When performing the leg press, does altering the technique make a difference [1]? The answer is…possibly! read below Study: The researchers sought to determine if adding an elastic band around the knees or squeezing a physioball increased muscle activity at submaximal loads (70% RM). They took 13 female college students and had them perform 3 […]
Archive | Performance
High Bar vs. Low Bar Squatting: Is there a difference?
Does squatting with a high bar placement differ from squatting with a low bar placement [1]? Study: The authors took 18 males, 6 international level powerlifters, 6 national level Olympic lifters, and 6 recreationally trained subjects and made them each perform the low bar back squat and high bar back squat. They worked all the way […]
Hexbar vs Barbell Deadlift vs Mid-Thigh Pull: Who Wins?
Which of these exercises is best for developing vertical jump ? Is this a question you have been struggling with too? I know I have often contemplated the benefits and limitations to each of these exercises when developing programs for my courses (new courses being released in 2017) and for my own training. For example, […]
Inorganic Nitrates Increase Bench Reps
In one of my first blog posts, I discussed how inorganic nitrates can help lower your blood pressure, increase exercise capacity, and possibly improve your performance in time trials > see here However, we still weren’t sure how inorganic nitrates impact performance in terms of resistance training, at least until now [1]. A recent study tested […]
Body fat %: is it the key to jumping higher?
An interesting study was published in this months JSCR. The study examined lower body dimensions and body composition and their effects on jump height. What did the authors do?[1] Took 25 men and 25 women and took a bunch of body dimensions and took their body fat and body weight Some of the dimensions measured […]
Faster eccentric reps are better than slow eccentrics for sports
As I have suspected for quite some time, it appears that slow eccentrics may negatively impact performance measures as found in a recent study published in JSCR (edit: In my opinion, this applies to novice athletes whom don’t know how to relax on the eccentric portion of sporting movements, experienced athletes can benefit from slow […]
Accommodating Resistance: Is it the key to PAP (post-activation potentiation)?
A recent article was published in JSCR which I thought was very interesting and potentially useful for an athletes training regime. The study was conducted on the effects of resistance bands added to the back squat and its ability to “potentiate” a horizontal broad jump The authors did an excellent job defining PAP as ” a previous […]
More evidence for resistance bands
Summary: Band tension applied to the squat and bench press 1 out of 4 workouts resulted in significantly greater rate of power development The addition of bands also resulted in greater treatment effects in the squat, bench press, and vertical jump What the authors did [1]: Split 2 groups of individuals into: 1 day a […]
Letting your training partner load the bar for more gains
If you train with a trustworthy person, it may be more advantageous to let him/her load the bar for you (so you don’t know the weight). An interesting research study was published in PLOS ONE in which unknown loads were compared to known loads in the bench press throw exercise. Here is what the researchers […]
Build More Eccentric Strength to Jump Higher
A July 2016 study published in JSCR found a strong relationship between eccentric strength (peak and relative force), and more importantly, eccentric strength to body weight ratio and jump height. Eccentric simply means the lowering portion of a lift, for example the lowering portion of a squat. The reason that being stronger on the lowering […]
Combo ATP + HMB-FA with weight training helps you jump higher and gain strength +lean body mass
A new study has come out touting the benefits of HMB-FA (free acid) which appears to be a follow up on the 2014 study, “The effects of 12 weeks of beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate free acid supplementation on muscle mass, strength, and power in resistance-trained individuals: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.”[1] This new study was just published in […]