4/9/13

Great little thoughts from Outdoor Magazine:
They made a lists of FAULTS, here they are:

Avoiding the gym because you’re weak“Here's a secret for anyone who didn't grow up in a weight room,” says Shaul, “those big guys don't care how much you can lift. Most of these guys started out as weak skinny guys, too.”

The Fix“If you work hard, be humble, and ask questions,” says Shaul, “the big strong guys will give you a hand and help you become stronger.” 

Skipping the deadliftThe thing humans do more than anything else? Pick things up. The deadlift trains that movement so that you prevent injury when, say, you go to grab your kid when he or she is about to grab that electrical socket. Or when you want to impress someone by picking up a heavy box.

The Fix“We do a Romanian dedalift because we find it saves backs and works hamstrings better,” says Shaul. “Studies have found that people who do this lift have fewer lower back issues.”

You're not working hard enoughWeight lifting should be intense. Don’t do a set, talk to your buddy, then go back for another set. “You’ll see much better gains if you work so hard that your heart is exploding,” says Shaul.

The FixShaul says to do five rounds as fast as possible: 8 Front Squats, 8 Box Jumps, 8 Push ups. 

The start of the Brooklyn Marathon, 1909. Photo: George Grantham Bain Collection

Too many long runsPounding the pavement is great for your heart, but doing too much can tighten muscles and decrease the flexibility you need to lift properly.

The FixSprinting taps into the same energy systems (ATP and glycogen) used in weight lifting and will help build the explosiveness needed for lifting. Bergeron recommends mixing eight 200-meter sprints with a 1-minute rest between efforts into your running routine.

Olympic lifting. Photo: Library of Congress

Skipping the Olympic lift“No other movement involves as much pure athleticism,” says Bergeron. “Strength stamina, speed power, accuracy, agility are all tested during Olympic lifts. It’s a great way to build explosiveness through the hips, which is key in almost all sports. Think about how a skier drives through the turn, there’s a lot of hip explosiveness there.”

The FixStart with the power clean, using just a broomstick until you dial in your form.

Exercises that isolate muscle groupsLifts that isolate muscle groups—exercises like hamstring and bicep curls—aren’t movements that are used in everyday life. “If you’re great at leg extensions,” says Bergeron, “it doesn’t mean you’ll be able to do something athletic, like ski or snowboard.”

The FixDo exercises that employ multiple muscles at once. Bergeron says squatting, which works everything from your legs to your shoulders, is a great place to start.

Machines are so 19th century. Photo: Frances Benjamin Johnston

Using machines“In the real world you don’t do anything sitting down,” says Rob Shaul, the owner of Mountain Athlete in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. “You need to get out of the chair and do things that emulate real-life activities.”

The FixUse barbells and dumbbells. “Free weight training is more athletic, engages the core, is more functional, yields better gains, and is simply more interesting and fun,” says Shaul.