Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Build Rock-Solid

Build Rock-Solid Core Strength and Stability and Hit Your Legs HARD at The Same Time With One-Shoulder Barbell Squats!

By Nick Nilsson

If you want to build REAL core strength..and I mean BRUTE core strength that will support massive weights, forget the Bosu ball and forget crunches...you need to do exercises like the One Shoulder Barbell Squat that I'm going to tell you about today.

It's another entry into my long list of exercises that work the abs while not looking at all like an ab exercise and working BETTER than most ab exercises.

This one is basically a squat...so how does it work the abs? Very well, thanks!

Seriously, though, this exercise is EXTREMELY effective at targeting the stabilizing and core strength aspects of the abs. You'll be doing a barbell squat but instead of supporting the bar across your back in a "normal" fashion, you will instead be resting it on one shoulder, standing perpendicular to the bar.

It's going to primarily hit one side of the abdominal wall and hit it in conjunction with a squatting movement, which means this is a VERY functional exercise. More so than most abdominal exercises, in fact!

Start facing sideways in the rack. The safety rails are set at a moderate position (not a full depth squat). You'll be starting off from the bottom of the movement with the bar resting on the rails and, for best results, you don't want to be starting at the total bottom of a full squat - it's low, but not too low.

I would recommend using a bar pad for cushioning or a rolled-up towel, otherwise the bar really digs into your trap as you're doing the exercise. Use a lighter weight than you think you'll need the first time you do this (trust me). I used 225 lbs on the bar here and can regular squat double that and it was challenging.

Your shoulder is set as dead-center on the bar as you can manage (you'll be able to feel the balance point on the first rep and adjust from there).

You want to have your hands out in front of you and locked onto the bar to help control it. You can use upwards or downwards pressure to adjust the balance as you stand up.

Come all the way up to the standing position.

It's a very straightforward exercise that will have a HUGE impact on not only your entire abdominal area but your entire BODY as well. Supporting the weight in this off-center fashion challenges not only the abs but the shoulder girdle and legs as well.

It's truly a total-body ab exercise!

When you've done one side, you can either turn around and go immediately to working the other side or take a rest in between - whichever way you prefer. If you go directly from one side to the other, on your next set, start with the different side so you give it balanced workload.

As I mentioned above, the first time you do the exercise, start fairly light to get an idea for how it works. I like to set the bar down on the rails in between reps to reset the core and legs and make everything is properly aligned before doing another rep. With the resistance off-center on your body this is helpful in preventing injury because of compromised body position.

I'll tell you this much...the first time you do this one, your entire core will be sore for several days after. You'll feel that pleasant tightness that tells you that you accomplished something with your core training!

RECOMMENDED: to best understand how to perform and get the most out of this technique, I HIGHLY recommend checking out the pictures and video of it in action...click the following link now to see it!

http://hop.clickbank.net/?myguymygir/betteru&l=1178

And if you like this exercise, you will LOVE what you find in my book "The Best Abdominal Exercises You've Never Heard Of"...

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REAL ab training is far more than just crunches and sit-ups...you're not going to get the results you want focusing on those.
You need exercises that challenge your core inside and out, covering all aspects of it, from the visually-stunning six-pack abs that everybody wants to the performance-focused deep muscles of the core that are responsible for core strength and total-body power generation.
The Best Ab Exercises covers it ALL!
Click here to learn more about what EFFECTIVE abdominal training is all about...

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Nick Nilsson has a degree in Physical Education and Psychology and has been innovating new training techniques for more than 20 years. Nick is the author of a number of bodybuilding books including "Gluteus to the Maximus - Build a Bigger Butt NOW!", "Muscle Explosion! 28 Days To Maximum Mass", "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss," "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of," and "The Best Abdominal Exercises You've Never Heard Of", all designed to maximize the results you get for the hard work you put into your training.

Be sure to grab your FREE copy of Nick's 30-day "Dirty Little Secret Program for Building Muscle and Burning Fat FAST," available at http://hop.clickbank.net/?myguymygir/betteru!

in fact!

Here's a snapshot of what it looks like in the start position.

Build Rock-Solid Core Strength and Stability and Hit Your Legs HARD at The Same Time With One-Shoulder Barbell Squats

As you can see, I'm facing sideways in the rack. The safety rails are set at a moderate position (not a full depth squat). You'll be starting off from the bottom of the movement with the bar resting on the rails and, for best results, you don't want to be starting at the bottom of a full squat - it's low, but not too low.

I would recommend using a bar pad for cushioning or a rolled-up towel, otherwise the bar really digs into your trap as you're doing the exercise. Use a lighter weight than you think you'll need the first time you do this (trust me). I've got 225 lbs on the bar here and can regular squat double that and it was challenging.

Your shoulder is set as dead-center on the bar as you can manage (you'll be able to feel the balance point on the first rep and adjust from there).

You want to have your hands out in front of you and locked onto the bar to help control it. You can use upwards or downwards pressure to adjust the balance as you stand up.

Come all the way up to the standing position.

Here's the other side view of the exercise. You'll notice that my working-side arm's elbow is point directly out to the side and my arm is held up. Holding the arm up like this helps keep the bar from rolling out to the side

A few other views...

It's truly a total-body ab exercise!

Be sure to add your comments below,
especially after you give it a try!

This is a pic of me (Nick Nilsson) the author of "The Best Ab Exercises"

If you like this exercise, you will LOVE what you find in my book "The Best Abdominal Exercises You've Never Heard Of"...

Click here to learn more about what EFFECITVE
abdominal training is all about...

Monday, September 19, 2011

A Deadly Intensity

A DEADLY Intensity Technique For Chest, Targeting Maximum Muscle Fiber Activation
...Range-Of-Motion Triple Add Sets for Bench Press

By Nick Nilsson

Intensity techniques for chest training are often VERY overused (i.e. forced reps) and often VERY ineffective (i.e. forced reps). Sure, you feel like you're working harder, but I have to say, I'd rather get more productive results rather than just feeling like I'm working harder!

So I've got a bench press technique for you here that's going to do just that.

This one is going to take a bit of explaining...but once you mentally understand how it works, you're going to be AMPED to try it out next time you're in the gym! It's an intensity technique (in this case done with the bench press, though it can be easily applied to other exercises) that targets ALL your major muscle fibers types in one set.

You're going to hit Type 1 endurance fibers, Type 2a moderate/heavy strength fibers and Type 2b explosive/very heavy fibers, all in one set.

This technique is going to produce MAXIMUM hyprertrophy and fiber activation for your chest in a minimum of time.

The base technique is one that I call Triple Add Sets. I've talked about this one before and you may already be familiar with it.

Essentially, that technique is similar to a Triple Drop Set in that you do a three-part set, changing weights on each part. In a Drop Set, you reduce the weight. In an Add set, you INCREASE the weight on each successive part of the set.

The way I do Add sets is by starting with a light weight for high reps, e.g. 30 to 50 reps. Then increase the weight and do a set of 6 to 8 reps. Then increase again and do a set of 1 to 3 reps. Each portion of that add set targets a different set of muscle fibers.

For example, if I was doing a Triple Add Set with dumbell bench press, I would use 25 lb dumbells for a set of 50 reps. Then a brief rest (10 seconds or so) then pick up a pair of 50 lb dumbells and do a set of 8 reps. Then rest 10 seconds then pick up a pair of 100 lb dumbells and do a set of 2 reps.

At the end of that set, you've hit all your major muscle fibers types and stimulated massive growth and strength gains (on a side note, this is a VERY tough technique on the nervous system and not one you can use all the time!).

The main issue I found with the Triple Add Set done like this is having to line up three separate sets of weights. It's time-consuming even in my home gym...MUCH tougher to accomplish in a normal gym with lots of people running around!

And that's how Range-Of-Motion Triple Add Sets were born...

Instead of starting light for high reps and increasing the weight and decreasing the reps from there, you're going to use the SAME weight on all portions of the set.

Instead of increasing the weight, you're going to increase the RANGE OF MOTION.

This is what is going to make it tougher. And it's also what's going to make it much easier to work with in a crowded gym than having 3 sets of weights in front of you.

I'll explain each phase and show you pics of how far the range is on each.

Phase 1 - Short Range of Motion, High-Rep Training for Type 1 Endurance Muscle Fibers

In this first part of the set, you'll be doing just the top few inches of the range of motion of the bench press. Since is has the best leverage and is the strongest part of the range, you'll be able to get a LOT of reps with it.

We're aiming for about 30+ reps on this one. Select a weight you could normally hit about 12 to 15 FULL-range reps with. Now just rep out in that top range of motion.

Crank out as many reps as you can...this is going to work those Type 1 endurance fibers. The cool thing is, you're working them with relatively heavy weight here, too, which will help them achieve some actual growth :).

Phase 2 - Medium Range of Motion, Moderate-Rep Training for Type 2a Muscle Fibers

Once you've finished your high-rep, short-range set, rack the bar and rest 10 to 15 seconds. Now lay back down and get set for Phase 2.

You're going to be doing about HALF the range of motion of the exercise this time, staying just above the sticking point of the bench press (which is about 1/3 of the way up - it varies by individual). We want to stay above the sticking point to stay in favorable leverage and get the reps.

Use a deliberate movement with this. Lower the weight to the point just above the sticking point, pause, then press up and repeat. There should be no bouncing from the bottom here as we want to develop tension in the chest.

You should be able to hit about 6 to 8 reps in this half range of motion. This targets the Type 2a muscle fibers that respond well to medium reps and time under tension.

Phase 3 - Full Range of Motion, Low-Rep Training for Type 2b Muscle Fibers

Now it gets interesting... :)

You're going to re-rack the weight, take your brief rest then do as many FULL range reps as you can. This will most likely be 1 to 3 reps here, depending on your fiber-type makeup for the upper body and the weight you selected originally.

Treat this as a near-maximal rep in how you set up for it. Make sure everything is tight...you've got your legs braced and your shoulders tight behind your body. Lower the bar under control then press up with explosive power.

That's the last straw!

Once you hit that rep, rack the weight and you're done. You'll feel a HUGE pump...possibly unlike anything you've ever felt before in your chest...because of the hard work you've put on every muscle fiber type in one shot.

This technique is VERY powerful and shouldn't be used more than once a week to keep your nervous system from grinding down...you can do it for 1 to 3 sets when you actually do use - once through the 3 parts counts as one set.

http://hop.clickbank.net/?myguymygir/betteru&l=1177

And let me tell you...if you like this technique, you will LOVE what you find in my "Mad Scientist Muscle" program.

This program utilizes science-based training right along the same lines as what you just read...using specific training techniques to actively change your body's physiology to allow it to better support muscle mass (e.g. targeted high-rep training to improve blood circulation to the muscles).

This is the program I use myself when I want to focus on building lean muscle and strength.

Click here learn how you can build MONSTER mass using science-based INSANE training techniques like Range-of-Motion Triple Add Sets

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Nick Nilsson has a degree in Physical Education and Psychology and has been innovating new training techniques for more than 20 years. Nick is the author of a number of bodybuilding books including "Mad Scientist Muscle", "Muscle Explosion! 28 Days To Maximum Mass", "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss," "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of," "Gluteus to the Maximus - Build a Bigger Butt NOW!" and "The Best Abdominal Exercises You've Never Heard Of", all designed to maximize the results you get for the hard work you put into your training.

Be sure to grab your FREE copy of Nick's 30-day "Dirty Little Secret Program for Building Muscle and Burning Fat FAST," available at http://hop.clickbank.net/?myguymygir/betteru!

Hit Your Legs! Fun

Hit Your Legs and Core With a Challenging and FUN Exercise... Switch Leg Split Squats

By Nick Nilsson

Leg training...if you only know a couple of exercises for legs, it can be extremely boring...squat this, lunge that, leg press over...what else is left?

TONS! If you want to hit the quads, glutes and hamstrings thoroughly, you need to learn as many variations of these exercises as possible to keep things interesting and to keep your body from getting used to any one form of leg training.

And that's where unique challenges like THIS leg exercise come into play.

This is a variation of the Barbell Split Squat that has an interesting twist...on each rep, you're going to switch legs...not at the top (which is WAY too normal) but at the BOTTOM of each rep.

Basically, you're going to do a Barbell Step-Back Lunge then at the bottom of that rep, you're going to bring your front leg down and kneel on BOTH knees at the bottom, then bring your OTHER leg forward and come back up.

It's deceptively simple and it present a great challenge to your body in a number of ways.

First, when you switch legs at the bottom, you have to maintainbalance with a loaded barbell on your back. This means plenty of core involvement.

Second, once you've switched legs and brought your other leg forward, you will be starting from the bottom absolutely ZERO elastic tension in the muscles. It's going to be ALL YOU coming up from that position. This helps build power out of the bottom of the lunge/squat exercise and it'll show up on your regular lifts.

Third, it's actually kind of fun because it requires a bit of skill to do. You're still working VERY hard (trust me on this) while presenting your body and your mind with something to keep it adapting and keep things fresh.

The first time you do this one, start with just the bar. I don't care how much you can squat, you need to learn the mechanics of the exercise before you load the bar at all (even I did this and I'm a bit nuts :)

Set the bar on your back as you would for a barbell squat or lunge then step back into the rack. Now set your left foot back a few feet then come down into a Step-Back Lunge. Come ALL the way down until your weight is resting fully on that bottom knee.

One thing to note here is that you don't want to come crashing down into the bottom position on this one...lower yourself under control until you're kneeling on the ground. We aren't doing a knee drop here!

Now here's where your core comes into play...bring your right leg back so that you're now kneeling on BOTH knees. The weight is now balanced primarily with your core.

Next, bring your left leg forward so you're now in the bottom of the split squat position again. When you're about to start the push up, here are a few things to think about.

1. As the weight gets a bit heavier, you'll need to lean your torso forward a bit to get the weight over the center of power of the exercise, which is the front leg. This puts a GREAT load on the hamstrings and the glutes.

2. Your back foot is important here...don't just be resting on the tip of your shoe. When you're about to push up, you should try and have the balls of your feet in contact with the ground so you can exert force with the back leg. Without that back leg tensed, you won't be able to get heavier weights up. It's not so critical with lighter weights...you'll feel the need for it as you go heavier.

Once you're ready to go, with a powerful explosion of strength, come back up to the fully standing position. Be careful with your balance on this phase of the movement. You should be familiar with barbell lunging before you try this exercise, just fyi.

So now you're at the top and you have two choices...you can repeat the movement in the same sequence (set the left leg back and down then switch at the bottom and come back up with the left leg forward) or you can switch legs (set the right leg back first, then come back up on the right).

Whichever way you want to do it is totally fine. When you keep to the same pattern, you won't have to think as much as if you switch direction more frequently, which can be a bonus :).

Step back with the right. Bring the left around and kneel on both knees. Bring your right leg forward and get into position. Push yourself back up.

That's the exercise! It's actually a pretty simple concept and VERY effective lower body training, especially for athletics.

This is going to target just about every aspect of the lower body in one shot and give your core some excellent stabilty work at the same time.

http://hop.clickbank.net/?myguymygir/betteru&l=3030

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Nick Nilsson has a degree in Physical Education and Psychology and has been innovating new training techniques for more than 20 years. Nick is the author of a number of bodybuilding books including "Gluteus to the Maximus - Build a Bigger Butt NOW!", "Muscle Explosion! 28 Days To Maximum Mass", "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss," "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of," and "The Best Abdominal Exercises You've Never Heard Of", all designed to maximize the results you get for the hard work you put into your training.
Be sure to grab your FREE copy of Nick's 30-day "Dirty Little Secret Program for Building Muscle and Burning Fat FAST," available at http://hop.clickbank.net/?myguymygir/betteru!