Exercise of the day: Deadlift

What is the most powerful combined pull movement? That's right, it's the DEADLIFT.

It's the ultimate movement to build a strong lower back. It also works calves, forearms, glutes, hamstrings, lats, middle back, quadriceps and traps.
It is one of the three canonical powerlifting exercises, along with the squat and bench press.

The most important tip of all time for this exercise is to always keep your back straight (as straight as possible).


How to do the deadlift?

The starting position of a dead lift is with the loaded bar on the floor and you bending with your back straight and grasp the bar with shoulder width grip. (different grips will be explained)

Then you start to get in the up right position while pushing with your legs and keeping your back as straight as possible.

Once you are up and you contract your back and your buttcheeks, you go back to the starting position by pushing the hips back and then bending the knees once the bar has passed them with your back straight untill the plates reach the floor. And that's one rep.

Other tips:

1- Don't squat the weight, I mean you should move your hips forward and back not up and down. And your hips should be above your knees in the bottom positon.

2- To get the most out of your glutes and hamstrings, you need to keep your weight back on the heels.

3- Keep the bar close to your shins in the starting position.

4- Squeez to buttcheecks together at the top of the movement to complete the hip extension and not to hyperextend backward and tweak your lower back.

5- Don't lift the bar too quickly. Focus to do the motion slowly and correctly.

Some variations:

1- Wide grip deadlift
A.K.A Snatch grip deadlift

Snatch grip deadlift forces you to go lower which gives greater results for lower back, hamstrings and glutes.

2- Romanian deadlift
Focus more on hamstrings and glutes.

3- Trap bar deadlift
It's better for beginners and puts less stress on the spine.

 



4- Sumo deadlift
It's more suitable for lifters with less hip mobility and weaker hamstrings to keep straight back.

Benefits of deadlift:

1- Increases core strength and stability.
2- It's a real life application that you may face in your daily life.
3- It forces the whole body muscles to grow.
4- It develops gripping strength.


NOW; Get up and build some serious lower back, hams and glutes.




Sources
www.bodybuilding.com 
www.menshealth.com 

Thoughts Thursday

It's not about being better than someone else,

Vince Delmonte Transformation

it's about being better than you used to be yesterday.


Don't stop when you are tired, stop when you are finished.


If you want to know how far you will go, think how bad you want it.


There are two types of peolpe, those who train legs and those who don't.


Shut up and train.


You are never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream.

 

No matter how slow you go, you are still lapping everyone on the couch.


It's better now than never.


Girls, you are perfect if you cook, clean and iron, if you know what I mean.


Everything you want is on the other side of fear, get over it.

"Comeback" body weight workout

After a one week off, I did this body weight workout as a light comeback

A) 10 minutes working on type writer pull ups. ( I did really baaad, but will keep working on them)

B) 20 Muscle ups. (Not for time)

C) 5 Sets For Time
    - 10 Pull ups
    - 15 Push ups
    - 10 squats
    - 10 Hans stand push ups
    - 10 Toes to bar

Lazar Angelov Split Workout Routine

This is Lazar Angelov split workout routine that was published by www.maniacfitness.com and www.simplyshredded.com and I'm currently on this routine. To be honest, it's working quite well for me .

It's considered a tradtional split routine consisting of a chest day, back day, shoulders day, arms day and a leg day.



1st Day: Chest/Abs

· Flat Bench: 4 Sets × 8 Reps
· Incline Bench: 4 Sets × 8
· Decline Bench: 4 Sets × 8
· Pullovers: 4 Sets × 12
· Hammer Press: 3 Sets × 12
· Dips: 3 Sets × 12
· Weighted Sit Ups: 4 Sets x failure
· Hanging Leg Raises: - 4 Sets x failure
· Side Bends: 4 Sets x failure
· Side Crunches: 4 Sets x failure


2nd Day: Back/Traps/Forearms

· Bent Over Row: 4 Sets × 8 Reps
· Deadlift: 4 Sets × 8
· Pulldowns: 4 Sets × 12
· Pull Ups: 4 Sets × 12
· Cable Row: 4 Sets × 12
· Shrugs: 6 Sets × 10
· Standing wrist curl behind back: 4 Sets x failure
· Reverse barbell wrist curl over bench: 4 Sets x failure


3rd Day: Delts/Abs

· Military Press Behind The Neck: 3 Sets × 8 Reps
· Machine Press: 4 Sets × 8
· Lateral Raises: 4 Sets x 10
· Weight Plate Front Raises: 4 Sets ×10
· Front Raise: 4 Sets × 10
· Reverse Pec Deck: 4 Sets × 10
· Reverse Fly’s (on incline bench): 4 Sets × 12
· Weighted Sit Ups: 4 Sets x failure
· Hanging Leg Raise: 4 Sets x failure
· Side Bends: 4 Sets x failure
· Side Crunches: 4 Sets x failure


4th Day: Triceps/Biceps/Forearms

· Close Grip Bench Press: 4 Sets × 8 Reps
· Tricep Pushdowns: 4 Sets × 8
· EZ Bar Skullcrusher: 4 Sets × 10
· Cable Kickback: 4 Sets × 12
· EZ Bar Curl: 4 Sets × 8
· Wide Grip Curl: 4 Sets × 8
· Hammer Curl: 4 Sets × 8 Reps (each hand)
· Concentration Curl: 4 Sets × 12
· Standing wrist curl behind back: 4 Sets x failure
· Reverse barbell wrist curl over bench: 4 Sets x failure



5th Day: Legs/Abs

· Squats: 4 Sets × 12 Reps
· Squat (to bench): 4 Sets × 12
· Bulgarian Squat: 4 Sets × 12
· Quad Extensions: 4 Sets × 16
· Stiff Leg Deadlift: 4 Sets × 12
· Leg Curls: 4 Sets × 16
· Glute Kickbacks: 4 Sets × 20
· Calf Machine Raises: 4 Sets × 20
· Seated Calf Raises: 4 Sets × 20
· Leg Press Calf Raises: 4 Sets × 20
· Weighted Sit ups: 4 Sets x failure
· Air bike: 4 Sets x failure
· Side Bends: 4 Sets x failure
· Barbell Twists: 4 Sets x failure



Added cardio or HIIT is by choice according to your goal . I also may change the abs routine for what it works well with me.

Supersize Your Biceps - Without a Single Curl

This is another point of view to supersize your biceps, posted on www.askmen.com by Lee Boyce.

Endless curls won't get you the bulging, sculpted arms you want—but this plan will

By Lee Boyce, Posted Date: February 18, 2013

If you want bigger guns, you’re probably already doing plenty of curls. Biceps curls, dumbbell curls, Zottman curls, concentration curls—the list goes on. Why aren’t your sleeves digging marks into your bulging arms yet?

As a personal trainer and sports coach based in Toronto, Canada, plenty of my clients have asked me the same question.

Here’s where curls come up short: The biceps have two heads, and strict curls hit the long head more effectively than the short head. What many may think are indirect methods to hit the guns—like pullups—can actually have much more effect than meets the eye. The following moves recruit tons of muscle fibers and allow you to lift more weight—the keys to seeing your arms swell.

Secret Bicep Strategy #1: Pull from Above

The secret to that coveted “peak” every guy (and woman) loves is the brachialis, a large muscle that lies deep underneath the biceps. A well-developed brachialis pops up the middle of the arm. Overhead pulling exercises—like pullups, chinups, and V-grip pulldowns—are some of the best ways to build your brachialis, says Jon-Erik Kawamoto, C.S.C.S., a personal trainer from St. John’s, Canada. When your hands are pulling down from above your head, your brachialis takes most of the load.

Plus, you’re able to lift much more weight with a chinup than you would with a curl. “Even my MLB and NBA athletes curl 40 pounds for 10 reps, but can do the same amount of pullups with a 35-pound weight strapped to their waist,” says Todd Durkin, C.S.C.S., trainer to Drew Brees and author of the IMPACT! Body Plan.

That added weight is key: “You can’t do a weighted chinup with 90 pounds hanging off your waist with little arms,” Kawamoto says. And there’s a reason for that: Lifting heavy loads for many sets increases the size of muscle fibers to better handle the load the next time. You’ll never get that if you keep curling the same 20-pound weights. You’re ready for weighted chinups if you can perform 12 with your body weight.

Secret Bicep Strategy #2: Row—A Lot

Many people consider the seated row an exercise for the back and shoulders, but the neutral grip (where your palms face each other) is a great way to trigger growth in the biceps and brachialis. “Which is more likely to make your biceps grow, a few sets of isolation dumbbell curls that limits you to 30 or 40 pounds, or a seated row which allows you to use upwards of 100 pounds?” says Tony Gentilcore, strength and conditioning coach from Boston, Massachusetts, and co-owner of Cressey Performance. “With row variations, the biceps are in the direct line of pull, and you'll build a massive backside, which never hurts.”

The Curl-Free Biceps Workout

This workout combines pulling movements with grip variety and a bit of directional change to hit every area of your arms. Do each exercise back-to-back, rest for 2 to 3 minutes, and complete four total rounds.

1) Weighted Chinups, 6 reps

Take 3 seconds to lower your body and 1 second to pull yourself up. To add weight, secure a plate to a weight belt, or use a weighted vest.

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2) V-Grip Pulldowns, 12 reps 

Hook up a V-grip attachment to the lat pulldown station. Sit at the station with your torso nearly upright and your arms straight. Grasp the handles with your palms facing each other. Without moving your torso, pull the bar to your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body. Take 1 second to pull the weight and 3 seconds to return it to the starting position.

3) Seated Rows, 25 reps
Sit at a seated cable row station with your feet on the platform and your knees slightly bent. Grasp a V-bar with your palms facing each other. Keep your back flat and pull your shoulders back as you pull the bar toward your torso.


Lee Boyce is a trainer and fitness writer based in Toronto, Canada. He works with clients for strength, size, conditioning, and sport performance and is regularly featured on TV media as a fitness expert. Contact him on his website (www.leeboycetraining.com) and follow him on Twitter @coachleeboyce and Facebook.

Source: www.askmen.com

070713 WOD

This brutal WOD was posted on Instagram by @gogreenfit

A)
Strength
5 Sets of
2 Hang Power Cleans + 5 front Squats (AHAP)

B)
3×5 Weighted Chin Ups

C)
Metcon
For Time
50 Double Unders
30 Alternating KB Snatch (55/35)
50 Double Unders
30 Alternating KB Power Cleans (55/35)
50 Double Unders
30 KB Swings
50 Double Unders
 * For the snatches and cleans, always go back to the floor always alternate and it's a total of 30 reps.

D)
Gymcon
Superset
3 × max effort pushups (toes on box while using parallettes) super set with 15 V-Ups

Enjoy ;)

28.6.2013 WOD

Yesterday, my wife did this WOD with me. It was a killer.

A) Hang squat cleans
3-3-3-3-3

B) 20 minutes AMRAP
5 Deadlifts
5 Power cleans
5 Front squats
5 Push press
5 Back squats

This WOD was posted on Instagram by Orange Coast Crossfit : @occf
Follow this page for more WODs.

Thank you
IR