Tips of the week tricep training

Use a reverse incline bench instead of a flat bench when performing lying tricep presses (scull crusher)

The reverse incline bench version involves up to 10% more muscle activation than the classic flat bench version. More muscle activity means more muscle fiber recruitment, which in turn means more fibers are stimulated to grow. This could be partly related to the fact that the triceps are stretched and stretched more. The muscle that is stretched the most is often the muscle that is recruited the most.

The reverse incline bench version is also more effective because the shoulder muscles are taken out of the equation - they tend to compensate in the flat bench variations. Last but not least, the reverse incline bench position puts the triceps under tension over a greater range of motion while allowing for more optimal loading.

Do cardio training in the morning without carbohydrates

Do not carry out your cardio training in a completely fasted state. This will protect your muscles and burn more fat.

By: Clay Hyght

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-do-no-carb-cardio-in-the-morning

Fasting - not eating for an extended period of time, such as during sleep - causes the body to burn fat to fuel the body. Liver glycogen levels and blood sugar levels are lower after fasting, forcing the body to use fat for energy. Cardio training performed in a fasting state leads to higher levels of the powerful fat-burning hormone norepinephrine than in a non-fasting state. This is the reason why bodybuilders have been doing fasted cardio for years.

But in addition to burning fat for energy, the body will also mobilize protein to help meet energy needs. And it will get this protein - the amino acids to be precise - from the muscle tissue. Not good!

So your body will break down muscle tissue to provide you with energy for your cardio workout on the treadmill - which is all the more the case the higher the intensity. But there is a way to prevent this. Taking BCAAs or EAAs before training can prevent the protein breakdown that would otherwise take place. This means more muscle and a higher metabolic rate for you.

Perform the hanging pull-up test

Perform this quick test for your grip strength, try to increase your strength and see if you can complete the 5 minute challenge

By: Dan John

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-take-the-hang-pull-up-test

Every exerciser should be able to hang from a pull-up bar for 30 seconds. If you can't, then you need to work on your grip strength...and maybe lose some of that useless dead weight (meaning fat). Aside from your grip strength, this test can alert you to some shoulder and spinal issues.

Can you do this test with ease? Good, then try the following: hang from the bar for 30 seconds and then perform a pull-up. If you can do this, you're not too bad.

Let's make it a little more difficult. After the pull-up, lower yourself back to the hanging position without letting go of the bar in between, stay in the hanging position for another 30 seconds and then perform a second pull-up. The really crazy ones can try out whether they can perform 10 of these pull-ups with 30 seconds of hanging in one go. Only a few can hang on the bar for longer than 5 minutes. Can you do it?

Use this tip to make push-ups more effective

Use an arrow-shaped formation. Your head and hands should form an arrow shape, not a T-shape

By: Bret Contreras

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-do-this-to-make-push-ups-more-ffective

Push-ups are underrated in the weight training world. Why? Because too many people perform this exercise incorrectly. They often use a high and wide hand position relative to the shoulders. If you were to look at the body from above, this positioning would look like the letter T. People do this to make the exercise easier. But why is it easier to perform the exercise in this position?

• The alignment of the chest muscle fibers is better suited to producing force in this position.
• This position requires less muscle activation in the pectorals and shoulder muscles (as measured by EMG).
• The horizontal abduction flexibility of the shoulders is limited, so the structures that limit mobility will contribute to passive strength in the lowest position.

"Lighter" is not what we want. Instead of assuming a T-position, you should assume an arrow position.

This means that if you were to take a snapshot from above, the push-up position would look like an arrow. Pull your elbows inwards towards your body at 45 degrees. Your head should be in front of your hands. This position also puts less strain on the shoulder joint and leads to greater EMG activation of the chest muscles and shoulders.

Tighten your waist with the old school vacuum exercise

Train your transversus abdominis (transverse abdominal muscle) with the vacuum exercise for a harder and firmer waistline

By: Clay Hyght

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-tighten-your-waist-with-old-school-vacuums

Shrink your waistline by performing a simple exercise: the vacuum. To train the transversus abdominis (TVA), you should start with the simplest and most basic version of the vacuum. Perform this exercise lying on your back to get support from gravity. Here is a guide:

1. Lie on your back with your hips bent and knees bent so that your feet are flat on the floor.
2. Breathe out as hard as you can. This lifts your diaphragm and - just like an empty stomach - allows you to maximize the contraction of the TVA.
3. Pull your belly button as far as possible towards your spine. The further you can pull your navel in, the better the TVA contraction will be.
4. Try to hold the vacuum for about 15 seconds with each set. As with any new exercise, you should aim for progression over time. Work your way up until you can hold the vacuum for 60 seconds per set
5. Don't let your inability to hold your breath stop you from performing these longer sets. Take short breaths when needed.

Gradually progress to performing the vacuum first on your hands and knees, then sitting and finally standing.

Do not use a mixed grip for deadlifts

If you always use a mixed grip when deadlifting, you will injure yourself sooner or later. Master the hook grip instead.

By: Christian Thibaudeau

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-dont-use-a-mixed-grip-when-deadlifting

When deadlifting, don't use a mixed grip, where one hand holds the bar in the overhand grip and the other hand holds the bar in the underhand grip. Or at least don't use this grip for your entire workout.

Yes, the mixed grip is stronger than the regular overhand grip with both hands, as it prevents the bar from rolling in your hands and opening your fingers. However, this type of grip can lead to serious imbalances. When you pull in this way, you will always tend to twist slightly as you move upwards. The side with the underhand grip will rotate forward, while the side with the overhand grip will rotate backwards.

Although this won't be a problem if you use this grip from time to time, you risk developing an imbalance that can lead to injury if you always perform deadlifts in this way. Instead, you should perform deadlifts with a two-handed overhand grip. This is obviously a weaker grip than the mixed grip, which is not necessarily a bad thing as you are strengthening your grip this way. However, if you still have problems holding the barbell, you should learn the hook grip.

In this grip, your thumb is between the barbell and your first 2 to 3 fingers. This grip will probably be painful during the first few attempts, but once you have mastered it, it is much stronger than the regular grip and at least as strong as the mixed grip, if not stronger.

Use a wide grip when rowing upright

Use a wider grip to build more muscle. Avoid raising your elbows higher than shoulder height to prevent injury.

By Nick Tumminello

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-use-a-wide-grip-on-upright-rows

Studies have shown that a wider grip increases the activity of the shoulder muscles and trapezius, thereby reducing the activity of the biceps brachii. In addition to maximizing the recruitment of the muscles we are trying to develop, we must also consider the safety of exercise execution. Avoid pulling the elbows up further than shoulder height.

Studies suggest that the risk of impingement is typically highest at an angle of the upper arm between 70° and 120° with the body. The authors of a 2011 paper recommended that the upper arm should be raised upright to a maximum of 90 degrees (shoulder height) when rowing. Other authors make similar recommendations, which means that at least in this case, movement through the full range of motion should be avoided.

Use EMOM sets for strength and conditioning

Performing sets every minute forces you to keep your rest intervals short and increases intensity.

By: Dan Trink

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-do-emom-sets-for-strength-conditioning Here's how it works:

1. every minute on the minute (EMOM) sets hold you accountable for work and rest. They force you to focus on doing a certain amount of work within a specific amount of time while you recover for the next round of work during the rest of the minute. There are several ways to use a barbell with a 3 to 5 RM weight. For example, you can do two repetitions every full minute for 10 minutes. That's 20 fairly heavy reps within a time span that most people would use for 2 sets. This will increase your work capacity while still using fairly heavy weights, which - if your priority is getting strong - will ultimately be more useful than simply doing intervals on the treadmill.
2 Load a barbell bar with your 10 RM weight. Perform one repetition at the beginning of the first minute. Perform two repetitions at the start of the second minute. Perform one additional repetition every minute until you can no longer perform the set within one minute. This will obviously get harder at the end as the gap between the end of one set and the start of the next set gets shorter and shorter. If you can get to 10 reps, then you're good.

Perform pull-throughs for stronger squats and a great butt

Figure class athletes and guys doing 200+ pound squats have something in common - they use cable pull-throughs to build a strong posterior chain.

By Tony Gentilcore

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-do-pull-throughs-for-stronger-squats-and-a-great-butt Pull-throughs(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A32WSOB-6Gw) might be the best exercise you're not doing. First of all, this exercise will make you strong. Powerlifters use pull-throughs as a basic assistance exercise to train leg flexors and gluteus. Pull-throughs provide a unique training stimulus because you can train the posterior chain of muscles with minimal compression and spinal shear.

Secondly, they are easy to learn. Nearly everyone has access to a cable pulley and the learning curve for pull-throughs is not nearly as steep as kettlebell swings.

Pull throughs are performed as follows:

1. Use a slightly wider stance than normal and remember to push your knees out. Do not go into a squat pattern. Lean back into a "stretch" or hip hinge pattern. This is not an up and down movement, but rather a forward and backward movement.
2. Push your hips and hamstrings back as if you were trying to touch a wall with your butt. Do this until your hands have passed your knees. Many exercisers make the mistake of stopping at the groin and forgoing the entire reach-through part of the movement.
3. Maintain a neutral spine position throughout the exercise. This means maintaining the normal curve of your upper and lower back, but not allowing the upper back to round while the lower back remains arched.
4. Your head follows the hinge movement. This ensures a healthy head posture and prevents hyperextension of the neck, which could cause unnecessary strain.
5. Do not overstretch your hips at the highest point of the movement. Concentrate on finishing the movement with the hips and consciously tighten the glutes hard at the highest point of the movement, ensuring that you fully extend the knees.

Train movements first and exercises second

Isolation exercises have their place, but the majority of your training program should revolve around these 6 movement patterns.

By: Eric Bach

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-train-movements-first-muscles-second

Unless you've already built serious amounts of strength or have specific training goals, performing large amounts of isolation exercises is time poorly spent. Sure, isolation training is important for muscle growth, but you should first make sure you can perform squats with more than 100 kilos before using leg extensions to load the VMO muscle hard.

Choosing the right exercises is the key to success. Bicep curls and leg curls aren't bad, but they shouldn't make up the bulk of your training program.

Instead, focus on the following 6 movement patterns:

1. Hinge Exercises: Good mornings, kettlebell swings, variations of the snatch and the deadlift
2. Lunges: Lunges, split squats, step-back lunges, Bulgarian split squats.
3. Presses: Bench press, push-ups, overhead press, one-arm press.
4. Pulling: Pull-ups, bent-over rows, seated rows, one-arm rows.
5. Squats: front squats, goblet squats, Zercher squats, classic squats.
6. Carrys: Farmers walk, one-arm carry, overhead carry

Does your training pass the test?

Now take a look at your training program and ask yourself whether these movement patterns are covered during the week. If not, do without the superfluous exercises and include these movement patterns instead.

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-make-triceps-training-more-effective

By Christian Thibaudeau