I've grown bored of my strength routine, which meant it was time for a change. The time had come, I decided, to conquer the one type of lifting I had never tried before: power lifting.
This is *not* something to try if you are inexperienced in strength training and, even if you are experienced, it's crucial to have someone well-versed in power lifting with you for safety reasons. Also, when first starting out, take the first couple of sessions to just practice form with the bar (this is the phase I'm in now).
Today was my first power lifting workout. A couple months ago, I had an experienced personal trainer show me some power lifting essentials, but I made sure to have one of the strength training coaches here at the University to make sure my form was correct. These exercises should be taken very seriously; they combine explosiveness with heavy weight, which if done correctly could lead to any number of sprains and strains and tears.
The great thing about power lifting (now that I've scared the crap out of you) is that it's a phenomenal full body workout and burns some serious calories. Power lifting, along with kettlebell training and plyometrics, is one of the best forms of strength training for serious athletes; it fosters pure, explosive, human force. This is strength in its most elemental, functional form.
So what exactly is power lifting? Here are the basics:
Power Clean:
Clean and Jerk:
Power Snatch:
I did not attempt the power snatch today, maybe next time; after doing a bunch of power cleans and cleans & jerks, I was exhausted (and incredibly sweaty). Something important to keep in mind with this type of lifting, again concerning safety, is to be careful when disengaging the weight. For example, after the power clean has been performed and the weight sits in the hands at the collar bone, it's important to snap the weight right back down keeping it close to the body, i.e. hinge with the elbows only, and avoid bending at the waist. When working with light weight this is less of an issue, but as the weight increases so will the strain it will place on your lower back if you disengage improperly.
There is still a lot I don't know about this type of lifting, but I am actively finding out more about it. I will update as my lifting grows more advanced, for now I'm going to continue to work on technique.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Lets Be Realistic
Recently I've had some interactions that have made me realize there is an important point I need to emphasize again on my (newly remodeled!) Little Meat blog. This point is....
CONSISTENCY!!!
Before I get ahead of myself, let me share with you the experiences inspired this post.
First was the dubbing of March 1st as the "official beginning of swimsuit panic season!" by my sister.
Second was my father, who has really committed to his exercise routine these past few months, sharing that he does not like exercise-- he has to force himself to do it.
Now, I know that I'm totally crazy and freaky because I actually enjoy working out. I recognize this. I also recognize that many of the workouts that I post on this blog are not for everyone; they are challenging and require a certain prerequisite level of fitness. For this I only half-apologize. There is, however, a common trend running throughout this blog, a motif if you will, which is that leading a healthy life is not difficult.
Granted, it might be extremely difficult to achieve some sort of idealized body type, but to simply be healthy and fit is really not that big of a deal. All it takes is--you guessed it!-- CONSISTENCY!
With consistency, "swimsuit panic season" becomes obsolete.
With consistency, working out becomes as unpleasant as brushing your teeth, or taking out the trash, or any other habitual task.
Once you have committed yourself to consistency, any slip ups you might have (read: downing some fried chicken or delectable doughnuts) won't even matter that much in the larger scheme of things.
Now to quip you. Here is all you need:
1.) Some form of cardio.
Most of you know that I hate "conventional cardio" and believe it to be largely ineffective (and it is), but if you enjoy going for long, boring jogs then freakin' do it! Don't let me stop you. I'm a huge proponent of interval training, which can apply to any form of cardio activity, but if you're not into it, then don't do it. Do something you like! Play a sport. Go for a hike on the weekends. Frolic with a jubilee of puppies. Whatever. Just get your heart rate up, work up a sweat, and fill up your lungs. There's really no need to do cardio 5+ days a week, unless you are morbidly obese and you have been advised to take daily walks. Really, all you need is 20-30 minutes 3 or 4 times a week. And heck, maybe some weeks only 2 times. Who cares? Remember the key is CONSISTENCY!
2.) The Big Five
I will not take credit for this list of the most important, effective, and crucial strength training movements-- this is, of course, a Craig Ballantyne creation. However, I am in full concurrence with this list that simplifies strength training down to its most critical elements.
1.) Squat Movements (I would include leg press in this category).
2.) Push Movements (push-ups are a favorite).
3.) Pull Movements (something many people forget about).
4.) Single-Leg Exercises (lunges are awesome).
5.) Full Body Ab Exercise (for the love of God, stop doing crunches).
This is all you need for successful strength training, in this order, for only 2 days a week! Knock out two sets of 8-12 reps of each of these exercises, and you'll be done in about 30-40 minutes! That is assuming, of course, that you don't dilly-dally around the gym. In fact, I'll do you one better. Here's a sample workout for you to try following this top 5 formula.
1.) Leg Press: 2 sets of 8-12 reps
2.) Chest Press: 2 X 8-12
3.) Lat Pull Down: 2 x 8-12
4.) Walking Lunges: 2 x 8-12 (each leg)
5.) Plank: 2 x held for as long as possible (shoot for 1+ minutes)
This is a full body workout. Granted, some variety would need to be added after a couple of weeks, like for instance: smith machine squats instead of leg press; military press instead of push ups; inverted rows instead of pull-downs; split squats instead of lunges; mountain climbers instead of planks. You catch my drift.
3.) Eat healthy 90% of the time.
As much as consistency is important to exercise, I would argue that it's even more important nutritionally. Diets are dumb and temporary. Please avoid them. Instead of dieting, which includes giving up soda/chocolate/what-have-you for Lent because we all know on Easter day you'll be sucking that sugar down like it's no tomorrow, why don't you try really committing yourself to a new habit of healthier eating? I use the word "healthier" because I'm being realistic. We're not all going to eat a vegan, raw, perfectly portioned diet. Duh. However, there's really no excuse for the amount of fast food we eat and soda we drink. It's kind of despicable, honestly. If you eat healthy 90% of the time, allowing that 10% for "carpe diem indulgences," then you'll be both happy and healthy.
I know this post is a bit didactic; I mean, how many times did I repeat the word "consistency"? I promise you, though, that consistency is far more effective than any fitness gimmick or fad diet.
CONSISTENCY!!!
Before I get ahead of myself, let me share with you the experiences inspired this post.
First was the dubbing of March 1st as the "official beginning of swimsuit panic season!" by my sister.
Second was my father, who has really committed to his exercise routine these past few months, sharing that he does not like exercise-- he has to force himself to do it.
Now, I know that I'm totally crazy and freaky because I actually enjoy working out. I recognize this. I also recognize that many of the workouts that I post on this blog are not for everyone; they are challenging and require a certain prerequisite level of fitness. For this I only half-apologize. There is, however, a common trend running throughout this blog, a motif if you will, which is that leading a healthy life is not difficult.
Granted, it might be extremely difficult to achieve some sort of idealized body type, but to simply be healthy and fit is really not that big of a deal. All it takes is--you guessed it!-- CONSISTENCY!
With consistency, "swimsuit panic season" becomes obsolete.
With consistency, working out becomes as unpleasant as brushing your teeth, or taking out the trash, or any other habitual task.
Once you have committed yourself to consistency, any slip ups you might have (read: downing some fried chicken or delectable doughnuts) won't even matter that much in the larger scheme of things.
Now to quip you. Here is all you need:
1.) Some form of cardio.
Most of you know that I hate "conventional cardio" and believe it to be largely ineffective (and it is), but if you enjoy going for long, boring jogs then freakin' do it! Don't let me stop you. I'm a huge proponent of interval training, which can apply to any form of cardio activity, but if you're not into it, then don't do it. Do something you like! Play a sport. Go for a hike on the weekends. Frolic with a jubilee of puppies. Whatever. Just get your heart rate up, work up a sweat, and fill up your lungs. There's really no need to do cardio 5+ days a week, unless you are morbidly obese and you have been advised to take daily walks. Really, all you need is 20-30 minutes 3 or 4 times a week. And heck, maybe some weeks only 2 times. Who cares? Remember the key is CONSISTENCY!
2.) The Big Five
I will not take credit for this list of the most important, effective, and crucial strength training movements-- this is, of course, a Craig Ballantyne creation. However, I am in full concurrence with this list that simplifies strength training down to its most critical elements.
1.) Squat Movements (I would include leg press in this category).
2.) Push Movements (push-ups are a favorite).
3.) Pull Movements (something many people forget about).
4.) Single-Leg Exercises (lunges are awesome).
5.) Full Body Ab Exercise (for the love of God, stop doing crunches).
This is all you need for successful strength training, in this order, for only 2 days a week! Knock out two sets of 8-12 reps of each of these exercises, and you'll be done in about 30-40 minutes! That is assuming, of course, that you don't dilly-dally around the gym. In fact, I'll do you one better. Here's a sample workout for you to try following this top 5 formula.
1.) Leg Press: 2 sets of 8-12 reps
2.) Chest Press: 2 X 8-12
3.) Lat Pull Down: 2 x 8-12
4.) Walking Lunges: 2 x 8-12 (each leg)
5.) Plank: 2 x held for as long as possible (shoot for 1+ minutes)
This is a full body workout. Granted, some variety would need to be added after a couple of weeks, like for instance: smith machine squats instead of leg press; military press instead of push ups; inverted rows instead of pull-downs; split squats instead of lunges; mountain climbers instead of planks. You catch my drift.
3.) Eat healthy 90% of the time.
As much as consistency is important to exercise, I would argue that it's even more important nutritionally. Diets are dumb and temporary. Please avoid them. Instead of dieting, which includes giving up soda/chocolate/what-have-you for Lent because we all know on Easter day you'll be sucking that sugar down like it's no tomorrow, why don't you try really committing yourself to a new habit of healthier eating? I use the word "healthier" because I'm being realistic. We're not all going to eat a vegan, raw, perfectly portioned diet. Duh. However, there's really no excuse for the amount of fast food we eat and soda we drink. It's kind of despicable, honestly. If you eat healthy 90% of the time, allowing that 10% for "carpe diem indulgences," then you'll be both happy and healthy.
I know this post is a bit didactic; I mean, how many times did I repeat the word "consistency"? I promise you, though, that consistency is far more effective than any fitness gimmick or fad diet.
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