Yet another awesome workout today with my training partner Rich. Even if my Deadlifts did not feel as good as previous weeks I didn't let it get to me although was hoping to beat my PB but there is always next week.
Here is how it went down:
1) warm up and mobility work
2) Deadlifts 3 warm up sets followed by 4 working sets of singles (1 rep max) with 3 mins rest between sets
The rest were performed as supersets.
3) front squats 4 working sets of 6 reps
Pull ups 5 reps with a 10 second negative on each (these were brutal and my lats felt huge, infact if jumped off a building I think I could of glided :- ) with 90secs rest
4) cable tricep extension 3 working sets of 12 reps with a 4 sec negative
Hammer curls with fat Gripz 3 working sets of 12 reps with a 4 sec negative with 60secs rest
5) cool down and stretch
Big well done to Rich for smashing his PB on his Deadlifts, awesome stuff.
Feeling good now and looking forward to 2 days of rest and recovery in preparation for another big session on Monday morning.
Bring it on.
BOSH.
Have a great day,
Matt
Showing posts with label Grip Strength Development. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Grip Strength Development. Show all posts
Friday, 2 September 2011
Thursday, 25 August 2011
Grip strength development series part 7: The Plate Pinch
Hey folks,
This week I return with yet another awesome grip building exercise, the plate pinch. This exercise is a lot harder than it looks but produces great results. Don't let the weight you will be using fool you, as I'm sure you will have to start relatively light but I am certain you will soon see a real difference.
Simply get a smooth plate, not one with a little ledge to hold as that's cheating. Pinch the plate with all your fingers and thumbs as close to the edge of the plate as possible. Hold it by your side and squeeze those fingers and hands as if your life depended on it. Aim for 30-60sec holds. Once that feels comfortable go heavier. Another progression is to hold 2 plates together making for a thicker grip and a far more challenging exercise but still absolutely awesome for your finger, thumb, hand and forearm strength.
Remember, it's all well and good training your forearms but it's not the forearms that grab the bar it's the hands, so be sure to train them too.
Throw this into the mix and let me know how you get on. Again place it at the end of your workout as not to compimise your grip for other exercises.
When you have mastered this try reducing the numbers of fingers gripping the plate. A real test is the thumb and the two fingers next to it, brutal.
Make sure your fingers and thumbs are straight, if they are bent once again you are cheating. So start light, do it properly and build from there.
Enjoy and until next time,
Matt Whitmore
This week I return with yet another awesome grip building exercise, the plate pinch. This exercise is a lot harder than it looks but produces great results. Don't let the weight you will be using fool you, as I'm sure you will have to start relatively light but I am certain you will soon see a real difference.
Simply get a smooth plate, not one with a little ledge to hold as that's cheating. Pinch the plate with all your fingers and thumbs as close to the edge of the plate as possible. Hold it by your side and squeeze those fingers and hands as if your life depended on it. Aim for 30-60sec holds. Once that feels comfortable go heavier. Another progression is to hold 2 plates together making for a thicker grip and a far more challenging exercise but still absolutely awesome for your finger, thumb, hand and forearm strength.
Remember, it's all well and good training your forearms but it's not the forearms that grab the bar it's the hands, so be sure to train them too.
Throw this into the mix and let me know how you get on. Again place it at the end of your workout as not to compimise your grip for other exercises.
When you have mastered this try reducing the numbers of fingers gripping the plate. A real test is the thumb and the two fingers next to it, brutal.
Make sure your fingers and thumbs are straight, if they are bent once again you are cheating. So start light, do it properly and build from there.
Enjoy and until next time,
Matt Whitmore
Wednesday, 24 August 2011
The power of Deadlifts, squats and pull ups
6 weeks ago I managed to injure my right shoulder, I'm not quite sure how but it was pretty damn painful and was a real show stopper. Kettlebells presses, snatches, bench press and press ups were out the window. I was gutted but anyone who trains knows that injuries will happen from time to time and it was just something I had to work around, as frustrating as that is.
My training focus over the last 10 weeks has been on strength. I simply want to get as strong as possible and after reading 'Dinosaur Training' by Brooks Kubik I was ready to go. I set myself some targets and followed Brooks guidelines and the results were coming in.
However......
I literally woke up one morning feeling as awesome as ever :-) I went off to work and attempted to demonstrate a press up to a client. There it was, a shooting pain deep in my rear delt that I felt at the bottom position of the press up. Once I finished with my client I had a little play around to work out what it could be. I physically could not press a thing and shoulder rotation movements were very uncomfortable.
I threw a huge wobbly as, just like most, getting injured is never great news especially when I felt so focused with my training and was getting stronger each week. But after Keris told me to man up and look at ways of making it better rather than just getting annoyed, I did exactly that.
I still had my Deadlifts, squats, pull ups, rows, curls to do and rotational movements for my abs so not all was lost but I did deeply miss shoulder pressing. Never been that bothered about benching but I love pressing heavy weights overhead, I always have.
Here is an example strength routine and shoulder rehab program I have been doing:
Trigger point therapy, Indian clubs and mobility drills
So 6 weeks down the line and the shoulder is feeling good, even though I have not so much as done a press up in that time. I suppose the fact that my Deadlifts and squats were going so well it distracted me from the absence of pressing movements.
Last week I decided to have a little go at some single arm kettlebell shoulder presses, which I love. To my surprise, I lifted the same weight for 5 reps that I did 6 weeks ago and I even had more in the tank. Unfortunately it's the heaviest kettlebell I have (40kg) before making the jump to my 64kg kettlebell and I'm not quite there yet for shoulder presses :-)
I honestly could not believe it but I 100% put it down to the big movements that are deadlifts, squats and pull ups. I may not have done any pressing at all but did not lose a single bit of pressing strength, infact I felt stronger. This was awesome news and I was buzzing. The truth is I was expecting to have to drop poundage as it had been 6 weeks, I never expected to feel so powerful.
If deadlfts, squats and pull ups are not part of your routine then you are simply missing out on some of the greatest gains in your training regime.
They are at the moment the bread and butter of my regime and I have gained 2kg in muscle mass, I'm stronger than ever before and I feel great. Whatever your goals are these movements will work wonders for you.
It's not about just going through the motions, these compound movements require focus and attention to detail. Once you have mastered them and start adding some serious weight to the bar, smashing PBs and not a single sign of injury, you feel on top of the world, unstoppable and you have an overwhelming feeling of accomplishment.
Learn the movements, get them in your routine and experience some serious results.
Train smart, eat well and sleep peacfully,
Matt Whitmore
My training focus over the last 10 weeks has been on strength. I simply want to get as strong as possible and after reading 'Dinosaur Training' by Brooks Kubik I was ready to go. I set myself some targets and followed Brooks guidelines and the results were coming in.
However......
I literally woke up one morning feeling as awesome as ever :-) I went off to work and attempted to demonstrate a press up to a client. There it was, a shooting pain deep in my rear delt that I felt at the bottom position of the press up. Once I finished with my client I had a little play around to work out what it could be. I physically could not press a thing and shoulder rotation movements were very uncomfortable.
I threw a huge wobbly as, just like most, getting injured is never great news especially when I felt so focused with my training and was getting stronger each week. But after Keris told me to man up and look at ways of making it better rather than just getting annoyed, I did exactly that.
I still had my Deadlifts, squats, pull ups, rows, curls to do and rotational movements for my abs so not all was lost but I did deeply miss shoulder pressing. Never been that bothered about benching but I love pressing heavy weights overhead, I always have.
Here is an example strength routine and shoulder rehab program I have been doing:
Trigger point therapy, Indian clubs and mobility drills
- Deadlifts 5x5
- Bottom position squats/weighted wide pull ups 5x5
- Reverse cable wood chops 5x10 each side
Cable face pulls 5x15 - Mobility and stretch.
So 6 weeks down the line and the shoulder is feeling good, even though I have not so much as done a press up in that time. I suppose the fact that my Deadlifts and squats were going so well it distracted me from the absence of pressing movements.
Last week I decided to have a little go at some single arm kettlebell shoulder presses, which I love. To my surprise, I lifted the same weight for 5 reps that I did 6 weeks ago and I even had more in the tank. Unfortunately it's the heaviest kettlebell I have (40kg) before making the jump to my 64kg kettlebell and I'm not quite there yet for shoulder presses :-)
I honestly could not believe it but I 100% put it down to the big movements that are deadlifts, squats and pull ups. I may not have done any pressing at all but did not lose a single bit of pressing strength, infact I felt stronger. This was awesome news and I was buzzing. The truth is I was expecting to have to drop poundage as it had been 6 weeks, I never expected to feel so powerful.
If deadlfts, squats and pull ups are not part of your routine then you are simply missing out on some of the greatest gains in your training regime.
They are at the moment the bread and butter of my regime and I have gained 2kg in muscle mass, I'm stronger than ever before and I feel great. Whatever your goals are these movements will work wonders for you.
It's not about just going through the motions, these compound movements require focus and attention to detail. Once you have mastered them and start adding some serious weight to the bar, smashing PBs and not a single sign of injury, you feel on top of the world, unstoppable and you have an overwhelming feeling of accomplishment.
Learn the movements, get them in your routine and experience some serious results.
Train smart, eat well and sleep peacfully,
Matt Whitmore
Tuesday, 16 August 2011
Two-Finger Single Arm Kettlebell Swing (Grip Strength Development Series: Part 6)
Hey Guys and Gals,
So last time round I hit you with a bit of 2 bells in one hand action and this week I want to stick with using kettlebells to advance you in your journey towards superior grip strength. I introduce - The 2 finger single arm kettlebell swing.
You may remember the 2 finger barbell deadlift I shared with you a couple of weeks back. As mentioned, training your fingers individually is a great way to improve your grip strength. The great thing with using the 2 finger grip on the swing is that it's incredibly demanding keeping a hold of an object that you are explosively swinging away from the body. This is why it is very important to start light to condition yourself properly and only progress when it feels comfortable to do so.
Whatever you do, DON'T take 1,2 or 3 finger grip work lightly as it's incredibly demanding on the fingers, ligaments and tendons but when done properly they are absolutely awesome grip building exercises.
As always mess around with the rep ranges depending on your goals. I like to go nice and heavy (as usual) on these with a 5-10 rep range but feel free to increase the rep range for more grip endurance.
Also, works great with double bell work (a kettlebell in each hand), inside the leg swings or Mike Mahler style outside the leg swings.
Give it a try and as always let me know what you think.
Have a great day,
Matt
So last time round I hit you with a bit of 2 bells in one hand action and this week I want to stick with using kettlebells to advance you in your journey towards superior grip strength. I introduce - The 2 finger single arm kettlebell swing.
You may remember the 2 finger barbell deadlift I shared with you a couple of weeks back. As mentioned, training your fingers individually is a great way to improve your grip strength. The great thing with using the 2 finger grip on the swing is that it's incredibly demanding keeping a hold of an object that you are explosively swinging away from the body. This is why it is very important to start light to condition yourself properly and only progress when it feels comfortable to do so.
Whatever you do, DON'T take 1,2 or 3 finger grip work lightly as it's incredibly demanding on the fingers, ligaments and tendons but when done properly they are absolutely awesome grip building exercises.
As always mess around with the rep ranges depending on your goals. I like to go nice and heavy (as usual) on these with a 5-10 rep range but feel free to increase the rep range for more grip endurance.
Also, works great with double bell work (a kettlebell in each hand), inside the leg swings or Mike Mahler style outside the leg swings.
Give it a try and as always let me know what you think.
Have a great day,
Matt
Thursday, 4 August 2011
The Double Kettlebell Single-Arm Swing (Grip Strength Development Series: Part 5)
Hey fellow lifters,
I thought I would mix things up this week and throw some awesome kettlebell exercises your way that will add some serious strength to your grip.
As I have mentioned in previous posts, adding thickness to the bar or object you're lifting will immediately challenge your grip in a completely different way. That's why this week I'm sharing with you the double kettlebell single arm swing. The technique remains the same as the traditional single arm swing with the only difference being that you will be holding two kettlebells (I know Im Stating the obvious but just to be clear). Whether you're a kettlebell sport kinda person or you prefer the hard style swing it works well for both.
It's important you get a really firm grip on the 2 bells before hiking the kettlebells back for the first rep and please don't be afraid to chalk up, it makes a huge difference to the lift.
I like to perform these as heavy as possible for anything between 5-10 reps for nice and explosive reps, however feel free to mix up the rep ranges to cater for your goals. 20-30 reps if you are looking to improve your grip endurance.
Throw this into your regular routine and I guarantee it will add great value to your kettlebell lifting. Using just 1 kettlebell will feel like a piece of cake.
Give it a try, enjoy and I look forward to sharing the next installment with you soon.
Have a great day.
Train smart, eat well and sleep peacefully,
Matt
I thought I would mix things up this week and throw some awesome kettlebell exercises your way that will add some serious strength to your grip.
As I have mentioned in previous posts, adding thickness to the bar or object you're lifting will immediately challenge your grip in a completely different way. That's why this week I'm sharing with you the double kettlebell single arm swing. The technique remains the same as the traditional single arm swing with the only difference being that you will be holding two kettlebells (I know Im Stating the obvious but just to be clear). Whether you're a kettlebell sport kinda person or you prefer the hard style swing it works well for both.
It's important you get a really firm grip on the 2 bells before hiking the kettlebells back for the first rep and please don't be afraid to chalk up, it makes a huge difference to the lift.
I like to perform these as heavy as possible for anything between 5-10 reps for nice and explosive reps, however feel free to mix up the rep ranges to cater for your goals. 20-30 reps if you are looking to improve your grip endurance.
Throw this into your regular routine and I guarantee it will add great value to your kettlebell lifting. Using just 1 kettlebell will feel like a piece of cake.
Give it a try, enjoy and I look forward to sharing the next installment with you soon.
Have a great day.
Train smart, eat well and sleep peacefully,
Matt
Thursday, 28 July 2011
The 2 Finger Deadlift (Grip Strength Development Series: Part 4)
Hello fellow strength enthusiasts,
Sticking to deadlift variations for another installment in this series, I'm going to share with you the 2 finger deadlift.
As I have mentioned before, and as you will read on any good grip strength website, when you are training for bone crushing grip it's important to work on your fingers, thumbs, hands, wrists and forearms as individual areas to get huge gains. This week I want to focus on the fingers and believe me this one alone will make a huge difference in your grip strength. Sticking with a standard deadlift technique with the simple change of using only your second and middle finger to grip the bar.
For obvious reasons you will have to reduce your regular deadlift poundage but you will soon see the weights shoot up. I use the 5 sets of 5 reps for this one, it's also a great idea to do some nice heavy singles. As with some of the other variations I have showed you, a great way to test your grip strength endurance is to deadlift the bar up and hold on for dear life. Aiming for 45-60secs whilst maintaining a solid back and without resting the bar on the quads.
If you have not done these before then stick to the 5x5 with 3 minutes rest between sets (you will need it), once this feels good progress to some nice and heavy singles.
I hope by now you have brought yourself a bag of chalk, dont let sweaty hands ruine your lifts.
Give it a try and look forward to your response:
Train smart, eat well and sleep peacefully,
Matt
Sticking to deadlift variations for another installment in this series, I'm going to share with you the 2 finger deadlift.
As I have mentioned before, and as you will read on any good grip strength website, when you are training for bone crushing grip it's important to work on your fingers, thumbs, hands, wrists and forearms as individual areas to get huge gains. This week I want to focus on the fingers and believe me this one alone will make a huge difference in your grip strength. Sticking with a standard deadlift technique with the simple change of using only your second and middle finger to grip the bar.
For obvious reasons you will have to reduce your regular deadlift poundage but you will soon see the weights shoot up. I use the 5 sets of 5 reps for this one, it's also a great idea to do some nice heavy singles. As with some of the other variations I have showed you, a great way to test your grip strength endurance is to deadlift the bar up and hold on for dear life. Aiming for 45-60secs whilst maintaining a solid back and without resting the bar on the quads.
If you have not done these before then stick to the 5x5 with 3 minutes rest between sets (you will need it), once this feels good progress to some nice and heavy singles.
I hope by now you have brought yourself a bag of chalk, dont let sweaty hands ruine your lifts.
Give it a try and look forward to your response:
Train smart, eat well and sleep peacefully,
Matt
Friday, 22 July 2011
The Suitcase Deadlift and Progressions (Grip Strength Development Series Part 3: )
Hope you have enjoyed the videos so far and found them useful.
Staying in line with deadlift variations for this series, this week I want to look at the suitcase deadlift with you. I have shared the thick bar deadlift hold and the single arm deadlift, which are two very effective movements, but this is one of my personal favourites in grip strength builders. I know some of you may be thinking that the suitcase deadlift and the single arm deadlift are pretty much the same but you are very wrong.
The biggest difference here is the positioning of the bar, rather than having the more comfortable central grip of the single arm deadlift we now have the bar to the side of the body. Straight away the lift becomes more technical and also tests the grip from a whole new angle not to mention a far greater impact on the abs and obliques (awesome way to hit the midsection without a sit up in sight). We are now taking a grip with the thumb pointing forward away from the body. When developing your grip strength it is so important to hit it from all kinds of angles and continuously test it's boundaries through different thumb and forearm placements.
Our aim here is to test the grip and take our hand strength to a new level. However, do not forget this is a technical lift and we do not want to compromise our form for a heavier poundage. Start by really getting the feel for the lift, get your technique right before adding more weight to the bar. Approach this lift just as you would a regular deadlift. Get low, pack the shoulders back, engage the lats, remove slack from the bar, take a deep stomach breath in and rip the bar from the floor BOSH
I use the 5 sets of 5 reps for this one or nice and heavy singles with 3 minutes between sets.
As a progression, you can either:
- Use Fat Gripz or a thick bar.
- Add a hold at the top (30-60 secs. You may have to reduce the poundage here).
As always, straps are banned, only the use of chalk is allowed. Your grip strength will never get better with the use of straps so ditch em now,man up and get a grip.
Enjoy the video and please get in touch if you have any questions at all. Look forward to your response.
Have a great day,
Matt
Staying in line with deadlift variations for this series, this week I want to look at the suitcase deadlift with you. I have shared the thick bar deadlift hold and the single arm deadlift, which are two very effective movements, but this is one of my personal favourites in grip strength builders. I know some of you may be thinking that the suitcase deadlift and the single arm deadlift are pretty much the same but you are very wrong.
The biggest difference here is the positioning of the bar, rather than having the more comfortable central grip of the single arm deadlift we now have the bar to the side of the body. Straight away the lift becomes more technical and also tests the grip from a whole new angle not to mention a far greater impact on the abs and obliques (awesome way to hit the midsection without a sit up in sight). We are now taking a grip with the thumb pointing forward away from the body. When developing your grip strength it is so important to hit it from all kinds of angles and continuously test it's boundaries through different thumb and forearm placements.
Our aim here is to test the grip and take our hand strength to a new level. However, do not forget this is a technical lift and we do not want to compromise our form for a heavier poundage. Start by really getting the feel for the lift, get your technique right before adding more weight to the bar. Approach this lift just as you would a regular deadlift. Get low, pack the shoulders back, engage the lats, remove slack from the bar, take a deep stomach breath in and rip the bar from the floor BOSH
I use the 5 sets of 5 reps for this one or nice and heavy singles with 3 minutes between sets.
As a progression, you can either:
- Use Fat Gripz or a thick bar.
- Add a hold at the top (30-60 secs. You may have to reduce the poundage here).
As always, straps are banned, only the use of chalk is allowed. Your grip strength will never get better with the use of straps so ditch em now,man up and get a grip.
Enjoy the video and please get in touch if you have any questions at all. Look forward to your response.
Have a great day,
Matt
Tuesday, 19 July 2011
Todays workout: 19/7/11
Today's strength session consisted of only 3 exercises as i was pushed for time and spent 30 mins on solid mobility work, which felt great.
My mobility work consisted of:
10 mins Trigger point therapy on the grid.
10 mins on various Indian club movements.
10 mins various movements (will post a basic yet effective mobility video soon)
Today's workout was based on 3 working sets of 3 reps with 2 progressively heavier warm up sets of 5 reps.3 minarets between sets.
1) Deadlift
Superset the following then rest 3 mins between supersets.
2) Bottom position squats
Weighted pull ups
Although I only done 3 movements, I had an awesome mobility session and pushed my sets to the extreme on my 3 working sets for each. I feel great and even better........I got a personal best on my 3 rep deadlift. I'm thinking some singles next week to achieve a new 1 rep max :-) BOSH
Getting set for my sprints in the rower and a run tomorrow. Then a good old rest on Thursday.
Train smart, eat well and sleep peacefully,
Matt
My mobility work consisted of:
10 mins Trigger point therapy on the grid.
10 mins on various Indian club movements.
10 mins various movements (will post a basic yet effective mobility video soon)
Today's workout was based on 3 working sets of 3 reps with 2 progressively heavier warm up sets of 5 reps.3 minarets between sets.
1) Deadlift
Superset the following then rest 3 mins between supersets.
2) Bottom position squats
Weighted pull ups
Although I only done 3 movements, I had an awesome mobility session and pushed my sets to the extreme on my 3 working sets for each. I feel great and even better........I got a personal best on my 3 rep deadlift. I'm thinking some singles next week to achieve a new 1 rep max :-) BOSH
Getting set for my sprints in the rower and a run tomorrow. Then a good old rest on Thursday.
Train smart, eat well and sleep peacefully,
Matt
Saturday, 16 July 2011
Friday 15/7/11 strength workout.
Had an awesome workout yesterday with my pal Rich. Both managed to pull off some PB's and we left the session buzzin. Here It is:
1) Trigger point therapy and mobility for 15 mins
5 sets of 5 reps using 2-3 progressively heavier warm up sets and 2-3 heavy work sets depending on the poundage. We went heavier on our Deadlifts this week so reduced it to 2 work sets, I will go for 3 work sets on that poundage next week. 3 minutes rest between sets and supersets. Supersetted everything except for the Deadlifts.
2) Deadlift
3) bottom position squats
Single arm Dumbell rows using fat Gripz
4) weighted pull ups
Weighted leg lowers
5) finished with a little play on muscle ups and managed our first ones ever :-) it was a proud moment.
Was a great session, give it a try.
If you have any question at all regarding strength training, nutrition or kettlebells please get in touch at matt@fitterlondon.co.uk
Have a great week.
1) Trigger point therapy and mobility for 15 mins
5 sets of 5 reps using 2-3 progressively heavier warm up sets and 2-3 heavy work sets depending on the poundage. We went heavier on our Deadlifts this week so reduced it to 2 work sets, I will go for 3 work sets on that poundage next week. 3 minutes rest between sets and supersets. Supersetted everything except for the Deadlifts.
2) Deadlift
3) bottom position squats
Single arm Dumbell rows using fat Gripz
4) weighted pull ups
Weighted leg lowers
5) finished with a little play on muscle ups and managed our first ones ever :-) it was a proud moment.
Was a great session, give it a try.
If you have any question at all regarding strength training, nutrition or kettlebells please get in touch at matt@fitterlondon.co.uk
Have a great week.
Monday, 11 July 2011
Thick Grip Deadlift Hold
Hey guys,
Thanks for reading and hope you enjoy my second instalment of my grip development series. Today we will be looking at the thick grip deadlift hold.
As you will see in the video I am using Fat Gripz which you can purchase on eBay or amazon. I don't have a thick bar but if you do please use it.
Taking an overhand grip (palms facing towards you), deadlift the bar up and simply hold on for dear life.
Do not lean back allowing the bar to rest on the quads, this makes it easier. Squeeze your glutes, pack the shoulders back and crush that bar.
Select a weight that allows you to perform 3 sets of 1min holds. Once this feels comfortable, increase the weight and aim for 2 sets progressing to 3 and repeat that cycle.
Using the thick bar or fat Gripz will really test your grip, much more so than a standard bar. Your fingers, hands, ligaments and tendons will see great improvements if you perform this exercise at least nice a week at the end of your workout.
Give it a try and let me know how you get on.
P.s make sure you always have both hands in an overhand grip, having a cross grip makes it too easy and will not test the grip enough.
Thanks for reading and hope you enjoy my second instalment of my grip development series. Today we will be looking at the thick grip deadlift hold.
As you will see in the video I am using Fat Gripz which you can purchase on eBay or amazon. I don't have a thick bar but if you do please use it.
Taking an overhand grip (palms facing towards you), deadlift the bar up and simply hold on for dear life.
Do not lean back allowing the bar to rest on the quads, this makes it easier. Squeeze your glutes, pack the shoulders back and crush that bar.
Select a weight that allows you to perform 3 sets of 1min holds. Once this feels comfortable, increase the weight and aim for 2 sets progressing to 3 and repeat that cycle.
Using the thick bar or fat Gripz will really test your grip, much more so than a standard bar. Your fingers, hands, ligaments and tendons will see great improvements if you perform this exercise at least nice a week at the end of your workout.
Give it a try and let me know how you get on.
P.s make sure you always have both hands in an overhand grip, having a cross grip makes it too easy and will not test the grip enough.
Saturday, 9 July 2011
Strength Workout: Friday 8th July
Superset the following for 5 sets of 5 reps, with 3 minutes rest between supersets.
2 progressively heavier warm up sets with 3 heavy working sets. Push those barriers. Once 3 working sets feels good, increase the weight and aim for 2 working sets. Once you have progressed to 3 working sets on this poundage repeat the process.
2 progressively heavier warm up sets with 3 heavy working sets. Push those barriers. Once 3 working sets feels good, increase the weight and aim for 2 working sets. Once you have progressed to 3 working sets on this poundage repeat the process.
- Bench Press using Fat Gripz
Dumbell Rows using Fat Gripz - Bottom Position Squats (set the rack in the bottom position at parallel or just above and start your reps from a dead pause using no Momentum)
Reverse grip barbell rows - Incline Dumbell Presses using Fat Gripz (set bench at about 30 degree angle)
Stiff Leg Deadlifts
Wednesday, 6 July 2011
Single Arm Deadlift
Hey folks,
Welcome to the first edition in my grip strength development series. Over the coming weeks I will be demonstrating some very simple yet incredibly effective exercises on developing crushing grip strength and endurance. Today's clip focuses on the single arm deadlift.
The Single arm deadlift is a great way of advancing your grip strength simply because you are reliant on the strength of 1 hand to perform the movement, this is much harder for obvious reasons. Not only that but the fact your using a single arm grip in this intance with an Olympic bar, it requires greater control. This is a great combination to gain awesome strength in your hands, wrists and forearms.
Grip strength is beyond having bulky forearms. A combination of strong fingers, hands, ligaments and tendons is vital to get superior gains.
I really hope you find these videos helpful and I'm sure they will add some great value to your training regime.
Try performing the shown exercise for 5 sets of 5 reps (2 progressively heavier warm up sets and 3 working sets) once a week. Once the 3 working sets feel good, add some weight and start with 2 working sets. Again progress to 3 and continue the pattern.
Enjoy
Welcome to the first edition in my grip strength development series. Over the coming weeks I will be demonstrating some very simple yet incredibly effective exercises on developing crushing grip strength and endurance. Today's clip focuses on the single arm deadlift.
The Single arm deadlift is a great way of advancing your grip strength simply because you are reliant on the strength of 1 hand to perform the movement, this is much harder for obvious reasons. Not only that but the fact your using a single arm grip in this intance with an Olympic bar, it requires greater control. This is a great combination to gain awesome strength in your hands, wrists and forearms.
Grip strength is beyond having bulky forearms. A combination of strong fingers, hands, ligaments and tendons is vital to get superior gains.
I really hope you find these videos helpful and I'm sure they will add some great value to your training regime.
Try performing the shown exercise for 5 sets of 5 reps (2 progressively heavier warm up sets and 3 working sets) once a week. Once the 3 working sets feel good, add some weight and start with 2 working sets. Again progress to 3 and continue the pattern.
Enjoy
Tuesday, 5 July 2011
Today's strength workout
Todays strength workout is based on 5 sets of 5 reps with 3 mins rest in-between (any less and you will see you poundages drop which is not the plan).
Aim for 2 progressivly heavier warm up sets and 3 to the max working sets and I mean TO THE MAX.
1) Bench press using Fat Gripz
2) Weighted pull ups using Fat Gripz
3) Deadlifts
4) Barbell curls using Fat Gripz
5) Dumbell farmers walks using Fat Gripz (25 meters)
6) 10 x 200m sprints on the rower with 1 min rest.
Once you hit 3 working sets on a weight, aim for 3 progressively heavier warm up sets and 2 working sets on a heavier poundage next time round.
Aim for 2 progressivly heavier warm up sets and 3 to the max working sets and I mean TO THE MAX.
1) Bench press using Fat Gripz
2) Weighted pull ups using Fat Gripz
3) Deadlifts
4) Barbell curls using Fat Gripz
5) Dumbell farmers walks using Fat Gripz (25 meters)
6) 10 x 200m sprints on the rower with 1 min rest.
Once you hit 3 working sets on a weight, aim for 3 progressively heavier warm up sets and 2 working sets on a heavier poundage next time round.
Monday, 4 July 2011
GET A GRIP
Get a grip:
As important as it is to do so, I'm not talking about keeping your your cool, staying calm or remaining composed. I'm talking hand strength and developing a bone crushing grip.
In my experience as a personal trainer, rugby player and strength enthusiast, it has become very clear to me that having a strong grip is a huge advantage. Whether your performing deadlifst or pull ups, tackling a 20 stone oooooffffff on the pitch or just trying to squeeze out a couple of extra curls. If your grip is weak, you will be at a disadvantage in all of the above situations.
Dont get me wrong, I'm not implying that I have a crazy strong grip, however, I once relied upon straps to perform my Deadlifts, pull ups and heavy rows. This was great from a poundage point of view but before long my natural grip strength was fast fading. This was most apparent to me on the rugby pitch, I could not hold on to people without them breaking through my grip. I felt pathetc.
So after some reading I ditched the straps and went back to raw lifts. The only disappointing thing was, I had to drastically reduce my poundages to prevent my grip failing me before my muscles had even started to get warm. Let's just say this was not great for my ego and now felt even more pathetic. But I was determined to obtain the bone crushing grip I longed for.
Within just a few weeks and with the introduction of magnesium chalk (my lifesaver) my poundages went through the roof and my grip felt solid. What a relief. Now, if I get a hold of a shirt on the rugby pitch it's like a pit bulls lock jaw. There was no way I was letting go.
Again, my grip strength has a very very long way to go. However I am now safe in the knowledge that my grip is never the first to fail me on any exercise. Don't let your grip get in the way of your lifting potential. It really is a crucial part of what will get you to the next level.
Over then next couple of weeks I will be posting various grip developing videos. I will be using kettlebells, barbells, dumbbells and weight plates, all of which are great to work with and I wanted to give as many options for people as possible.
I hear so often the famous saying "it's annoying because my muscles could keep going but my grip fails me". Remember having a strong grip is as much about having strong ligaments and tendons as it is strong muscles. They all work together to create a devastating grip.
The videos will show you how to develop the strength in your fingers, hands and forearms to improve both pure grip strength (1 rep max deadlift) and endurance (high rep kettlebell swings or snatches). I will show you ways to develop strength and condition your ligaments and tendons to back up your muscular strength.
Whatever your goal I am sure you will find the videos helpful for both yourself or that of your clients.
Enjoy,
Matt Whitmore
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)