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How To Work Out Your Weaknesses And Get Strong: Part 2

General Strength Training 4 Responses »

Nov 092011

How To Work Out Your Weaknesses And Get Strong: Part 2

By Andy Bolton

If you missed part 1 of this series, you can check it out here:

http://www.andyboltonstrength.org/2011/11/07/how-to-work-out-your-weaknesses-and-get-strong-part-1/

Now let’s get into part 2…

Pulling Big

Here we are going to look at technical weaknesses.

At first sight, the three powerlifts (squat, bench press and deadlift)
may look like easy moves to master.

However, you only have to go to your local commercial gym or
“fitness and health center” to see that most people performing the
Squat, Bench and Dealift are doing so with lousy form!

And what does lousy form mean?

It means LESS STRENGTH and MORE INJURY RISK.

Not good.

So, if you want MORE STRENGTH and LESS INJURY RISK (and I’m
guessing you do, otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this) – pay
careful attention to the tip I’m about to share with you because
it is vital on all 3 lifts…

How To INSTANTLY Improve Your Squat, Bench And
Deadlift

Tightness is the key to strength.

If you don’t know how to get tight – you will never reach your
strength potential.

The other day, a friend of mine (who is also a powerlifter) asked
me what mistake I see most lifters making.

I replied…

“That’s easy – they are too loose under the bar”.

In other words – they don’t know how to GET REALLY TIGHT.

Let me tell you – you must practice getting tight on very single
set you do. I don’t care whether it is 95 pounds or 995 pounds,
you must get tight.

And it is only through repeated practice that you will learn to
stay tight with heavy loads.

Here is a drill that my friend Pavel likes to get people to do
to learn to get tight. Do it with me right now.

It’s a 3 step drill that goes like this…

1. Sit down, relax your body and now FLEX YOUR RIGHT
BICEP as hard as you can – but only focus on the bicep

Feel the tightness

2. Stay sat down, relax your body and now FLEX YOUR RIGHT
BICEP and your RIGHT FIST as hard as you can.

You will notice much more tightness when you squeeze your
fist as well as your bicep.

3. Here’s the best part and the true lesson in tightness that I
want to teach you today.

Stand up.

Yes, just do it – STAND UP.

Now do the following as hard as you can:

- Claw the floor with your toes

- Tense your Quads

- Squeeze your Glutes

- Flex your Abdominal muscles

- Tighten your Lats

- Squeeze both fists

and now….

- FLEX YOUR BICEPS

If you do this correctly and with meaningful effort – you will feel
incredible tightness. (Your body will probably shake with the
effort).

It is this tightness that you must try to recreate throughout your
body on your squats, bench presses and deadlifts.

Many people try to find weaknesses that are more advanced than
they are.

If you cannot get tight – you do not need to be worrying about
hamstring weakness on your squats or tricep weakness on your
benches.

Tightness is king.

Work on it.

For the next 30 days, work on tightness and mastering
your technique on your squat, bench and deadlift and watch your
STRENGTH GO WAY UP.

Have fun and I’ll be back with part 3 soon.

For more help with your squat, bench press and deadlift form,
check out my books and DVD’s right HERE.

Please click the Facebook “Like” button and leave a comment. If
you have any tips for GETTING TIGHT – leave them in the comments
box for everyone to learn from.

Also feel free to leave any questions you have in the comments
box and whilst I can’t promise to answer them – I’ll do my best
if I have the time.

Talk to you soon,

Andy

Bench Press Power - part 3

Bench No Responses »

Jun 172011

In parts 1 and 2 of this “Bench Press Power” series
we looked at Bench Press technique and variations
of the Bench Press that you can use to bring up
weaknesses and prevent you from getting bored
in your training.

Today, we’re going to look at assistance
exercises for the Bench Press.

To Bench big you need strong Triceps, Lats,
Delts and Pecs.

Depending on your genetics you may develop
some of those muscle groups to a high level
just by Bench Pressing. However, you will
probably find some muscle groups don’t get strong
enough in relation to other muscle groups.

For instance, my back is very very strong, but
my triceps were never up to par. It was only
when I hammered my triceps with appropriate
assistance work that my Bench went through
the roof…

You must do the same.

Identify your weaknesses and bring them up.

————————————————

Tricep/Lockout Power

————————————————

The Triceps can be trained with CLOSE GRIP
pressing movements and extensions. With that
said, here’s a list of assistance movements to
bring up your triceps:

- 3, 4 or 5 Board Bench Presses

- Reverse Band Bench Presses

- Close Grip Press Ups (add chains draped over
the neck or use bands for more resistance)

- Lying, Straight or Ez Bar Extensions. Lower the
bar to the forehead

- Standing Overhead Straight or Ez Bar Extensions

- Lying Elbows Out Extensions

- Lying Elbows In Extensions

————————————————–

Lat/ Upper Back Exercises

————————————————–

A strong back is required not only for a big Bench
Press but also for a big Squat, Deadlift and any other
compound exercise that you can perform in the weight
room.

Here are some great choices for training your back:

- Pull Ups/Chins

- Pull Downs (various grips)

- One arm DB Rows

- Low Pulley Rows (various grips)

- Machine Hammer Grip Rows

- Shrugs (use a Bar or DB’s)

Your back is a complex area. Switch up the exercises
you use to train it every 4 to 6 weeks (or when boredom
sets in).

—————————————————–

Assistance Exercises For The Delts

—————————————————–

Ignore any assistance movements for the front delts.
If you are doing a lot of pressing it is unlikely that
the front delts need any more stimulation and this
could in fact cause over-training and/or lead to injury.

The side and in particular the rear delts need a lot
of attention in most lifters.

Here’s some simple ways to train those areas:

- DB Side Delt Raises (seated or standing)

- Bent Over DB Raises (seated or standing)

- Single Arm Behind The Back Low Pulley Raises

—————————————————

Assistance Exercises For The Pecs

—————————————————

I am not a fan of DB Flies. They stress the Pecs for
sure but they also stress the delts and can lead to
irratation.

To bring up weak Pecs focus on Wide Grip
movements and keep the reps to 6 or more. Two
movements that can easily be performed with a
wide grip are:

- The regular Bench Press

- Press Ups

In the past 3 days I have shared with you some
valuable information on how to improve your
Bench Press technique, various Bench Press variations
and some great assistance exercises.

As a lifter/strength athlete, it is your job to
figure out how to use this information in a
way that gets your Bench stronger. You have
to find your strategy. I’ve given you the tools to
do it.

For more help with your Bench, click below:

http://www.andyboltonstrength.org/increase-your-bench.htm

Talk soon,

Andy Bolton

VIDEO - Bench Press Technique Part 2

Bench No Responses »

Jun 142011

In this Bench Press technique video you will see me
talking about how to get a good set up and a good
lift off.

The lift off can make or break your Bench Press.

A good lift off will allow you to transition from having
the bar in the racks to having the bar over your chest,
without losing your initial set up position.

In contrast, a bad lift off will cause you to lose your
set up position, have a weaker press and invite injury.

Choose who you get to lift the bar off for you VERY
CAREFULLY.

To learn more about this and everything you need to
know to build awesome Bench technique and add pounds
to your press, check out my book, “Explode Your Bench”
by clicking HERE.

The Deadlift - I'm a FREAK (The Final Installment)

Deadlift No Responses »

May 052011

Andy Bolton Deadlift

In parts 1, 2 and 3 of this mini-deadlift newsletter series I shared with you some deadlift history and 2 of my most successful, world record producing training cycles. (If you haven’t read those then just search in the ‘Deadlift’ category in the right side bar and you’ll find them very easily).

Hopefully you are now well on your way to a bigger pull and all the benefits it brings…

Winning Powerlifting meets, legs like Tom Platz, Lats like Franco Columbo and hot chicks falling at your feet…

I wrote this newsletter to show you the assistance exercises that I use for the deadlift.

Primary Muscle Groups to Focus on

- Hamstrings

- Glutes

- Lower Back

- Lats

- Upper Back

- Grip

My Favourite Assistance Exercises

- Leg Curls

- Leg Presses (feet high, toes out)

- Calf Raises (seated)

- Pull Downs (V-bar)

- Low Pulley Seated Rows

- Hammer Strength Rows

- DB Rows

- Very heavy bar holds

How I use these Movements

On Thursday, the day after I Deadlift I will usually do something like this:

- Leg Curls: 5 x 20

- Leg Presses: 5 x 15 – 20

- Calf Raises: 5 x 20 – 30

- Pull Downs: 3 x 10

- Low Pulley Rows: 3 x 10

- DB Rows: 3 x 10/side

I train grip like this:

On Wednesday, after my main deadlift sets I do this -

- Double overhand bar holds (bar is taped and I don’t use chalk): 5 to 8 sets x 20 seconds hold

On Saturday, I do this:

- Heavy partial deadlifts, shrugs, or a couple of other secret grip exercises I have up my sleeve

My Rules for effective use of Assistance
Exercises:

- I never push assistance exercises to failure

- Assistance exercises must help the main movement or they get dropped

- The main movement always remains the priority

- Higher reps are used (8 or more)

- Rest periods are short (a minute)

- No assistance movement can ever replace the main movement

So there you have it. You’ve seen the world record training cycles. You’ve seen the assistance work and I’ve given you plenty of things to think about when planning your own deadlift training.

All you have to do now is the hard bit…

Get to the gym and put the hours in.

If you want to see how to put all this together and unleash your inner Deadlift beast, check out “The Phase that Launched 1000lbs” by clicking the link below:

http://www.andyboltonstrength.org/the-phase-that-launched-1000lbs-dvd.htm

Talk soon

Andy B

How To Work Out Your Weaknesses And Get Strong: Part 2

Bench Press Power - part 3

VIDEO - Bench Press Technique Part 2

The Deadlift - I'm a FREAK (The Final Installment)

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