Monthly Archives: January 2015

Good Fitness Reads of the Week: 1/18/2015

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Hope you’re enjoying your weekend!

Tons of awesome fitness info this week.

 I published my most recent article, 5 Tips: How to Brace for a Bigger Squat.

Getting tight is one of the most crucial elements to a big squat. You want to create tension through your whole body. Bracing properly will allow you to safely and efficiently move more weight.

Speaking of squats, I had my last heavy squat day before the meet next Saturday. I was pretty happy with how it went. 565 didn’t feel too difficult. I decided to shut it down there because I’m not competing in the squat, so I figured I would keep it conservative. After the meet I plan on throwing my knee wraps on and going for 600+.

 

Last deadlift before the meet.  495 X 1

Quick Squat Tip

Quick drill on how to brace and get tight for a bigger squat

1) Squeeze your glutes together like you’re trying to crack a walnut between your butt cheeks.

2) Ribs down. Keep your bottom rib in your belt buckle.

3) Breathe into your lower back. This may take several breaths. Go until your feel your lower back expand into the post upon inhalation.

4) Flex your abs as hard as you can, like Mike Tyson is about to punch you in the stomach.

5) Drive your traps, chin and shoulders into the post and try to push it over for 5 seconds.

 

Recommended Reading

1. Why Do People’s Knees Cave Inward When They Squat? via Bret Contreras

2. How to Science Your Fitness via Dean Somerset

3. Weighty Matters: This Is What 7 Years of Real-Life Weight Management Looks Like  via Yoni Freedhoff – Weighty Matters

4. Hypertrophy – a new summary of the research via Chris Beardsley & Bret Contreras

5. Get Your Roll On – What, Why, And How You Should Foam Roll  viaMolly Galbraith

6. Tips For Becoming a Better Fitness Writer via Tony Bonvechio

7. Carbs Are Not the Enemy: Oversimplification Is via Dr. John Berardi

8. Coaching Cues to Make Your Strength and Conditioning Programs More Effective – Installment 10 via Eric Cressey

9. Combat Sports Injury Prevention via Joel Jamieson

10. Strength Strategies: Installment 1  via Greg Robins

11. 12 Popular Weight Loss Pills and Supplements Reviewed via Authority Nutrition

12. Are Avocados Healthy? via Born Fitness

13. The Top 5 Deadlift Mistakes to Avoid via Amir Fazeli

14. Unspoken Gym Rules via Tony Gentilcore

15. Relative Strength: Seven Tips to Unlock Athletic Explosiveness via Eric Bach

 

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5 Tips: How to Brace for a Bigger Squat

Look at the best squatters in the world and you’ll notice there’s a lot of differences in the way they squat. Different positions for the head, hands, wrists, bar, and feet. Some descend slow, some fast. Some are bent over, others are upright. Basically, there are a lot of different ways to setup and perform it.

One thing that all good squatters want is stability.

Getting tight is one of the most crucial elements to a big squat. You want to create tension through your whole body. Bracing properly will allow you to safely and efficiently move more weight.

 

Here are 5 Simple Steps on How to Brace for a Squat:

 

1) Squeeze your glutes together like you’re trying to crack a walnut between your butt cheeks.


2) Neutral spine. Keep your bottom rib in your belt buckle.


3) Take a big breath of air into your lower back, getting your entire lower torso to expand. Get fat with air and hold your breath.


4) Flex your abs as hard as you can, like Mike Tyson is about to punch you in the stomach.


5) Get tall into the bar, pull your traps, chin and shoulders hard into the bar – create tension.



Bracing properly is a skill unto itself. It takes time to perfect just like the squat.

Steps 3 & 5 can be challenging if this is a new concept to you.

 

Here’s a simple trick I like to use with my clients:

 

Keep your lower back and glutes on the post/rack.

Keep your shoulders and traps off the post.

Flex your glutes.

Rib in belt buckle.

May sound familiar, now…

Practice breathing into your lower back. This may take several breaths. Go until your feel your lower back expand into the post upon inhalation.

After filling your lower back with air, flex your abs hard.

Drive your traps, chin and shoulders into the post and try to push it over for 5 seconds.

Practicing this drill will improve your ability to create tension through your whole body and to the bar. The tighter you are to the bar and throughout your body, the more weight you will safely move.

Following these steps allows you to maintain proper position throughout your lift, letting you move heavy weight safely and efficiently.

If you have any questions, or are just looking for a bigger squat, sign up for my newsletter for more great strength training information or send me an email at adamnpine@gmail.com with “SQUAT” in the subject line.

 

 

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Good Fitness Reads of the Week: 1/11/2015

I hope you’re enjoying your weekend!

It was a really busy week with a ton of great fitness info.

I am so proud of my client, David. He achieved his lifetime goal this week. Hit a 405 deadlift. He’s 56 years old and he’s been after a four plate deadlift for 30 years. This week he smashed his goal and I couldn’t be happier for him!

 

 I had a big week deadlifting too. I hit 710, my last heavy pull getting ready for my meet on January, 24th.

 

Just having some fun squatting

 

Training Log Week 10

 

Quick Squat Tip

This is a valuable tip you’re going to want to know BEFORE you compete. If you’re used to looking in a mirror when you squat, it’s going to be a shock when it’s suddenly not there. Don’t have the first time you squat without looking in a mirror be in a competition. This is unfortunately something a lot of lifters learn at their first meet. Be prepared. Squat facing away from the mirror, or cover it up.

 

Recommended Reading

1. Overcoming Decision Overwhelm via Mike Samuels

2. Check Your Form: Bust Stubborn Plateaus via Pat Koch

3. What Moves You? via Tony Gentilcore

4. Do You Have the Courage to be Great? via Chad Wesley Smith

5. Strong(Wo)Man Strong Life via Brittany Diamond

6. Is Coffee Bad for Your Health? via Born Fitness

7. Resetting Expectations via Mike Tuchscherer

8. The Best Damn Posterior Chain Exercises via Bret Contreras

9. 5 Ways for Beginners to Succeed in The Gym in 2015 via Dean Somerset

10. Yet Another Reason to Include Barbell Glute Bridges Into Your Program via Tony Gentilcore

11. 10 simple steps to master the freestanding handstand  via Garrett Nicole Wood

12. The Best Hanging Leg Raise Instructional Video on the Web via Jordan Syatt

13. 3 Tips for a Bigger Deadlift via Adam Pine

14. How To Get Lean & Sculpted With Limited Time via Bret Contreras

15. Complete Guide to Putting PRs on the Platform via Chad Wesley Smith

 

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