I used to perform cheat sets regularly so that I could apply the maximum amount of weight possible to the muscle, however, after pulling my neck rather badly recently I tend to avoid them.  Although I have been training for over 10 years, and I certainly would not recommend them to beginners, I pulled my neck as with cheat sets you swing the body it is very easy whilst doing this to pull a muscle.  If you keep proper form it is unlikely you will get an injury, I believe by keeping proper form and thinking about it at all times you are unlikely to get an injury throughout all your years of training.  I have met bodybuilders who have injuries regularly, these bodybuilders that spring to mind do cheat sets all the time and tend to have poor technique.  I have met bodybuilders with great technique and form who have never had one injury in the past 20 years.  One injury can put you out for months, is it worth it when you can get the same results, if not better from avoiding this type of working out.

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This is a very common question I am asked by my clients.  Running on a treadmill feels easier as the ground is being pulled underneath you and there is no wind resistance.  Outside you have to propel your body forward stride by stride and there is wind resistance.  To make the treadmill similar to outdoor running put the treadmill on a 1% incline.  Psychologically a treadmill can feel tougher as it is monotonous but watching tv or listening to music whilst on the treadmill soon gets you over that.

For  anyone who has suffered knee injuries treadmills are a great way to get back into fitness as they remove pressure from the joints that you would suffer from on the street as it is high impact.  If your training specifically for a running event on the street then training on the street is much better than a treadmill because your body needs to get used to what you will actually be doing and a treadmill won’t give you that conditioning you need for your event.

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A reverse grip bicep curl is a great way to workout the forearms but be warned this is a very easy way to injure the forearms as well as it is a bit of an uncomfortable movement unless performed with 100% perfection.  Take a relatively light barbell in an overhand grip, keep your elbows tucked into your side and drag it up over your torso, slowly bring it back to the start position and repeat.  Most people don’t really want to workout the forearms but if you are trying to increase your overall strength then having strong forearms is very important as this will help you to support more weight during different exercises.

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Sports rehabilitation centers nowadays commonly use underwater treadmills with their clients.  Underwater treadmills allow athletes who have suffered an ankle injury for example to begin running again on a treadmill with reduced impact, allowing the personal trainers to view exactly how they are running on the foot and help correct its shape and movement. Underwater treadmills help promote early range of motion, early gait training in a low impact environment, improved cardio, mimics land training, muscle toning, increased strength in injured tissue promoting healing, reduces blood pressure, reduces joint stiffness and allows you to work with a huge range of plyometrics.

Even dogs today are using underwater treadmills!

You may be great at bench press, squats and shoulder presses but once you try the turkish get up you may find yourself exhausted quickly.  The turkish get up is great for building functional strength similar to the deadlift and clean and jerk.  If you are really strong you will be able to lift heavy and keep good form through a clean and jerk, very few muscular looking men can.

The turkish get up is a functional exercise that requires all the bodies muscles to work together to perform the set.  Basically all a turkish get up is, is the mechanically correct method of getting up from the lying down position on the floor to standing whilst holding a weight locked out above your head.  You can perform a turkish get up with either a dumbbell, kettlebell, barbell or sandbag.

1. Lying on the floor lock your arm with the weight  out above your head, right leg bent on the floor left leg straight out on the floor.
2. Pushing off your right foot roll onto your left hip and onto your left elbow.
3. Push up onto your left hand
4. Holding yourself on your left hand and right foot bring yourself off the ground and back onto your left knee, so you are left knee on the floor right foot on the floor.  From the kneeling position stand up straight.
5. Reverse the movement to come back down to the floor to complete the rep.

The plank on your elbows and toes is a great way to strengthen your abs and lower back.  Lie face down on an exercise mat resting on your forearms with your hands face down, lift up onto your toes and elbows, forearms on the floor hands facing down, keep your back straight from shoulders to toes, hold for as long as you can.

Cheat sets is when you use improper technique to lift weights e.g by swinging your back when doing a bicep curl.  If you see people doing cheat sets in the gym you usually think they have bad technique and are doing the exercises all wrong but this is actually a way of lifting heavier weights than you can perform with proper technique to help build and tone your muscles.  Most of the time in gyms when you see people swinging their back to lift a barbell they are doing it all wrong but sometimes people are performing cheat sets.  I do cheat sets for front raises as I find when lifting heavier weights and swinging I really hit the front delts.  When trying to increase my bicep strength I did allot of cheat sets for bicep curls and better and better I got I started performing bicep curls with the same weight and proper technique.

Diamond press ups have become my new favorite type of press ups.  Diamond press ups have been common for years in the army and navy due to their difficulty.  If you can do tons of press ups start trying the diamond press ups, you will find your body ache the following day like you haven’t ached from normal press ups since you started doing them.

A diamond press up can be seen in our latest video on youtube by hannibal for king who demonstrates exactly how to do them.  You don’t need to put your leg in the air like he does this advance adaption of the diamond press up can be introduced later on.

If you talk to most men about how to achieve the body of their dreams you will most likely hear two exercises mentioned over and over: “bench press” and “bicep curls”. You can always spot the proponents of this workout in the gym as they are the ones with big arms and chests but skinny legs and still carrying a bit too much body fat!

So how can Rocky help you with your fitness goals? Well, if you watch him work-out in any of his films (yes, I know it’s not real life!) you won’t see him do any real body building – no machines,  no isolation movements like bicep curls or tricep kickbacks.  No leg curls, no leg extensions. Those isolation type movements are great for putting the finishing touches to an already fine physique but they are not good for gaining the power and strength you need when you are starting out – you need to build a solid base first.

Rocky gets back to basics – he uses functional and compound movements. He uses lifts like cleans, jerks, and snatches to generate power from the ground up. These lifts are difficult to get right but a good personal trainer will get your technique correct in no time at all. However, always start with a weight you know you can lift or you can seriously injure yourself.

You can also see him using both barbells (for the clean and jerks) and kettle bells (for the snatches). In addition he uses some strongman training: he’s hitting tires with a sledgehammer, doing weighted pull-ups and barrel lifting. This type of training can be replicated in the gym for your benefit. Again, a personal trainer can point you in the right direction.

If you are serious about your training and want more than big biceps then you absolutely have to get to know full body lifts like the clean and jerk and the snatch.  It matters not if you use kettle bells or barbells or even dumbbells and sandbags, this type of training will build the base for a body you can be proud of.  To learn more about this method of training and how you can apply it to your workouts for great results call one of our weightlifting experts on 02089603655 and they can either create a unique workout plan for you or personal train you in one of our Personal training studios.  Please also fill out our online consultation form so we can get all the details we need to construct your plan.

Written by Charles Collard

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When building a thick back you need to do various back exercises not just pull ups.  Arnold Schwarzenegger once said that when competing as a bodybuilder he noticed some bodybuilders to have wide backs face on but sideways their back didn’t have much depth.  To create a thick back according to Arnold no matter how many pull ups you did this wouldn’t create a thick back like you get from doing bent over rows or seated lever rows.  Bodybuilders and weightlifters in general tend to hate bent over rows as they restrict breathing and in that position blood circulation is hard, but remember nothing builds a real thick back like a bent over row.  Nowadays we have seated lever row machines or these can also be performed seated with a cable.

Aim to do around 10 reps and 4 sets of seated lever rows when you next do your back workout.  Also combining your chest workout with your back workout is a great idea as you work opposite muscle groups and for years many weightlifters such as Arnold himself have kept to this workout routine.  At the end of each rep let the weight drag your arms and back to full reach so you hit the back right up under your arms needed for getting that great v shape.  Make sure you combine your workout with lat pull downs and pull ups as well as your choice of exercises for lower back such as dead lifts.  You can never have a great body without a strong thick back always remember that, your back is what makes your physique, allot of people forget this as they believe it is only looked at when they are seen from behind but a great back can be seen from every angle.  When you have a big strong back that keeps your shoulders elevated to give that huge appearance.