Quads, hamstrings, calves – read how gyms and members are making mistakes while training these large and powerful muscle groups.
For reasons still unknown to me, some manufacturers of barbell plates design them with 12-sides, rather than as a wheel. Even more strangely, some gyms, like mine, actually buy them. One theory is that edged barbell plates make deadlifting impossible. As a result, members are prevented from rattling windows with the crash of falling iron….
I’m pleased to add my Low Back Pain Reduction Program to the body of information available to treat low back pain. As I suffered through increasing back problems over the years, I was shocked by the lack of good, actionable information about how to solve low back pain, especially considering it’s so common. After my…
Fear can be a positive force in the gym. For example, fear that an uneven lift could catapult your weight plates across the gym encourages you to secure your barbell collars. On a primal level, there’s fear of rejection – even fear of death – that motivates you to go to the gym in the…
I’m always suspicious when I see someone loading up a lift with more weight than I use. It’s not that my lifts are unbeatable, or even that impressive. What I do know with certainty is what’s possible for someone with my athletic ability (average) and my level of conditioning (excellent); and therefore, the bright line…
I’ve often wondered whether asking a stranger for a spot is a violation of gym etiquette. I know that when I’m asked for a spot, I’m irritated by the disruption in the pace of my workout and the break in concentration. I also resent channeling my precious energy into someone else’s workout, and, considering the…