Tag Archives: how to strength train

To strength train or not to strength train: It’s not really a question

Last week a very close friend of mine came to ask for the same thing he usually does: I need a routine he said, I need to start doing something: what can you give me? After several questions I sat down to write in a napkin his new, shiny and of course, repeated routine that he would, again, never use. He claimed he needed only to run and jog to get to his all-around health and fat-loss goals (to which I asked: then why the f*** did you just ask me a new one if you already “know” what to do?! But that’s neither here or there). The answer I gave to him as to why I told him to strength train is exposed (and much better structured) in this post.

Why you need to strength train

Bear in mind, I’m not talking competitive lifting. Especially in regards to health.

It has a larger carryover to all other attributes

Endurance, power, speed and even flexibility should be built from a foundation of strength. You can’t endure if you don’t

Handbalancing, strength train to get strong enough

Hand balancing moves: great feats of balance, only achievable by having enough strength to keep the position

have anything to endure on. If you can’t move something there’s no chance that you’ll move it fast, the same goes for running. And, if you can’t reach somewhere with strength, then there’s no really a point to it, is there? (but kidding aside, just get strong).

Of course, this doesn’t mean that you’ll be breaking world records in marathon running if you solely train for strength. But, you will get more endurance from strength training than strength from working on your endurance. I don’t know if it’s because the relative intensity of other things will be lower, but it works.

Aesthetics

I don’t care if this rates high or low for you, but, relative to body-composition, barring people with health concerns, the goal is mainly for looks. Well, strength training will help build lean muscle mass (not bodybuilder sizes), which in turn will raise your basal metabolism, which will, In turn, burn more calories while you’re resting. This of course, will mean less fat under the same amount of calories consumed. This is especially true for beginners (which my friend most certainly is).

Health

I’m talking about muscle and joint health. As long as you are being consistent and making slow improvements, the low rep approach keeps the joints from being overworked in any range of motion.

By this I am most certainly not saying that other types of exercises are not healthy. All exercise is healthy, if done as it should be, I simply believe that strength training is healthier for the joints and muscles. Cardiovascular health is better addressed with other types of training.

Motivation

This is more personal based than any other thing. But truth be told, there’s little things more invigorating than moving constantly heavier weights or do more complex moves. It was, during a whole year, one of the things that compelled me to keep coming back to the weight room (I was doing PTTP, and the constant adding of weight does wonders for the self-image). Besides, it’s also very cool to still have energy to celebrate the accomplishment and not just smiling while picking up your lungs from the ground.

How to strength train

How often should you do it

This Is one of the most asked questions “how often should/can I work out”. As I’ve said several times before, I’m biased to higher frequency types of training, but you’ll do fine with just 3 times a week (or even two). As long as your overall volume and intensity are balanced you can even practice up to 7 times a week, although this may be too much for most. Try to keep it between 3 and 5 weekly sessions.

Exercises that must be there

This will be no rocket science, only multi-joint exercises apply to these categories.

  • Upper body push
  • Upper body pull
  • A knee bend (SQUAT)
  • A hip hinge
  • Core
  • A carry

You can even divide the upper body into vertical and horizontal pushes and pulls. I don’t care, have at least one of the main categories and you’ll be balanced enough. Any other exercise you may want to do that’s not included in your list before will be tagged as assistance exercise, and their function is either to help build strength for those exercises or to strengthen one of your weaknesses.

Understand that if you’re doing bodyweight only exercises the carry should be done either with an external implement or, switch it with sprints or crawls. If you’re KB exclusive, your hip-hinges will be more ballistic based, and your core exercises should be either windmills or TGUs.

How to incorporate strength training to other types of training

There’s not really a best way to go about this, but will depend more on your context and how you’re working out, just remember that resting is a serious matter and should not be overlooked.

The easiest way would be to add at least 2 exclusive strength training sessions to your week. Make it low volume and go

Carry, whatever, just carry heavy stuff. Photo by Carol Browne

Carry, whatever, just carry heavy stuff. Photo by Carol Browne

through all the movements, doing at least 3 sets for each. Repeat the workout or add weight in the next session.

If by chance you can’t add any more session a week, add 2 completely unrelated movements to your workouts. Push+hinge/pull+squat/Core+carry has worked pretty well for me before.

And that’s about it. I’d love to hear your take on things, so drop a line at the comment section below!

Motus Virtute

Train like a videogame character

I’ve always been a huge fan of video games. The more I’ve played, the more I’ve enjoyed myself. Fighting games and RPGs once had total control over my life, I even remember once there was an epic battle between a complete stranger and me on MARVEL SUPER HEROES VS CAPCOM that ended in a complete draw. I still love video games. In our fitness pursuit, video games have something to teach us. If you want to be like Link, Scorpion or the Dovakiin, you should train like a videogame character.

Lessons Learned

The mission

In video games, our characters have a mission, a huge mission that define their whole lives, or at least, their whole goal in the game (in Mortal Kombat I you prove you’re the toughest fighter, in MKII you save the world, in most RPGs you both save the world and or the universe). To reach this goal, they have to take on smaller quests and milestones: you beat other combatants, monsters, etc. So what’s the lesson here?

You should have a main, big goal: save the world, be the best.

To achieve it, you should focus on different milestones: deadlift x2 your bodyweight, have a 30 seconds free handstand.

You catch my drift.

Leveling up

Every game has the same pattern: they get more difficult as you advance, so, in kind, you must get better in order to win.

Train like a videogame character and defeat the big bad boss

Thank god you brought your swords. Final Fantasy X belongs to Square Enix

Your opponents are faster, stronger and more resilient.

This translates exactly to your training, whether it is bodyweight (going after more complex and harder exercises) or with weights (going heavier, longer, with lower rest periods). Bottom line is: you’ve got to have a challenge yourself if you want to progress.

Choose your weapons

This is the most beautiful part. Your game character has a low amount of movements.

In Street Fighter you have 3 kicks and 3 punches (that only vary in intensity) and one or two special moves. In RPGs, you’re usually running or fighting, and for fights, you usually have between one and three moves, done over and over again until eventually you level up, when you do you either get stronger or you learn a new skill (in more complex games you’ll have to master some moves to learn specific ones).

Bottom line: restrict the amount of exercises you perform if you want to make real gains. Usually, one per movement pattern should get you in the clear (this post should take you in the right direction, but it’s the bare minimum). Use your common sense, choose those that’ll help you achieve your main goal (see title number one up here).

What to take from all this

When you’re creating your character, you should take all of these aspects into account. Or better yet, fill this list:

  1. What’s your main quest: list your longer term goals:
  2. Give us 3 milestones or shorter term goals that you’ll need to achieve before you save the world (ie: beat Goro/compete in a 1 mile race)
  3. How many moves will your character perform, and how often? You may want to choose weak, medium and strong movements of the same pattern (like Street Fighter).

Now go forth hero, and save the world (or kick Shang Tsung’s ass).

high level

Motus Virtute

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A push + A pull + a leg: a Simple Strength training routine

We’ve all seen a million programs. Right now, if you open a fitness magazine you’ll see the lastest GET YOUR ABS RIPPED IN 10 MINUTES

not the results of a strength training routine

Not gonna happen without some genetical, chemical and even magical help

PROGRAM program in which you’ll be even belly dancing in order to get your abs to show. Of course, most of these programs are overkill. That’s one of the many reasons they won’t help you succeed. Now, the list of problems with those types of strength training routine is long, hauntingly so, and it’s a topic for another post. Today I’m going to share with you my go to routine for time compressed moments. This, of course, is not the best program ever, but it will get you results with minimal, but very constant, efforts. This is a generalist’s program. It won’t give you buldging biceps, monstrous calves and laundromat abs, but it will make you stronger and fitter (it is after all a strength training routine).

So, to the program!

I’m going to give you options for kettlebells, bodyweight and barbells. I will not, though, give you machine variants, nor sandbags (since I’m absolutely not an expert).

A push

Barbell/Dumbbell: Benchpress, pushpress, military press, side press.

Kettlebells: Military Press (give it a clean as well), push press, sots press, sidepress.

Bodyweight: push-ups (variants), handstand push-ups, dips.

A pull

Barbell/dumbbell: Row, deadlifts. Weighted pull-ups

Kettlebell: Row, snatch, swings

Bodyweight: Pull-ups (if you can’t manage one yet click here, more advanced variations to come), Bodyweight rows.

A leg

Barbell/dumbbell: Font/Back/Goblet squat, deadlifts

Kettlebell: front/goblet/over the head squat, swings, snatch, Clean & Jerk

Bodyweight: squats, pistols, jumpsquats.(Variants and how to get to your first pistol here)

How to make it work

This is a minimalist program. Pick one exercise from each. You’ll be doing this 5 days a week (yes, 5). You’ll be doing 2-3 sets of each every day.

Deadlifts are key to every strength training routine

Completely complete, there’s a reason dead’s are a staple in every strength training routine. Photo by Tom Woodward

You’ll keep your reps low (swings, snatches and bodyweight squats may be done in higher reps, but I don’t recommend it), and you will never ever go to failure. Keep your rests longish.

How to progress:

Barbells: this one’s easier. You’ll be adding 2.5kg (5 pounds) to each exercise every 3 workouts.

Kettlebells: you’ll be adding 1 rep a week, but never on Mondays.

Bodyweight: you’ll be adding 1 rep a week, but never on Mondays either.

On kettlebells and bodyweight excercises once you get to 10 reps (which is what I call highish reps) you’ll change to a tougher variant. The reason I ask you not to add to the challenge on Mondays is because you’ll be better rested, but not necessarily stronger. Every one of these workouts should build to the next.

As you can see, it’s a pretty straight forward strength training routine. You pick a few exercises, and go, slowly progressing as you get stronger. You can’t go wrong!

Motus Virtute