscle speed topic then what you will be doing is aiming to activate "fast twitch muscle fibres", muscles that are responsible for explosive speed and strength. Unlike brute strength (which can live large amounts), fast twitch muscle fibres work on a different principle whereby they utilize energy differently.

Here are some tips when trying to build those fast twitch muscles...

#1. Do Jump Squats, Jumping Jacks and Push Presses and similar exercises - they require your muscles to fire quickly.

#2. Practice Reflex Exercises - such as catching a ball or juggling.

#3. Take up a sport that requires fast reflexes - like tennis or table tennis or even boxing / martial arts.

#4. Smaller Reps when Weightlifting - Only do 3 to 5 reps with a weight, focus on form, but try to do it really quickly. Don't over do it, rest a lot between reps.

#5. Rest a lot in-between sets / exercises. Anywhere from 90 seconds to 2 minutes. For example if you were practicing sprinting you would want to sprint for 10 seconds, then rest for 2 minutes, then sprint for 10 seconds, rest for 2 minutes, repeat.

#6. Speed Boxing or Kicking - Punching or kicking really fast, but do short reps and take lots of breaks.

The photo below of the cat amused me so I have included it just for fun.

Although to be fair the one below is even funnier.

How to use Hand Grips - Hand Grips for Beginners

Grip Training for Beginners - How to Train with Heavy Grips

The following is step-by-step instructions on how to get the most out of your handgripper training. The program is designed for beginners, but adaptable for more intermediate and advanced grip trainers.

Beginner Program

Congratulations on your purchase of hand grippers (aka hand grips). Hopefully you purchased one that challenges you and isn't too easy - but also isn't too hard.

If it feels too hard so that you can't even squeeze them for 10 times consecutively then you purchased hand grips that are too difficult for you to use properly and you should set them aside for now and use easier hand grips.

If you can squeeze them easily and hold them indefinitely without problem then they are too easy and you need something harder. Try to find out what weight your current handgrips are and use a set which is several pounds of pressure more difficult.

In this post I am going to be giving you tips, tricks, techniques and pictures to help you get the most out of your grippers and develop stronger hands and forearms. The sample training program is the same basic program used by many professional and amateur grip enthusiasts, athletes, bodybuilders and weightlifters. Followed correctly and you will see good results.

With time you will build up such strength that people will find it unbelievable that you can squeeze together heavy duty hand grips with ease while they themselves struggle and can't squeeze it together at all or barely at all.

Why Train With Grippers?

If you’re an athlete, you need strong hands. Many professional sports in the world involves moving something with your hands or transferring your body’s power through the hands. Thus having strong hands and strong forearms becomes very important for sports like football, wrestling, baseball, weightlifting, martial arts, tennis, golf, archery, fencing and many other sports that use your arms. Many athletes - male and female - can gain a competitive edge over the competition by having a stronger grip and stronger forearms.

Higher strength in your hands and forearms also gives you more motor control and dexterity when trying to accomplish something which is physically straining. Tasks like unscrewing a bolt using a wrench at an awkward angle becomes an easier task for you because your hands and arms are better matched to the task at hand.

Setting Your Grip on the Hand Grips

Setting the gripper basically means that you are using your other hand to help position the gripper in your open hand. Your goal will be to close the gripper far enough so that you can wrap your pinky around the handle and put it in a good position to close the gripper. It may take you a few days or a few weeks to completely grasp the “feel” of setting the gripper but once you do you will reap the benefits faster. Essentially this is a matter of maintaining proper form during your gripping exercises otherwise you will be doing it improperly and not seeing the same fast results.

With time you will be able to recognize a "sweet spot" in the palm of your hand for the handle to rest and you won't even need to use your other hand to adjust it slightly. Finding that sweet spot allows you to get the best possible leverage.

When I set a gripper in my right hand, I use my left thumb to press one gripper handle firmly into my right palm, while at the same time using my left index finger to pull the other handle closer so my pinky can wrap around it better. Even people with short fingers will have an easier time closing grippers if they set the grips properly in their hand. See the photos on the above right and below.

When setting them upside down (so you can exercise different fingers more) you will need to repeat the process, but setting it differently. See photos below. These types of closes are known as "Inverted Closes".

Note! Under no circumstances would you want to set the gripper any further than parallel with your fingers. At the same time there is no reason to grip the grippers so that the bars are further than parallel either. Closing it further than that will garner less benefit because it becomes easier to hold them steady in that position. Why not do this if it easier? Because if it is so easy it won't be developing stronger hands. The whole purpose here is to build stronger hands and you need to embrace the idea that this will be difficult to squeeze together because difficulty builds strength.

No Set Closes

 If you want to develop truly strong hands, work on using a very shallow set and practicing "no set closes". No set means you don’t use the other hand to set the gripper at all and you squeeze the gripper completely closed using one hand only. These types of squeezes are much tougher and will make your hands stronger faster. However if you don’t have large hands, this can be difficult for you to accomplish because of your smaller fingers so no set closes may be too difficult for you to do properly.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't attempt them however. Don't let small hands become an excuse. Attempt to do no set closes anyway on a regular basis just to see if you can do them and eventually you should build up your strength so that you can do them even with small hands.

Advice to New People Interested in Grip Exercises

#1. Correct your pinky placement on the handle. Having your pinky halfway off the bottom of the handle puts your hand in a slightly better leverage position. You still want your pinky involved in the crush and not slipping off the handle though.

#2. During squeezes you will begin to crush the handles together. The best advice is to simply squeeze hard and fast! The closer the handles get to touching, the more your pinky and ring finger come into play. Try to determine which is the hardest angle for you to squeeze to and focus on the squeezing around that angle range. Doing it faster builds more collective brute strength in this case. Where in normal weightlifting it is better to go slow if you want to build brute strength, with grip exercises you want to do it quickly instead.

#3. More on Inverted Closes. Since Inverted Closes makes up half the number of grip exercises you should do I think it is important to note the difference in setting the position in your hand. Setting a gripper in the inverted position is a little more tricky than the standard position, but take your time with it. Like above you will find the "sweet spot" soon enough. Don't forget to also do no set inverted squeezes too.

Recovery after Grip Exercises

Human hands have a remarkable ability to recover quickly from the workout you give them. I recommend working with hand grippers 3 times a week if you are a beginner and then start to slowly increase the frequency and volume of your workouts over the course of several weeks. This will give you adequate time in between exercises for new muscle growth periods (every 48 hours) and to fix any damaged muscle tissue. If you still feel pain after 48 hours then you are doing the exercises too frequently and / or using hand grips that are too powerful for you and you need to use an easier set.

Below is a sample training program for people who are just starting out. You can adjust the program to your individual needs.

Warm Up

6 to 8 repetitions on a very easy gripper each hand. This gets the blood flowing to your hands. Rest 1 minute.

6 to 8 repetitions again, but this time do it inverted. Rest 1 minute.

Your Intermediate Hand Grips – 3 each hand, and 3 more inverted. Rest 1 minute.

Workout

Your Heavy Hand Grips – 5 each hand, and 5 more inverted. Rest 1 minute.

No Set Closes with your Intermediate Hand Grips – 5 each hand, and 5 more inverted. Rest 1 minute.

If you are more advanced you may also try Negatives, Braced or Choked Attempts - but I am not explaining those today.

Cool Down

Fill a big bowl with cold water and the sink with hot water. Plunge your hands into the sink filled with hot water. Then stretch and flex your fingers before removing your hands. Then plunge your hands into the big bowl of cold water and repeat the process of stretching and flexing your fingers in the bowl.

Note: Don't make the water ridiculously hot. "Hot" will do. Scalding or anything that hurts your skin is too hot.

Notes and Progression

Remember to rest in between each set of grip exercises.

If you are feeling ill or have low energy and not up to 100% strength, you can reduce the number of squeezes during the warm-up so the bulk of your energy and strength go into the goal gripper squeezes.

Stick to each progression of your program for 3 weeks before advancing to a more difficult routine. Use your own judgement to decide how much more difficulty to add each time you change your routine. Common changes include adding an extra day per week, doing more squeezes by increasing the volume per set, changing to heavier grips and doing less squeezes, trying new types of squeezes like Negatives, Braced or Choked Attempts.

Building grip strength can be very rewarding and can take your hand and forearm strength to new levels you only dreamed of before. As you get more experienced, don’t be afraid to experiment with new ideas on grip training and different kinds of grip exercises that don't use hand grips.

Also sometimes you just need a longer break to build new muscle. Don't be afraid to take a week off once every 4 weeks and then resume your training the next week.

SEE ALSO

Training with Hand Grips Every Day

Building a Stronger Grip using Grip Exercises

How Long does it take for Muscles to Grow?

How Long does it take for Muscles to Grow?

Honestly, quite quickly. Within 48 hours after exercising there is muscle growth from a variety of activities - not just weightlifting.

Knowing this is useful for building muscle, but also for boosting endurance too.
 
When you regularly perform resistance exercises such as body weight exercises, yoga, calisthenics or weightlifting, you gradually increase the amount of muscle tissue on your body and produce visible changes in your muscle size. These changes come from the breakdown / ripping of muscle fibers and the formation of new muscle fibers in-between the damaged tissue. How quickly you see results varies depends on how much your ripped, your metabolism, your diet / protein / nutrient intake, age, testosterone levels and other factors.

Generally speaking the changes take place within 48 hours after exercising - which is a relatively short period of time.

Rest periods in-between exercise periods are very important. Most of the muscles growth happens within the first 24 hours after exercising - and most of that growth happens while you are sleeping and your body is rejuvenating.

Understanding Muscle Growth Basics

When you lift weights or perform other types of resistance exercise, you trigger the formation of new muscle tissue by temporarily damaging your existing muscles. This process begins when resistance exercise causes minute injuries in your muscle fibers. It is therefore important to not over exercise and injure yourself. Too much weightlifting can cause more harm than good, because if you rip too many muscles at once it will take a lot longer for those muscles to heal properly - even with proper diet, a high metabolism, etc.

To heal these injuries, your body activates nearby cells called satellite cells. Once activated, some of your satellite cells bind to the damaged portions of your existing muscle tissue. Other satellite cells bind to one another and form new strands of muscle fiber.

How Fast Does It Grow

Resistance exercises trigger muscle-building changes in your muscle tissue within two to four hours after your exercise session, and the process typically lasts for as long as 24 to 48 hours. It often lasts as long as two sleep cycles. However, each resistance training session triggers new minor muscle increases, and you must keep working on two or three non-consecutive days a week to produce noticeable results. If you exercise the same muscles every day you may simply rip the already damaged tissue, thus setting you back 24 hours in terms of your body's "internal repair schedule".

Depending on your metabolism and workout routine, it can take anywhere from several weeks to several months for you to see significant changes in the size of your affected muscles. Especially if you trying to target one part of your body - such as the biceps - and you are overdoing that muscle group when you would be better off with an all over approach. Overdoing one muscle group will only slow down repair time, whereas an all over approach will build multiple muscle groups simultaneously. So if you are looking to build muscles faster start by using a variety of exercises.

Repetitions and Weight Amounts

Most people get sufficient muscle growth when they perform a single set that contains 8 to 12 repetitions of a given resistance exercise. It isn't really necessary to do 20, 30, 50, or 100 reps unless you are also training for endurance.

To gain the benefits of a lower number of repetitions (10), you must use enough weight or resisting force to cause temporary muscle fatigue. You lift the heaviest weight you can 10 times and when you can perform more than 15 repetitions at a given weight, you will typically want to slightly increase the weight you use to keep fatiguing your muscles and triggering the process that leads to new muscle growth. The idea is so that every time you lift weights you are challenging yourself - and ripping new muscle tissue.

To gain the benefits of a higher number of repetitions (20 or more), you want to use a lower amount of weight that you can more comfortably lift that many times. This lower number, but increased number will send different signals to the muscles being ripped, and the existing muscles, to build muscles which are higher quality and in the future will be able to withstand more ripping / pain. (Note: Women often do very well in this category as estrogen boosts muscle quality, whereas the opposite is more difficult because women are less likely to rip muscles due to the higher quality of their muscle tissue - and because their lower testosterone levels decreases how quickly they build muscle mass. This doesn't mean that women cannot be strong however, it simply means they have to work twice as hard in order to build muscle mass, and likewise men need to work their endurance harder if that is what they are looking to build.)

Regardless of whether you are training for size or endurance, you will be slightly stronger within 48 hours or less. The problem however is that slight increase is so small it is barely noticeable, which is why it is necessary to workout 3 or 4 times per week in order to see visually noticeable results.

Diet

Eating lots of nutrients and protein are very important to building muscles. It is not all protein. You also need vegetables, which includes lots of minerals and vitamins that your body needs to quickly build muscle tissue. You also need an adequate supply of carbs so your body feels energized. A variety of natural supplements exist (eg. Creatine) which boost the speed at which you grow new muscle tissue.

Conclusions

People new to resistance training typically see relatively rapid increases in muscle size due to building muscles that haven't really been challenged before, as can people who "used to exercise very often" and are getting back into things due to muscle memory.

As your body becomes accustomed to the effects of your new activity, your rate of muscle growth will taper off. While you can try to jump-start your muscle growth by increasing the number of sets you perform for a given exercise, you will usually see only modest size increases - muscle gain is a matter of patience.

Being impatient means you might simultaneously raise your risks for a workout-related injury. To enhance the effects of your workout routine and safely maximize your potential muscle size, I recommend using a combination of body weight exercises (which are safer to do), yoga, free weights and weight machines.

If you need more help consult your friendly neighbourhood personal trainer in Downtown Toronto.

Training with Hand Grips Every Day

Q

"Hello!

I want to ask if it is okay to train with hand grippers everyday [for training grip strength and forearms] ? I find that the hand gripper is not very stressful so I was wondering if i can train with it every day without injuring myself?

Thanks!

Pete"

A

Yes, I would say a person can train with hand grips every day - if you are using a lighter weight hand grip.

I would not advise overdoing it on repetitions with the heavier hand grips, just as a precaution. If you start to feel pain in the forearm muscles it is a sign to take a break for a day and let your muscles recuperate. Most grip exercise enthusiasts only do grip exercises 3 times per week, giving themselves ample time in-between to grow new muscle tissue.

Muscle growth only happens when the body has ample time to repair. If you overdo it by exercising a specific muscle every day you actually hamper growth by damaging muscle tissue which is still under construction.

To use an analogy it is like driving a bulldozer through a group of gazebos before they are even half way constructed. This isn't such a big deal if you are using light weight hand grips, but when using heavier hand grips there will be a lot more damage.

I also have to caution you against overdoing the repetitions. 50 to 100 repetitions on three days per week is ENOUGH to promote serious muscle growth. Going over 100 by a ridiculous number and doing the exercises every day will result in muscle fatigue and cause more damage than you intended.

There are a number of companies that sell heavy duty hand grips for people who are really into "grip training". The companies include:

• IronMind Captains of Crush
• Mash Monsters
• Atomgripz
• Fat Bastard Barbell Company
• Warren Tetting

On Amazon.com the one with the highest (and the most) reviews is the "Captains of Crush Hand Gripper" which sells for roughly $26.

The "Captain" brand offers 11 different types of hand grips for people looking to challenge themselves at different levels.

However I will note that at ALL of the Captains of Crush Hand Grippers are in the moderate to heavy resistance brackets. Ranging from 60 lbs of resistance up to 365 lbs of resistance (which is just ridiculous).

If you are just getting into gripping exercises to build your forearm strength I recommend starting lower - buy something closer to 30 lbs of resistance.

Or, if you think you really up to the challenge of 60+ lbs, then I recommend trying them in a store before buying - to see if you can even squeeze it for 10 consecutive times.

After all it would be a complete waste of your money if your purchased hand grips so hard to squeeze that you can't even do more than 1 repetition of a full squeeze.

Another type of hand grip on the market I recommend trying is Grip Pro Strength Trainer hand grips...

Unlike normal hand grips, the Grip Pro are round donut shaped pieces of rubber, which is more comfortable for your hands.

They're also good for beginners. The advantage of the Grip Pro is that they are relatively inexpensive, only $10 - and they give you three different levels, 30 lbs, 40 lbs, and 50 lbs in one set. This way even beginners can challenge themselves over time.

If the person really gets into grip exercises they will no doubt eventually want to try something more heavy duty, in which case they can go buy one of the "Captains of Crush Hand Gripper" hand grips and challenge themselves more, but otherwise I recommend the Grip Pro for beginners.

A person, even a strong person, might think their grip is already strong enough to challenge themselves with heavier resistance hand grips, but unless you have forearms like Pop-Eye I don't recommend it.

The Exercise Regimen of a Personal Trainer in Toronto

Q

"Hello!

I am looking to make my own exercise regimen. I am curious as to what you do for your own physical regimen?

Curious,
Lisa P."

A

Hello Lisa!

Honestly, I exercise as often as I have time and energy to do so. Which is a lot since I am often exercising with clients.

However there are days when I am not meeting clients and I do have a regimen that I do at home that mixes cardio with weightlifting, stretching and yoga.

My Personal Exercise Regimen

Music - While exercising I turn my special exercising playlist so I can exercise while listening to music. My musical tastes for exercising is a mix of the 70s, 80s and 90s... and includes songs like "Eye of the Tiger" and "Gonna Fly Now", two songs from the Rocky films. I deliberately choose songs that make me feel energetic.

#1. Stretches and yoga - Varies between 1 minute to 10 minutes, depending on what I feel like doing that day. Sometimes I skip the yoga entirely.

#2. Pushups. 100 of them. Typically I divide them up into 20 pushups at a time, 5 sets of 20. If I am feeling particularly energetic I may do more than that, but always in sets of 20.

#3. Jumping Jacks. I used to do 100 jumping jacks at a time, and aimed to do 5 sets of 100. But these days I am often doing 150 to 200 jumping jacks instead - and 4 or 5 sets of them. My endurance for jumping jacks has grown over time.

#4. Headstand Pushups. I do this upside down with my feet against the wall. Typically I do 20 at a time. They're very difficult and not for beginners. Sometimes I will do 2 or 3 sets of 20.

#5. Bicep Curls - How much weight I use varies. My lightest dumbbell is 15 lbs and the heaviest is 30. If I am lifting the 15s I will sometime do 50 reps or more. If I am using the 20s / 25s then I might do 30 reps. With the 30 lb dumbbells it is 20 to 25 reps. How many sets of reps also varies, depending on how tired I am, how energetic I feel. But usually I will aim to do at least 2 reps of each different type of dumbbell.

#6. Shoulder Lifts - Using the 15 lb dumbbells I lift up my arms sideways to a 90 degree angle and hold. Then I lower my arms slowly. I do this 20 times for 5 sets.

#7. Situps - I used to do a lot of situps but these days I have grown bored of them. When I do do situps it is 100 situps at a time, usually once in the morning and once in the evening before 8 PM.

#8. Tricep Lifts - Using the heavier dumbbells I start with my arms in a raised L position and then lift both dumbbells above my head and hold for a second. Lower them down slowly back to the L position and then repeat. 30 times, both arms at once. I aim to do this for 5 sets.

#9. Behind Head Tricep Holds - Using 1 dumbbell and holding the weights at both ends I lift it over my head and then lower it behind my head. When doing this you should feel the muscles in the backs of your arms (the triceps) straining. Repeat 10 to 15 times. Do 2 to 5 sets of this, or until you feel you've strained those muscles enough.

#10. Football Twists - Holding a football between both hands I twist left and then right 100 times (50 each side), twisting as far as my obliques will let me. This is more of a cardio / stretching exercise for the obliques, but I find it also increases muscle tone.

During the Winter I often increase how often I do my exercise routine because I know I don't go outside as often in the Winter. The intensity of my workout likewise goes up in the Winter.

After I complete all of the sets and reps I usually take a multi-vitamin and chase it down with a whey protein shake.

Now I should also note that during the day I also do a lot of other random things for exercise. Some of these random things include:

• Fixing bicycles (restoring old bicycles is my hobby).
• Woodworking and Sculpture (another hobby)
• Boxing
• Cycling
• Rollerblading (in the Summer)
• Swimming and Snorkeling (in the Summer)
• Ice Skating (in the Winter)
• Archery (Spring to Autumn)
• Rock Climbing (Spring to Autumn)

I hope all of this has been helpful!

Sincerely,
Charles Moffat
Toronto Personal Trainer

Building a Stronger Grip using Grip Exercises

Building a stronger grip is really a specialized form of weightlifting / resistance training, and usually the result of someone some form of hand injury wherein their hand was in a cast for a month or more and they need to rebuild the muscles in their hand.

There are a variety of other reasons why people might want a stronger grip in their hands (eg. people who are into rock climbing), but their goals will be roughly the same - to build the muscles in their hand so they can strongly and firmly hold something in place. For bodybuilders having a good strong grip is also handy when lifting the heavier weights.

Some people also build stronger forearm muscles, which also effects grip, so absolutely that is another reason to be doing grip exercises.

There are essentially two ways to do this...

#1. Sports Hand Grips and Weightlifting Grips

You've probably seen them in stores before. Its basically just a device with a spring that you squeeze together. Its not complicated or expensive to purchase them, and they do "most" of the job they are advertised to do.

When buying grips you will want to start with a low number - like 30 lbs or 40 lbs. You can even get adjustable grips where you can change the tension in the spring.

The more heavy duty weightlifting grips start at 100 lbs and go up to 300 lbs, but that is more for serious weightlifters.

#2. Old School Frugal Grip Exercises

These are arguably the better way to attain a stronger grip. Why? It gives you more range and variety, offering you more of a challenge and will push your muscles further than any mere gadget will do. The types of grip exercises will give you different things to challenge yourself with - and the beauty of these exercises is that are not only better for you physically, but they're easy on your wallet too.

Look at the visual examples below of various grip exercises you can try. You won't need anvils or weights to do some of these exercises. When lacking in equipment try using books and heavier objects in your home or garage. Rope climbing is an excellent method too as it uses your body weight instead of the weight of the object.

Lawyer suing NY personal trainer

A lawyer in Manhattan New York is suing a celebrity personal trainer in NYC.

What is interesting is WHY he is suing the personal trainer.

Manhattan attorney Neil Squillante signed up for some personal training sessions 3 years ago, the workouts were too intense for him and he is still in pain 3 years later.

Why? Because the workouts were so intense it ripped ligaments in his joints. The scrawny lawyer was apparently so skinny and underweight that his ligaments weren't used to the intensity of the muscle strain he underwent during the workouts that it ripped the ligaments.

Now I should note that for weightlifting, ripping muscle tissue is normal (“no pain, no gain”) and even desired because it builds new muscles tissue in-between the ripped tissue. However, ripping ligaments is not something you want to happen, because the damage is much more severe, painful, and crippling.

People who get into professional weightlifting and power-lifting are warned about the dangers of ripping ligaments. You have to know your limits and not take risks. Like muscle tissue, ligaments need time to grow and become stronger.

What the personal trainer in New York did was take a workout that they normally do with celebrity's like Beyoncé (Beyoncé is one of their former clients) and then give the same workout to a skinny lawyer who has been sitting at a desk almost every day for the last 10 years.

So I agree with the lawyer. The personal trainer who was training him should have known better to force such an intense workout on someone who's body wasn't ready for it.

What he needed was a more gradual workout program designed to toughen him up first, emphasizing endurance first and strength secondary. Smaller weights, less intensity, longer time period. That is what the personal trainer SHOULD have done.

Instead here is what happened...

#1. Prior to signing up for sessions Neil Squillante “lived a sedentary life with minimal physical activity, lacked physical strength and fitness . . . and had no experience with vigorous physical exercise or strength training.” As such the trainer should have known that in order to prevent injuries that this person would have to be introduced to intense workouts and weightlifting gradually.

#2. In April 2010 Neil Squillante signed up for personal training sessions with a Chelsea personal trainer, who is the Focus co-founder Gabriel Valencia, whose clients include the singer Beyoncé.

#3. He should have been started off gradually with mild workouts, small weights, low intensity and a focus on endurance first. Instead the workouts ended up being a series of intense sessions of squats and thrusts with a heavy medicine ball in what Squillante describes as "a torture session".

“Within a few days after his first physical training session, Squillante told Valencia by telephone that his arms were so sore from the workout that he could not lift them,” the lawsuit says. “Valencia chuckled and said that Squillante’s soreness was normal and nothing to worry about.”

Soreness in the arms, okay. But soreness in the joints so that he can't even lift his arms? That is a warning sign of damage to the ligaments. The personal trainer Gabriel Valencia SHOULD have halted the sessions immediately and counseled that he seek the attention of a doctor who specializes in sports injuries.

Instead Squillante went to two more sessions and ripped his ligaments even more. He ended up having severe damage to his knee, hip and pelvis due to multiple torn ligaments.

#4. Three years after several Neil Squillante still suffers “pain and weakness when he stands,” has trouble sitting “for reasonable periods,” and is in constant pain even when he is not standing or sitting. He rarely travels, has few work meetings, is unable to recruit staff (he runs a legal information service company), and has a diminished social life. He is basically a cripple.

#5. Neil Squillante filed a lawsuit on May 15th 2013 against the personal trainer Gabriel Valencia, his boss and the company.

I believe Neil Squillante absolutely deserves to win his lawsuit because that was gross incompetence on the part of the personal trainer who evidently wasn't used to training people who were that thin / unused to exercise and furthermore ignored the warning signs of a serious sports injury.

Hearing Loss from Bodybuilding?

Q

"Hello! Have you ever heard of anyone developing hearing loss from bodybuilding / weight lifting?

- Jake H."

A

No, I can't say that I have.

However with the wide plethora of supplements and steroids available to the bodybuilding industry I would not be surprised if some of the more illegal steroids have side effects that include hearing loss.

There are a lot of unknowns when it comes to drugs that have not been properly tested and have been deemed to have dangerous side effects.

However the hearing loss could just be caused by something else and falsely attributed to weightlifting.

For example the older people get the more likely they are to experience hearing loss. 33% of elderly people between the ages of 65 and 75 experience some form of hearing loss. Above the age of 75 the percentage goes up to 50%. Thus if a person at the age of 68 took up weightlifting later in life, and became really serious about it, and then started experiencing hearing loss at the same time, they might falsely think their hearing loss was somehow connected to the new love of weightlifting.

To my knowledge there is no medical connection between weightlifting and hearing loss - but that doesn't mean a person can't develop hearing loss due to another cause. It would therefore be logical to start by eliminating other possible causes before we start pointing fingers.

THE MOST COMMON CAUSES OF HEARING LOSS

#1. Genetic factors - Is there a history of hearing loss in your family? This is entirely possible when you consider 50% of people encounter hearing loss over the age of 75. Even people who have no history of hearing loss in their parents or grandparents may still have inherited a recessive gene.

#2. Excessive Exposure to Loud Noises over a Longer Period - What kind of work or home environment do you have that might expose you to loud noises? eg. If you work in a noisy factory and have been doing so for years, and you don't wear ear protection, you could suffer hearing loss.

#3. Buildup of Earwax / Medical Conditions - Some people build up earwax faster than others and it interferes with their hearing over time.

#4. High Intensity Sound - A single loud burst of sound can also cause hearing damage if its exceptionally loud.

#5. Tumor, Abnormal Bone Growth, Ear Infection - Some of these could be permanent or temporary. Depends on the precise cause. An audiologist could provide more info.

#6. Ruptured Eardrum due to Unknown Cause - Sometimes accidents just happen and we have no idea why.

#7. People who are into boxing and wrestling can sometimes suffer hearing loss. Many boxers and wrestlers also encounter other problems like blindness, mental impairments, speech difficulties, respiratory problems, and paralysis. A hard knock to the head can damage the bones inside the ear and cause some extent of hearing loss. Boxing can cause all sorts of damage to your ears.

Symptoms of hearing loss are pretty easy to spot. The muffled quality of sounds, listening to things at a higher volume that others complain, asking people to repeat themselves louder.

NOTE: If you experience complete hearing loss in one or more ears, or constant dizziness, then you should contact a doctor immediately.

Treatment really depends on the cause and severity. If its just earwax, then you can just remove the earwax - possibly by visiting a doctor and getting a medical wax removal procedure. The use of hearing aids is more for people who have severe damage.

And then there is Cochlear Implants - which is a whole other subject. CIs is a surgically implanted electronic device also referred to as bionic ears that provides a sense of sound to a person who is profoundly deaf or severely hard of hearing. Even people who are born deaf can sometimes be given a sense of sound thanks to these implants. They are not cheap however - costing anywhere from $45,000 to $125,000. A cochlear implant will not cure deafness, but is a prosthetic substitute for hearing.

If you really think you might be suffering hearing loss (regardless of whether you think it is caused by weightlifting or some other cause) then I recommend speaking to an audiologist. I know of an audiologist in Vaughan who works for Omni Hearing, who offers free hearing tests. So at least it won't cost you anything to have your hearing tested in the event you feel you are suffering hearing loss.

But with respect bodybuilding and hearing loss? I would say that is a myth until proven with some kind of scientific study.

Weightlifting Split Squats and Side Squats

Split Squat

1. The weight can be placed in front or behind.

2. Place one foot forward and one back with the heel lifted. There should be about 2-3 feet in between your legs, and you should feel a gentle stretch.

3. Keep a tight core and bend both knees to descend. Keep that front foot flat on the floor at all times. The back foot's heel is lifted.

4. When you push back up focus on using both legs (quadriceps in the front, hamstrings in the back leg) to assist the lift, oppose to just the quads in the front.

Note! There is a difference between a split squat and a lunge. They do look very similar and some people actually do split squats thinking that they are doing a lunge. A split squat is an up and down movement only. A lunge moves with direction, taking steps forward and backward lunges. In a one leg squat you are simply dropping the back knee and bending the front leg. In the lunge you use hip flexors as you lunge and move forward with a longer back leg.

Side Squat

This exercise is also similar to a lunge except your feet will stay planted the whole time.

1. Take a wider than squat-normal stance with toes turned out slightly. The weight held behind. If using dumbbells, place them on your shoulders or at your sides.

2. With a very slight bend forward and a straight back, push hips back as you squat to the right. Keep both feet flat. Exhale on the way back to centre and repeat on the left side. That's 1 rep.

Repeat with the other leg.

10 Weightlifting Tips for Archers

Weightlifting is a great tool for people who take their archery skills seriously and want to get an edge on the competition. (I also strongly recommend Yoga for improving balance and core muscles, and Meditation for improving your mental approach.)

Physical Strength is all important when it comes to the physical ability to string a bow, draw a bow, and hold it steady. Balance is great for holding your body still while trying to aim, but if you can't even draw the bow and hold it steady your sense of balance will be somewhat useless. (And your mental game even more useless if you can't draw the bow.)

Thus to make any use of the bow you first need to be able to physically draw the bow you are using. For this reason it is best to start with a bow you can already draw. The bow in question may not be that powerful or accurate, but at least you can draw it and hopefully hold it steady.

Progressing to a more powerful bow is a stepping stone for many archers. It shows that they have worked very hard, grown more muscle mass, and now have the physical strength to draw a more powerful bow. In ancient mythology only the strongest heroes were able to string and draw such bows.

An archer can become stronger simply through regular practice in archery, but lets pretend they only visit the archery range once per month or once per week. Well they aren't going to get stronger very quickly then, will they?

No, they won't. But if they complement their archery practice with a weightlifting regimen (especially during the winter months) they can continue to grow stronger and stronger and reach a point where they can draw the more powerful bows and hold them steady.

10 Weightlifting Tips for Archers

#1. Always lift something at least 10 times. If you only lift it 5 times you won't get much benefit from it in terms of endurance. Aim for 10 to 15 repetitions and do 5 sets.

Note - It is important to practice proper weightlifting form when lifting so you are targeting the muscles properly. Whatever weightlifting exercise you are using, research it so you know how to do it properly. This is beneficial both for faster results, but also to prevent injuries.

#2. If you are struggling to reach 5 you are trying to lift too much. Choose a lesser weight.

#3. Don't ignore basic old school exercises like push-ups and pull-ups. Those are both very handy. Sit ups won't help you much because that is targeting your ab muscles, but push-ups and pull-ups are great for targeting the muscles involved in archery.

#4. Don't do only one kind of exercises. Do a huge variety of exercises so you can target multiple muscles groups. Yoga is an excellent example because the different poses target different muscles.

#5. If you start feeling pain in one muscle group its time to switch to a different muscle. "No Pain No Gain" is only partially true. Too much pain means you are overdoing it.

#6. Think Progressive Loading. You want to lift 75% of your maximum lift and then aim for repetitions. As you grow stronger you can increase the amount you are lifting so it is still 75% as your maximum lift continues to go up.

#7. Don't forget stretches. I have an older post on Archery Stretches you will find useful. Isometric Stretches and Body Weight Exercises are very handy for increasing your strength while simultaneously maintaining your flexibility.

#8. Aim for exercises you can use for cross-training the same muscle groups that are used during archery. eg. Boxing and rowing both use pulling motions with the arms and a tensing of the upper back, which will improve both your triceps and back muscles (rhomboids).

#9. Over time you will want to increase the number of repetitions you are doing of each exercise. If you start off doing 10 reps of each exercise you will want to gradually raise the number of repetitions to 20. After you reach 20 continue doing that for 2 weeks and then increase the amount of weight you are lifting and start back at 10 repetitions.

#10. Remember to have recovery periods between sets of repetitions and also between days when doing weightlifting. You have to give yourself time to grow new muscle tissue. Overuse of the muscles on a daily / constant basis will cause muscle fatigue.

BONUS! Remember to focus on the following muscle groups which are commonly used during archery:

upper back and shoulder muscles to draw the bow;
upper and lower shoulder muscles to control the draw arm;
arm muscles to extend the bow arm;
finger muscles to hold the bowstring.

The finger muscles will be most difficult to strengthen. You will need to pull things using those three fingers and hold them in a steady position. In theory one of the best ways would be to string your bow at home and practice pulling the bow and holding it steady every 2nd day.

ANOTHER BONUS - Remember to include both right and left hand sides to maintain a balance of muscle strength.

WAIT, ONE MORE! - Do squats and similar exercises to improve the upper and lower leg muscles which are used to control balance, do twists and yoga to improve the lower back and waist muscles to control a steady stance.

How to do Proper Deadlifts

If you're new to weightlifting but have watched it at the Olympics then you probably THINK you were watching them do Deadlifts. Like in the video below.


However those are NOT Deadlifts.

In a deadlift you are only lifting the bar up approximately to your waist. Like in the image shown here on the right.

I think the confusion over the name of the particular weightlifting exercise is that a Deadlift sounds really difficult and people equate that with lifting the weight above your head. Except you are only lifting it about a third of that height.

When doing Deadlifts remember that form is very important so that you don't injure yourself. Stick to the prescribed Deadlift form and do it safely.

So pay attention as we journey down the road of brain and brawn and learn how to do a Proper Deadlift.

Step 1

Place the barbell on the ground and attach weights to it according to your strength and fitness level. If you are just starting out estimate the maximum amount you think you can lift and then lift half of that. (You can lift larger amounts later on once you've got the form correct.)

Step 2

Step up to the bar so that your feet are approximately shoulder width apart, the balls of your feet are under the bar, and your toes are pointing forward or slightly outward.

Step 3

Bend your knees while keeping your back straight, so that you look like you are in a sitting position.

Step 4

You should be close enough to reach the barbell, and grasp it with your hands slightly more than shoulder width apart, outside of your legs.

There are several different ways to grip the barbell. The most recommended style of gripping is the mixed grip (one palm facing you, one palm facing away), as it less likely to result in injuries, but use whichever grip feels the most comfortable.

For Olympic lifting, many people use the hook grip, which is more secure but is painful at first. It is similar to the overhand grip, except that instead of the thumb over the remaining fingers, it is hooked underneath them.

The underhand grip alone is not recommended because it can lead to the rupture of bicep muscle and connecting tendons, especially in people who do not have full flexibility in the elbow joint.

Step 5

Lower your hips so that your thighs are parallel to the floor. Keep the lower part of your legs mostly vertical. The angle between your foot and your lower leg should be close to 90 degrees.

The thighs should be parallel to the ground, but the back is not straightened yet.

Step 6

Straighten your back and look straight ahead. Never lose the natural arch of your back.

Step 7

Lift the bar. Stand up by raising your hips and shoulders at the same rate and maintaining a flat back. Keep your abs tight during the whole lift. You should lift the bar straight up vertically and close to your body. Try thinking of it as pushing the floor away from you. Come to a standing position with upright posture and your shoulders pulled back. Allow the bar to hang in front of your hips. DO NOT try to lift it any higher.
Step 8

Lower the bar. Keeping your back straight, return the bar to the starting position in a controlled manner. Pushing your butt out as if you are going to sit down in a chair, and keep your head up. DO NOT drop the bar.

There, you've done it.

SAFETY NOTE! Avoid doing 6 or more deadlifts at a time. The more deadlifts you do the more likely you are to use improper form because you are rushing and overdoing it - which leads to injuries. Stick to 5 reps or less and stick to proper form.

And before you think for an instant that you cannot do this very simple weightlifting exercise try watching the following video of a little girl who is a weightlifting champion.


Once you've mastered Deadlifts (remember that form is very important for performing that exercise properly and without injury) you may also wish to try the following types of Deadlifts.

Romanian or Stiff Leg Deadlifts

These deadlifts are hips dominant. The exercise is a great core strengthener and also tones the glutes and hamstrings. It targets the lower back quite a bit to strengthen it.

1. Use very little weight while practicing this type of exercise until you get used to it. If you try to lift a lot more you will hurt your lower back.

2. While performing Romanian deadlifts keep your hips so far back that your toes start to rise as the weight is lowered. Think 98% weight on the heels, 2% in the toes for balance.

3. Bending your legs only a little lift the bar using an overhand (pronated grip). Your lower back will be doing most of the work so you will feel it there.

4. Stand tall and hold the bar or dumbbells with arms straight down at your thighs.

5. Keep the head up, shoulders back, knees slightly bent, and low back arched as the bar is lowered to the floor.

6. Repeat multiple times. If at any point you start to feel back pain cease lifting. (If you experience back pain a lot while doing this exercise you need to switch to a lower weight.)

One Leg Romanian Deadlifts

1. Exact same form as the Romanian lift except now you're on one foot with the other leg behind. Use either a dumbbell or barbell. If using a dumbbell attempt to hold it in the opposite hand of the working leg.

2. With this exercise try to do one rep holding the weight, place the weight on the floor, and perform the next rep empty-handed. This is for an extra challenge using co-ordination and balance.

3. Alternate hands and feet regularly.

Weightlifting Front and Back Squats

Front and Back Squats are two different weightlifting technique used by amateur weightlifters, professional weightlifters and of course Olympic weightlifters. Together they are two very commonly used weightlifting exercises for training.

However like many weightlifting exercises it is very important to use proper form so you don't injure yourself.

The Front Squat is demonstrated in the image on the right, where you can see the weight is held in the front.

Below, you can see the Back Squat where the weight is held behind the head and above the shoulders.

HOW TO DO A PROPER FRONT SQUAT

1. The weight is in front, on the shoulders. The barbell is touching your neck, elbows are lifted high in front and your hands are slightly open. For an easier grip variation, grab the barbell with crossed arms.

2. Go down into the squat with hips pushed back and the weight in your heels. Keep your knees in line with the toes and never too far forward or behind. Keep your back straight and you should always have your chest lifted and eyes up.

3. Drive up and remember to exhale on exertion.

THE BACK SQUAT

The back squat is identical except for the load being placed behind the body, resting on the trapezius muscles, the muscles which run across the back of the shoulders (not the neck!). When the weight is placed on the neck it is dangerous and even in the best case scenario, you will be very sore the next day!

There is also the Split Squat and the Side Squat, but I will cover those in a future post.

An Interview with Lou Ferrigno

"Your health is your best wealth." says Lou Ferrigno, who talks about weightlifting, wine and how his career kept his life on the right track. All that and more in the following interview with William Shatner.

Three Inspirational Videos for Weightlifters

Sometimes weightlifting is more about mental endurance than it is about physical strength. If you stop after only lifting something 3 times, how are you ever going to gain muscle?

Learning how to motivate yourself - and push yourself mentally - becomes an integral part of weight training. Check out the three inspirational videos below focused on weight lifting.

How to do a Proper Bicep Curl - and get better results!

Bicep training is handy for people who want to see results. It's one of the muscle groups that everyone can tone and actually see results within a week if they are doing them right. Nice biceps are the hallmark of a fantastic physique, and naturally weight lifting is the cornerstone to achieving chiseled, strong and sexy arms.

It's very common for amateurs to train biceps the most frequently, but then see the fewest gains and results because they aren't doing them properly.

This is mostly due to the natural inclination of amateurs to only perform half the exercise.

Let me explain...

During a bicep curl the weight is lifted from the thigh up to the shoulder. On the way back down (the negative rep) many simply allow the weight to quickly drop back into starting position without any control or form. Thus they are lifting the weight - but they're not lowering it slowly on the way back down.

If you want to do bicep curls it is best to focus on form and do them slowly. It will force you to focus on that negative rep because it is an entirely different bicep exercise than the positive ascent - and it is arguably the most important part of the exercise.

Another thing you might try is to "Hammer Up, Bicep Curl Down", for which the instructions are below.

1. Start either seated or standing (better for the core) with two dumbbells in each hand with enough weight which will fatigue your biceps in the range of your strength training goal, anywhere from 10 to 15 reps. (Don't use dumbbells which are too heavy or too light.)

2. With palms facing each other, curl the weights up to your shoulder. That's the positive hammer curl.

3. Now rotate your wrists so both palms face you and slowly, with complete control, lower the weights all the way back down until arms have only a slight bend in the elbow. That's the negative bicep curl.

Perform a set and then reverse the order, bicep curl up, hammer curl down for a balanced arm workout! This focus on form will help you to get more out of your bicep exercises.

If you want more advice on weight lifting you can always hire me as your personal training here in Toronto. Happy weight lifting!

Weight Lifting Sets + Self Control

Finding the motivation and energy to do all your weight lifting sets can sometimes be a challenge.

BUILDING ENDURANCE FIRST

Part of the problem is endurance. Many people who get into weight lifting at the beginning are trying to lift as much as they can, at the max, but after lifting 5 to 10 times need to take a break. After their break they lift another 10 times... then another break. They're lifting so much that they end up taking really long breaks in-between sets. Over a period of 60 minutes they might do this 10 times total (if the have the stamina for that), lifting the weight 100 times total, before giving up.

Trying to lift such large amounts is the first part of their problem. They see other (bigger) men at the gym lifting large amounts and they're trying to prove they can do it. This is more an ego problem for men than for women. Women might still try to prove they can do it, but they won't be so worried about it as the male ego will be.

What should be doing instead is a smaller amount of weight, but lifting it 50 times before taking a break. (Knowing math helps with this.)

Lets pretend for example that in 60 minutes you lift 10 sets of 10, of 300 lbs. Total 10 x 10 x 300 = 30,000 lbs. So at 30 minutes that is averaging 500 lbs per minute.

Instead what a person should be doing is 10 sets of 50, of 120 lbs. Total 10 x 50 x 120 = 60,000 lbs. So that is lifting an average of 1,000 lbs per minute.

Who do you think got the better workout? Who do you think will gain more muscle and/or more endurance?

During a strength training program there is a lot of benefits to building endurance first. If you're planning to be at the gym for an hour every day, but spend most of that time catching your breath and you run out of steam easily then you're not really lifting much weights, are you?

By building endurance first so you can workout the entire hour with minimal breaks, and then gradually increase the amount of weight you are lifting on a weekly or bi-weekly basis then you will be maximizing both your endurance and your weightlifting.

Tip! Having smaller free weights and dumbbells can help you to build endurance/strength faster because you can do a greater variety of exercises using free weights than you would with exercise machines.

SELF CONTROL + JOURNAL

When doing a strength training program, and trying to get beyond the level of absolute beginner, adding more than one set per muscle group is ideal. Doing multiple sets is a necessity. If you only do 1 set of 5, you aren't really challenging yourself. You need to give yourself a specific number of sets, a known number for each set, and a specific weight you want to lift for each set. For best results keep a JOURNAL of the total number of sets you did, how many repetitions, what weight you did, and you can even track how much rest time you gave yourself between sets. A good thing to track is also how well you were feeling when you got to the gym (eg. hungry, tired, upset, etc) because your mood and emotions can often effect your stamina and self control.

With longer sets and multiple sets there is an increase of blood flow to the muscle, and it stimulates better growth/development and therefore, strength building. The reason for this is because your body responds better to endurance strength building methods, building muscle faster than it would if you were just trying to lift larger amounts with only 1 set.

You also want to alternate which body parts you are focused on. A good technique is to alternate upper and lower body exercises on a daily basis. You also want to use a variety of different exercises that target different muscles. Only targeting 1 set of muscles (eg. biceps) won't really help you that much. You need to be thinking of muscle groups like dominoes. If you want to grow your biceps, then you also need to exercise all the other muscles surrounding the biceps if you want to get better results.

Only focusing on one specific muscle is also extremely boring. To maintain motivation and increase self control it helps to do a variety of different exercises. You get bored less and you will get better results.

In your journal make a list of exercise machines or free weight exercises you like doing. Then start tracking how many you do during an hour at the gym. Track your rest times too if possible.

Once you know what exercises you enjoy, try to make a routine or a circuit you can do every time you go to the gym. Track everything in your journal.

When bored, add extra exercises and try new things to spice up your weight lifting workout. Having the journal will help you keep focused and having a list of "chores" to do at the gym will help keep you on track with your goals.