Monthly Archives: February 2015

Good Fitness Reads of the Week: 3/1/2015

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I hope you’re enjoying your weekend.

Big week this week and lot’s of great fitness info!

Articles by Adam

I’d like to give a HUGE thanks to Bret Contreras for hosting my latest blog post, Simplify Your Deadlift.

Make sure you give it a read if you’re looking add pounds and master the deadlift.

Client Highlight

Here’s Alex sumo pulling 245, easy! She going to kill it at her powerlifting meet in March.

 

Strength Tips & Training Log

This time of year a lot of people find themselves getting sick. If you need a little time off to recover, don’t stress. You won’t lose your gains or stop your progress. Many powerlifters generally take the week off before a competition to rest and recover before lifting the most amount of weight they humanly can.

Try not to stress about missing a couple of days or even a week if you’re sick. It’s what you do with the rest of your time that really matters. In order to achieve success, it’s important that you show up consistently and give forth your best effort.  

Recommended Reading

1. The Best Nordic Hamstring Curl Instructional Video On the Web via via Jordan Syatt

2. 4 Push-Up Variations for Upper Body Strength via Tony Bonvechio

3. The 5 Best Ways to Get Stronger via Mike Robertson

4. Do Absolute Strength Athletes Need to Train For Power? via Justin Kompf

5. Never “Just Give a Workout” via Jon Goodman

6. Measuring body fat percentage: It’s an accuracy thing via Examine.com

7. Strength and Conditioning Programs: Understanding Stress and Adaptation via Eric Cressey

8. My 3 Favorite Exercises for Sexy and Stable Shoulders via Mike Robertson

9. Liars and Scammers and Douchebags, Oh My! via Bryan Krahn

10. 17 Things Every Clean Eater Needs to Know via Mike Samuels

11. 11 Principles For Rapid Fat Loss via Eric Bach

12. 4 Simple Tips for Fitness Success via via Adam Pine

13. 13 Ways to Transmogrify Any Exercise via Jon Goodman & Tony Gentilcore

14. Liars & Scammers & Douchebags Part 2 via Bryan Krahn

15. Simplify Your Deadlift  viaAdam Pine & Bret Contreras

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Good Fitness Reads of the Week: 2/22/2015

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Hope you’re enjoying your weekend.

There’s a ton of great fitness info this week, so let’s get to it.

Client Highlight

So proud of my client Scott. He’s been working his ass off since coming back from a back injury 10 months ago. He’s working his way back to the platform and working on learning the sumo deadlift He worked up to his first heavy single last week. He smoked 350 for a new sumo deadlift PR! 405’s coming up soon.

My Training

Lifting has been going well since the last meet. I’ve been experimenting with a new deadlift technique and it’s been going well.  I’ve been letting my upper back to round a bit. It shortens the ROM and allows me to get my hips closer to the bar at the setup, giving me good leg drive off the floor.

700 for a beltless PR

585 X 7

For more videos and Strength Tips, follow me on InstaGram @adamnpine

 Strength Tips

615 X 2 Bracing properly is crucial when it comes to building a strong #squat and #deadlift. Don’t inhibit your ability to breathe and brace properly by putting your belt on too tight. If you are sucking in or having people help put on and take off your belt, you are probably wearing it too tight. You don’t want it constricting you so much that you can effectively take your air. You want to fill your lower back up with air and feel your abdomen expand against the belt. Get as fat as you can with air. If you usually crank your belt as tight as possible, try loosening it up a bit. Breathe into the back of your belt, fill everything from your lower back, to oblique’s, to your belly button with air. Flex your #abs as hard as possible and brace against the belt. This will be much more stable and allow you to move heavier #weights safely. #powerlifting #strongman #weightlifting #bodybuilding #strengthtraining #strength #train #fitness #fitnessmotivation #glutes #gainz #gym #liftheavy #speed #bostonsstrongest A video posted by Adam Pine (@adamnpine) on

 

 

Taking a look at some of the best deadlifters of all time, you will see a lot of differences in their technique. Their techniques have many similarities, but just like a batting stance, they all have their own individual setup and differences. Head posture is one of those things you’ll see differ from lifter to lifter. Some will “pack” their neck, look straight ahead, others look up. I think it’s important to use the position you feel strongest in. Work on mastering the movement and try not to get bogged down by the smaller details. Work on the essentials first: bracing, creating tension through your body, perfecting your setup and being explosive. As long as it’s safe, use the position that you feel is best for your performance. #powerlifting #deadlift #strongman #weightlifting #bodybuilding #strong #strength #train #fitness #fitnessmotivation #gainz #glutes #squat #lats #abs #motivation #liftheavy

 

A photo posted by Adam Pine (@adamnpine) on

 

What’s the best #squat stance? Look at the best squatters in the world and you’ll see a variety of different stances. – Wide, moderate and narrow stances – High, moderate and low bar – Wide, medium or narrow grips – Wrist extended vs. neutral – Head down vs. neutral Regardless of squat stance, all great squatters want to get as tight as possible. Getting tight will allow you to maintain your position under heavy loads. This includes bracing for the squat. – Squeeze your #glutes like your trying to crack a walnut between your butt cheeks. – Rib down in your belt buckle. – Take a big breath into your lower back. Get fat with air and fill your entire torso with air. If you are wearing a belt, you should feel everything covered by the belt expand into it. – #Flex your #abs as hard as possible. – Drive your #traps, #shoulder and chin into the bar. Get your upper #back and #lats as tight as possible by squeezing your shoulder blades together and driving you elbows towards your lats like you are holding the top of a pull-up. Regardless of your squat stance, make sure you are staying as tight as possible throughout your entire body to maintain #optimal position under heavy loads. #powerlifting #deadlift #powerlifter #strongman #weightlifting #bodybuilding #strong #strength #quads #train #fitness #fitnessmotivation #motivation #gainz #lift #skwatz A photo posted by Adam Pine (@adamnpine) on

 Recommended Reading

1) 6 (more) things elite coaches do. And 6 books that help get you there. via Precision Nutrition

2) Core Confusion via Nick Tumminello

3) 3 Great Push Up Variations via Pat Koch

4) Consolidation of Stressors, Part 2: The Medium Term via Chad Wesley Smith

5) 7 Science-Based Health Benefits of Drinking Enough Water via Authority Nutrition

6) The Biggest Mistake I Made Building Muscle via Bryan Krahn

7) How to Become a Functional Movement Guru in 40 Easy Steps via Bret Contreras

8) Fitness Pollenator: Brief Lessons in Biomechanics: The Abs as “Anti-Extensors” of the Core via Travis Pollen

9) The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Deadlifters – Part 2 via Tony Gentilcore

10) Common Themes Between Out Of Shape Clients and Pro Athletes via Dean Somerset

11) The Novice Raw Lifter’s Guide to Supportive Gear via Tony Bonvechio

12) Motivational Interviewing: Free coaching workshop with John Berardi & Dr. Krista Scott-Dixon via Precision Nutrition

13) Master the Bench Press: 4 New Tricks to Improve Leg Drive via Adam Pine

14) Leave… Gurus… Alone!   via Bryan Krahn

15) Training is for Building, Not Testing via Chad Wesley Smith

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Good Fitness Reads of the Week: 2/8/2015

Hope you’re enjoying your weekend!

Tons of great fitness info this week, so lets get to it.

Strength Tips

Deadlift Tip

  Squat Tip

 

I’m going to be experimenting with a new deadlift technique. I am going to be trying a round back technique with a higher hip. My strength has always been lockout. This will allow me to accelerate the weight off the floor very quickly. The lockout will be more challenging, but I am confident that if I can get the weight passed my knees I can lock it out.

I did 13 total reps with 585, beltless. Here’s my last set, 585 X 5.

 

Recommended Reading7/

1. Ease Off the Throttle: Lessons from Pushing Too Hard via via Mike Tuchscherer

2. Bullet Proof Shoulders: 3 Ways You’re Screwing Up Face Pulls via Jordan Syatt

3. 5 Reasons Your Program Isn’t Working via Mike Robertson

4. Here’s the Problem with “Flexible Dieting” & Why It Doesn’t Always Work via Jordan Syatt

5. Want a Bigger Deadlift? via Pat Koch

6. Strength Strategies – Installment 2 via Greg Robins

7. Consolidation of Stressors, Part 1 via Chad Wesley Smith

8. 3 Tips for Successful In-Season Training via Mike Robertson

9. The Muscle Head’s Identity Crisis via Bryan Krahn

10. Are Frequent Meals Beneficial for Body Composition via Brad Schoenfeld

11. Focus on the Process via Tony Gentilcore

12. 10 Striking Graphs That Show Effective Ways to Lose Weight via Authority Nutrition

13. Should you exercise when sick? [Infographic] How to make working out work for your immunity. via Dr. John Berardi

14. 4 Tips You Need to Know for a Bigger Bench Press via Adam Pine

15. A Tale of Two Clients via Tony Gentilcore

 

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