Category: Lifting

Of all the leg extension machines I’ve used over the years, any time it has a weight selector/weight stack eventually I can rep the stack.

If on day 1 at a new gym you find this to be the case it could be perceived as a bummer, well don’t worry kids I’ll learn you how to do, to work around such a problem as maxing and repping that stack.

There’s many intensity multipliers :

•More reps
•Pauses at the top
•Isometric holds
•Slower reps

First stage you just do normal reps.
Since it’s leg work and a machine you want this to be high reps.

As that gets easier you pause for a count at contraction or very near it.
(You can also add reps to the set at the same time.)

Next stage is the doozy. After that final rep, (and you’re already doing high reps pausing at the top each rep) on the final rep you HOLD at the top, well slightly below it, and do a long isometric hold. Build this up to about 90 seconds.

After the set looks like over 20 reps with pauses each rep and a long (90 second or more) isometric hold thats when I’d say slow down the rep speed. Instead of normal speed you’ll slow the reps to at least a 4 or 5 count up and a 4 or 5 count down.

Of course you could also push the reps into the “century set” 100 rep per set range.

If all of the above has been milked out…use all of the above one leg at a time.

(Feel free to mix and match as you see fit.)

Some hints for knee health : isometric holds are better than reps.

For both holds and reps just shy of locking the knee out is the “top” of the movement. You stay under contraction and don’t get the absurd sheering forces this way.

Sometimes (and you’ll know when this is) you don’t want to do reps for health and longevity reasons. If isometric holds are still good then do them.

Leg extensions are one place I actually feel warm ups are necessary. I’ll usually do a bunch of sets of 5 reps adding weight in roughly equal jumps until I’m at the stack (or most of it if I’m going light) which is where the funs at.

I do believe leg extensions could cause an imbalance in leg musculature. For health and longevity reasons I’ll at the very least flex the hamstring (in a manner reminiscent of a standing leg curl) between sets. Do more than that if necessary. (This doesn’t seem to always apply with isometric holds however.)

Whatever bad is said about the movement I find done right the leg extension seriously helps my leg size and strength. The isometric holds for strength, and the high reps for size do far more for my quads than the “compound crew”™ would have you believe.

-J

The reason to implement the overhead squats in the first place was :

1. Knee Health – weighted squatting on a daily basis makes my knees feel great.

2. Laziness – overhead squats with mostly an empty bar could be done wherever throughout the day as there is no noise, little set up, and logistically the sidewalk could suffice if the seasonal mud pit that I’d used during the winter was threatening to swallow me as if it was quicksand.

3. Lower Back – the overhead squat builds a strange strength in the lower back. I’d noticed it before, and the lower back can always be stronger. “My spinal erectors aren’t as hypertrophied as that bodybuilder chick’s yet damnit!”

4. I doubt my squat will ever go below 405, and I figured the high rep stimulus of the light overhead squats would not only guarantee this ability, but give me over 405 on the squat. My buddy convincing me to day pass with him was something of a nice coincidence, I hadn’t intended to test the premise but got to anyway. I left weight & reps on the table sinking 405 for two singles.

(I figure progressing high rep overhead squats will give me new squat PRs with very little training investment.)

5. The urge to build power caused by an inkling for either vertical ability to dunk or to get back into the shot put. I figured high rep overhead squats would build athletic legs for this sort of thing in the vein of “what the hell” carryover.

The light high rep overhead squats worked beautifully.

My squat is over 405.

“What the hell!” I one arm snatched 135. Sure I hold the bar overhead often, but “what the hell”.

I can sprint decently and it had been a long time since I’d done one.

Logistically it was nothing but a peanut. A narrow sliver of driveway sufficed on mucky days.

One day I went BOOM! and surprised myself touching rim for the first time in a long while.

The general feeling and aesthetic of athleticism to my legs is a nice effect.

As I said above, progressing high rep overhead squats will give me new squat PRs with very little training.

They work very well for me as a base phase.

I add weight (even reps per set) or total volume and my squat will move up.

The addition of some “assistance” (lunges, step ups, hip thrusts, car push, sprints) will add more athleticism and strength.

A month of gym membership occasionally (like every 4-8 months) or getting a rack set up in my own space wouldn’t need much time to get the body used to the bar on the shoulders for peaking.

Those who write off overhead squats and mock the crossfitters who do them are wrong.

The “lightness” of the movement doesn’t make them beneath other variations.

The leverage is killer for building overall back strength, core strength, and support strength in the shoulders.

(I’ve been getting hilarious ab & oblique cramps this month of overhead squats.)

The effect you get is a multiple of the weight on the bar, yet easier on the body.

Those sets of 25 overhead squats with the empty bar are roughly equivalent to doing the same reps with 135-185 on the bar back squatting.

A daily 20 rep squat at 135-185 would be quite solid a thing for general fitness. (And my ego no longer looks down upon general fitness, it’s a healthier thing overall.)

The high rep overhead squats are a way to give both frequency and a minimal effective dose with TONS of carryover.

Persistence & Tenacity

Blood flow heals. It can be key to prehab and rehab.

It seems so many heavyweights have at least one “bum” or “bad” knee.

My opinion? Not enough blood flow to the area around the joint. The human body doesn’t expect this much mass. Help it out by giving the joints healthy healing blood flow.

While it’s a bit outdated leg extensions were used for the purpose of knee health.

However sheering forces can potentially negate the good. Leg extensions are best (and generally a ok) done slow and controlled with pauses each rep at the top and/or with long isometric holds there.

Leg curling will balance out the extension muscularly and bring more blood flow to the area, particularly the back of the knee.

I said equipment free though didn’t I?

Same movements. Freestanding. No sheering forces, just muscular contraction, and blood flow/pump.

Extension :
Stand on one foot, extending the airborne leg until roughly parallel to the ground with the leg nearly locked. The higher you go up the harder the contraction.

Curl:
Still standing curl the free leg to roughly 90°

Both exercises are held for a good long count, and the effect can be improved by touching the contracting muscle with a free hand.

Implement these. They help.

However, anything feeling “off” in the knees likely means you’re overweight and/or understrength.

My knees truly feel better with frequent weighted squatting.

Extra weight, be it muscle or fat still ain’t doing you any favors. Food for thought. You could also prehab a shit ton for your joints.

Persistence & Tenacity

Every body has its ideal movements.

Your unique leverages will make certain variances just work staggeringly well.

Example :

I adapt easily to squat everyday, easier than most as I have good squatting leverages.

My legs handle it quite well, though my lower back seems to need the training of support strength from squats to keep my ability to deadlift heavy.

My lower back will still get locked. I just know that I can work through that on squats, that on squats a locked up lower back isn’t an issue for me.

Inadvertently I found something better (for me personally).

I’m convinced the overhead squats I’m doing (the heel of the boots I’m wearing may play a role in this) are the ideal movement for my leverages at least right now.

The mass I’ve put on my thighs by way of usually just 25-35 reps with an empty barbell each day is staggering.

It hit me while talking with a buddy, the overhead squat is the ideal movement for my levers (at least right now).

When doing a movement ideal for your levers a modicum of effort will carry you far.

You don’t need to struggle with movements if you cover the full body with a handful of movements that match you.

Pushups work very very well for me. They match me.

Squatting in general fits me, but the overhead squat even moreso.

Those two are daily, and all I need. I add a little neck/grip/ab work on top.

Once you’ve found the ideal movements you can simply hit them for enough, a very small amount, and be good to go.

If one high rep set of something light to moderately weighted gives you great results, moreso then it’s “supposed” to…congratulations you (may) have found your ideal movement.

Find the ideal exercises for your leverages, and then milk them for all they’re worth, only change them if they stop working. (Leverages can change.)

Doing this allows you to be perceived as not trying, while having everything work out. It looks easy because it is. It’s only requires a few of your minutes on a consistent basis.

I am the opposite of common “gym knowledge”. I teach you how to get superior results with only a little effort, mostly effort in exploring what works for you.

Find the ideals. Use them considerably. Milk them for all they’re worth.

I just simplified training for you.

Persistence & Tenacity

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Can you do one arm pushups?

Can you do one arm pushups? Seriously are you capable of doing them? You aren’t? You don’t know? Well then, dear reader read on.

The internet treats the one arm pushup as if it’s a high level thing. It’s not. The one arm pushup is actually quite easy.

I’ve written on them before :

I discovered my ability to do them unintentionally. My buddy ate floor. I did too…on the first try, and then a moment later didn’t.

They are an amazing movement to lubricate the spine. The pop from the twist is something you have to experience. The relief of spinal pressure feels downright phenomenal.

No movement causes me to feel as claustrophobic about space. Narrow bits of kitchen while sturdy are not open space, open space of sturdy ground is preferable. In good weather I intend to use a basketball court or a parking lot.

It’s a way to build upper body pressing without equipment. My opinion? It’s easier than handstand pushups. I only equate the one arm to roughly 60-65% of your bodyweight on one hand. Due to one limb at a time allowing more than ½ of what both limbs allow, I call a one arm pushup equal in upper body pushing strength to a BODYWEIGHT bench. All males not weak as a kitten can do them, I’d bet I’ve even met females who can. Interestingly enough a 315lb buddy with a 315lb bench claimed one arm pushup capability. I believe it based on my one arm pushup reps correlating to a degree with my benching 225 for reps.

Just like how I’ve taught a SIMPLE, STRAIGHT FORWARD, KISS style power clean to a few people, I bet I could get most with a bodyweight bench (probably lower % for girls) to do their first within five minutes.

5 Minute One Arm Pushup Instruction :

1. Get in pushup position.
2. Lose weak side hand. Put it where it rests comfortably. Small of the back or palm on hamstring are the usual.
3. Move hand towards centerline.
4. As you descend twist the chest/boob towards the hand on ground.
5. Up.
6. Repeat and/or try opposite side. (Optional)

More details can be banged out over time.

Well I did say bang out, and the post was written after banging out 5 reps each hand.

I’m not going to insist you keep the torso rigid. I’ve witnessed 2 or 3 do one arm pushups (including myself), I’ve met 2 more who claim to have. None of us didn’t twist. While I bet a gymnast could do them without much if any twist, look at pictures online from say Al Kavadlo or Convict Conditioning the internet idea of “strict” still twists.

Of course before you try I’ll show you, and talk you through what I did.

5 minutes assuming you have minimal upper body strength. Stronger abs help too, I’d say the ability to an wheel rollout from the knees or pullup 1x/once/uno/singular is enough.

I don’t think I’m capable of stressing how easy a one arm pushup is.

It will strengthen you, though at the same time it is quite easy, and not so complicated. I can’t stress that enough. Everything gym is extremely overcomplicated.

Persistence & Tenacity

For a while my knee had felt buggy. I’d crack it, massage it, and yet the feeling persisted.

You know the issue?

Inactivity, a lack of physical stress.
(You know I haven’t done “healing fire” in some time either.)

See the body is incredibly adaptable. Not only do we need the physical stress and demands on the body for it to feel right, but the body thrives from it doing so. Newton’s law and all that.

I’ve said it before :

And I’m saying it again, squats build the knee.

Yesterday evening was my first meaningful lift in a while, the military press, and some empty bar overhead squats.

Those overhead squats were the first weighted squats I’d done in some time, and presto the knee feels practically 100% off of one small dose.

Squats build the knee.

Persistence & Tenacity

30 Days Of Reverse Curls :

Yesterday evening I finished doing my 30 days in a row of 50 or more reps daily of reverse curls with an empty barbell or heavier.

Very close to the start I began just doing all the reps without putting the bar down, rest pausing as necessary.

I didn’t push for weight at all like I’d initially thought I would. I did all but the first week or 10 days with an empty bar.

(Heaviest set was 95lbs for 5-8 reps. Heaviest day was 75lbs getting the reps in over 4 or 5 sets.)

I rest paused my way past 100 reps on a few occasions. Just not setting the bar down can become challenging as I found out the night where I paused every 10 reps for a couple deep breaths.

(Breathing curls : resting under tension for better hormonal response, like breathing squats but far lighter. Also good for the grip.)

(I recall a 1-10-1 pyramid with a few extra reps at the end, and a roughly 40-30-20-10 rest pause as two of the times I made 100 reps without setting the bar down. The 1-10-1 is a really long set. The fastest 100 rest pause was roughly 60-30-15.)

At the end I was regularly getting 50+ reps without pausing. Somewhere between 65 and 80 reps was the best I did in one go, no pause. 100+ would be pretty good, but it’s doable see Lift Run Bang on high rep curls.

There’s merits to pause and to not pausing. Where do you want to feel the pump?

It was really good pump training. I can feel more activation of my right bicep as I go about my day,. I did notice near the end that if I wasn’t paying attention to balancing the load that my right arm would take 65-70% of it.

(I may do db hammer feeders to correct this, and solidify up the gains. Probably a feeder run after a bit of time off arm training.)

Mid way through my pullups took a dip in rep count. The last week or so I didn’t do a set daily. 2 or 3 days before the end I hit a set at a public pullup bar, and got my usual minimum performance standard of 5 reps. With some recovery I can see this helping me.

No idea if this added brute force ability to my cleans. I haven’t done a clean in almost 4 weeks, and no near maxes as far as I can tell since the end of November.

I did all the reps thumbless, and almost exclusively wearing winter gloves. I did these sets at temperatures as low as 5° farenheit, though normally at about 30°.

Overall I enjoyed it. High rep arms was a nice change of pace. Whatever in general burn out as to lifting I’d felt I’ve mostly moved past. I’d needed the change of pace, it was fun pushing the reps with an empty bar.

 

The ultimate strength accomplishment for me would be to put 500lbs overhead from the floor.

No coaching.

All the shit that’s been stacked against me.

That is my ultimate test with a barbell.

I’d likely have to taper in technique, not just barbarian style brute force method. I know I will power (ish) clean and jerk 405.

405. Done deal. Mentally.

500 is the test. A part of me wanted to say continental & jerk.  To clean makes it more challenging, continental is the epitome of brute force, it’d be too easy that way.

Who cares that I currently lift weights on frozen dirt. No bumpers. Etcetera.

I’m big & strong. Viking (or Highlander) blood. Ugly circumstance. Bring. It. On.

500 clean & jerk. That’s the ultimate test. Brute force blended with pretty form.

405 is a done deal. I’m strong enough. It’s only a matter of time. Will it be in the yard this year? At the bodybuilding gym in SoCal? Elsewhere? 405 is a done deal. I’m strong enough. It’s only a matter of time.

Persistence & Tenacity

I like doing 10 sets of presses.

While 225 is the nearest 1rm goal I don’t care to specifically train for it or peak/pyramid up to it. (I likely could do this already from the 6-8×185 I’m at now.)

I’m going about it in a more round about manner.

I know 10×5 at 155-165 and 10×3 at 185 = accidentally hitting 3×205.

10×10 at 135 was easily reached, but just as difficult as the lower rep sets. It may even equal a stronger 1rm.

I figure taking a weight to 10×10 then upping the weight 10 or 20lbs and resetting at ~10×5 is a way to do it, will build a great base of hypertrophy and strength, and will have me accidentally hitting those 1rm goal #s (225, bodyweight, 275) as more of an afterthought, and likely for reps.

Realistically one session a week from today (1/27/18) for 3-4 months would get me to 10×10 at 185 where I’d guess 245 or so as a 1rm would be a given.

(Calculators say 285. Assuming 10×10 weight = ~65% 1rm per calculator. For me I’m assuming a big drop from 3rm to 1rm, and factoring in the skew I have towards strength endurance and power endurance so mid 200s is a possibility accurate, though conservative leaning estimate. I’d think peaking is required for the calculator estimate to be accurate.)

As per enthusiasm I’d assume faster progress than all that in the real world.

Low rep strength doesn’t have to be specifically trained for. Challenging volume will build it some, and allow it to peak higher…a lesson learned observing the gym, where the bodybuilders are stronger than the powerlifters overall across all rep ranges, and often at the powerlifts themselves in the powerlifting 1 rep manner.

Of course I could always just pretend I’m Bulgarian and press every day until whenever. Wait! I already said enthusiasm could make it all happen far more quickly.

I like the clean & press.

Persistence & Tenacity

Nightly pushups are made higher quality by a good military press session earlier in the day.

The pressing gets the triceps fatigued/activated (the two can be one and the same) causing you to feel the triceps firing during every pushup rep, you simply need have done enough pressing volume. I find 10 sets generally gets this feeling regardless of rep range as long as the whole amount was challenging to complete, 10×3, 10×5, 10×10 it’s all worked to this effect…different weights, same effort.

(This can even carry over to following days.)

In a way the pushups add some more stimuli, a bit more volume to the system, and due to the activation a bit more strength building.

When your muscles are in that state you ARE building strength.

The military press and the pushup complement each other nicely, combined they’re all the pressing you need.

And golly gosh golly neither involves sitting on your ass.