Author Archive
Does Lifting Weights Make You Smarter?
Posted by: | Comments
Beast-like strength. A humongous, visually stunning physique. Explosive power for sports. Weight training has numerous benefits, but here’s one you might not have considered: lifting weights makes you smarter.
There’s a ton of evidence to directly support that claim, as well as the more general: exercise makes animals smarter (their brains work better) and more effective at navigating their environments (their bodies work better).
What about specific, practical evidence of this revelation? Actually, why should it be considered a ‘revolution’? It’s pretty clear that the mind and body work together. Until very recently, we relied almost entirely upon our physical prowess for survival in the wild. Read More→
More than any other training protocol, technique or exercise, Elite Fitness Systems’ Dave Tate credits accommodating resistance with having “the greatest impact on our training at Westside Barbell in the past five years.” Whether you, like Dave, squat 900+ or if you’re just shaking the drops off your ears, fresh off completing your Starting Strength progression, accommodating resistance is a great tool for intermediate and advanced trainees who want to get bigger, stronger and faster while adding some fun into your training.
Accommodating resistance is actually a loading protocol that uses several tools to accomplish great things. It’s also a polysyllabic mouthful that basically means the weight/tension in the lift is adjusted to challenge your stronger ROM more than the weaker parts. For example, we can load chains on the end of a barbell so that when lowered in a bench press or squat, weight that was supported at the top of the lift is now on the floor, making the bar effectively weigh less at the bottom. Read More→
INNER LEVEL .net / HOPEisSTRENGTH.com Status Update
Posted by: | CommentsHi Everyone,
I apologize for not updating this past week, but I have been busy transitioning InnerLevel.net to its new home here at HOPEisSTRENGTH.com
I will try to get a quality post up later this week, but for now, enjoy this footage of me learning to use the giant cambered bar at my new gym:
5 Killer Exercises for Shoulder Mobility
Posted by: | Comments
A couple weeks back, we discussed a few key points to good posture. In today’s white collar world, many have found themselves somewhat permanently hunched over. I say somewhat because with the tips we reviewed, anyone can achieve perfect spinal alignment. Today, we’ll examine some of the best exercises and mobility drills for those looking to achieve ideal posture. Read More→
Home Gym Buyer’s Guide – Part 1: Barbells
Posted by: | Comments
A friend of mine asked me a little while back about which gym he should join. He lives amidst an uncontrollable suburban sprawl, and though there are a ton of gyms in the metro area, they all seem somehow compromised. He narrowed his choices to two options, but one is relatively expensive and the other only has one power rack (but it does have three smith machines 
). I told him to move, find a home near a gym of a harder core (my recent cross-country move was heavily weighted by the search for a well-equipped powerlifter-friendly gym), but instead he joined the expensive health club.
If you don’t want to be stuck in a place that threatens to kick you out for doing anything resembling getting really strong and muscular, then it might be time to consider equipping the garage or basement with your home gym. In this multipart series starting today, you’ll learn the ins and outs of the dos and don’ts of buying home gym equipment. Read More→
