Tag: Squats
Dorian Yates Explains Why ‘You Don’t Need To Do Squats’ & Training 4x a Week for Mr. Olympia
Bodybuilding legend Dorian Yates stood out from the pack during his days of professional competition with his intense training methods. The English talent led one of the most successful careers in the IFBB Pro League by going against the grain when it comes to training philosophy. In a recent interview with Escaped Fitness, Yates explained why there is no need to do squats for muscle growth and opened up on training four days a week for the Mr. Olympia competitions.
Dorian Yates rose to prominence for his shocking muscularity, size, and stellar conditioning as a Men’s Open contender. He presented arguably the best back muscle development of any competitor in the history of the sport. After taking silver in his Olympia debut, Yates secured his maiden Sandow trophy in 1992. He proved to be a dominant champion who racked up a total of six Mr. Olympia wins until 1997.
Yates was renowned for staying away from the spotlight in the off-season and only making his presence known for competition. His tendency to stay on the sidelines and avoid media attention earned him the nickname ‘The Shadow.’ While most bodybuilders used the traditional approach of working for a fixed number of sets and reps, Yates focused on pushing himself to near failure in every single training session.
In Nov. 2022, Yates reflected on the beginnings of his bodybuilding journey as a troubled teenager in prison. He opened up on the intense mindset he adopted in which he was completely obsessed with bodybuilding. He credited the sport for helping him turn his life around at a crucial point.
Bodybuilding veteran Rich Gaspari compared the backs of Yates and reigning Mr. Olympia Hadi Choopan to criticize ‘The Persian Wolf’ last December. He used the comparison to prove that conditioning levels had dropped significantly from era to era.
Dorian Yates maintains a high level of personal fitness. He reported excellent findings after undergoing a health check and VO2 max test earlier this year. Despite being in his 60s, his biological age was estimated to be between 30 and 39.
‘The Shadow’ offered barbell rows with an underhand grip as his favorite exercise for building a jacked back two months ago. Then, he stressed the importance of keeping proper nutrition and rest for optimizing hormone balance.
In another offering to fans, Yates provided a few of his high-intensity training techniques to increase the difficulty of workouts. His next update encouraged his fans to focus on completing a full range of motion and using slow negatives to boost muscle growth in the lower body.
Related: Ten Ways to Boost Your Squat
Dorian Yates Explains Why ‘You Don’t Need to do Squats’
In a recent YouTube video, Dorian Yates shared why it is not necessary to include squats in your training plan.
“I always ask why. That’s a big thing with me,” said Yates. “Squats are the best things for legs everyone says. Why? Alright let me try to do something else. I did believe that until squats damaged my hip so I had to try and do something else and I discovered you can do it another way. You don’t need to do squats. Everybody was training six days a week and 20 sets and all this stuff from the Arnold era and didn’t make sense to me.”
Yates revealed he follows the teachings of Arthur Jones, founder of Nautilus when it comes to training frequency and achieving muscle growth.
“I read Arthur Jones’s writings, who’s the guy that built the Nautilus machines and looked into the real science of muscle building and so on and Mike Mentzer of course carried on that high intensity training. So, it made logical sense to me. Then when I applied it in the gym, keeping notes and so on, I got very good feedback from day one. I noticed that if I train more often or increase the volume and time in the gym, I stopped progressing. Okay, let me take a couple of days rest and go back to a more abbreviated routine, train three days a week, no more than an hour, boom, start growing again. There’s the feedback.”
Yates used to train 4 days a week for Mr. Olympia
’The Shadow’ revealed he only trained four days a week with a maximum of one hour per session for the Mr. Olympia contests.
“Three days a week I was training initially when I first started training because I was working a job as well and couldn’t recover training more often than that. That’s what the feedback showed me so I listened to it. Later on, training for Mr. Olympia, I was training four days a week and maximum one hour in the gym.”
“People struggle with that because they don’t understand the key. The key to stimulating muscle growth is the intensity of the exercise and the fact that you’re progressively overloading and giving your body something that it’s not used to and it needs to react. Muscle Growth is just a reaction to a stress that the body’s trying to protect itself from.”
The 61-year-old laid out a straightforward approach for building muscle with efficient training and recovery.
“This is the process, stimulate, overload, recovery, after recovery, overcompensation, growth, so if that recovery or stimulus period isn’t sufficient, you’re not going to grow. There needs to be a balance between all that. Intensity and recovery. So if you’re going in there hammering your legs. You’re breaking them down and damaging them and they’re sore, and then four days later you train them again and still sore, damaged, how are you getting anywhere? You’re not really getting anywhere.”
Dorian Yates offered the training and steroid cycles he utilized while preparing for contests in his heyday. He also opened up on his reasons for using TRT (testosterone replacement therapy) after retiring from the sport. As of late, Yates described his experience using ayahuasca in the Amazon rainforest, which he says helped him achieve a new level of mental clarity.
Yates’ latest offering goes against the common belief that squats are a must in any training plan for muscle growth. Given his experience and accolades, Yates continues to be a service to the bodybuilding community.
You can watch the full video below:
RELATED: 6x Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates Guides Junior Mr. Universe Kaya Yusuf Through Brutal Back Workout
Published: 28 May, 2023 | 1:27 PM EDT
Squats: The Ultimate Mass-Building Exercise
Everything you need to know about this lower body building exercise.
If you’ve seen the movie Generation Iron or hung around this site for a few minutes, you should already understand that if you truly want to build a lean, muscular and powerful physique then you absolutely MUST train legs. You must train them intensely and consistently if you want to build a legendary physique that others will envy. Fortunately, there’s a single exercise that is the be all and end all to not only lower body development, but the entire body in the squat.
Whether you’re trying to shed fat or build muscle, no other exercise works better at targeting and developing the quads, hamstrings, and glutes in one single solitary movement. Most leg exercises target one muscle in the upper leg. Leg extensions hit the quads. Leg curls isolate hamstrings. But nothing secretes more testosterone and growth hormone than squats. They target the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, calves, even hips and lower back for a really nice and effective exercise able to build real strength and size.
Squats will also help you shed fat. How, you ask? Well, in order to burn body fat we must remember the three important keys: cardio, diet, and maintaining fat-burning muscle. The legs hold most of the body’s musculature. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn when you’re resting. Squats truly develop and work the entire body. Squats have long held the title of being a total body exercise, the king of all exercises, and one that has become a staple in many lifters routines.
Let’s take a look at the squat and see what makes this exercise so great. We’ll talk about what it is, what muscles get worked, the benefits of it, and how best to perform it so you see only the best gains possible as you look to boost your overall health and performance.
What Is The Squat?
Squats are a fantastic compound exercise used to build muscle and improve power while also working for a host of other benefits. What you will find is an exercise with tons of variations that can impact you in a variety of ways. Used with a barbell, this strength building exercise has become a staple in many lifters’ routines and is one of the big three lifts associated with powerlifting.
Related: A Definitive Guide To Improving Your Squat
Muscles Worked
Squats will work those lower body muscles so you see great gains, however, what you will find is that your quads will get a lot of action. Other top muscle groups worked include your hamstrings, glutes, calves, hips, lower back, and core, since this is needed to enhance stability and offer support as you drive through your feet.
Benefits Of Squats
The benefits of squats can help take your gains to the next level and knowing what these can do for you can go a long way when looking to optimize your strength and performance.
Benefits of squats include:
Stronger lower body: Build those muscles in your lower body and work to capitalize on strength while increasing size (1).
More power: Given the power and explosiveness required with this movement, you will find this can increase sport specific and functional movements when it comes to needing the right amount of power (2).
Improve stability: With this lift, you will improve stability and get the most out of balance while feeling supported (3).
Help with posture: Squats can help with posture by working to improve your spine alignment and giving you great gains when it comes to overall support and stability.
Plenty of variations: Squats have tons of variations that you can try that will work to offer variety in your workouts while still increasing strength and size.
Related: How To Alleviate Lower Back Pain After Squats
How To Perform Them
Knowing how best to perform this exercise is important as you look to capitalize on form so you see the best gains possible. With the right form, your greatly reduce your risk of injury and unwanted soreness.
Here are the steps for performing squats:
Begin with your feet shoulder width apart. Make sure the bar is resting on the top of your shoulder blades and not the top of your spine. Your hands should be slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
As you brace your core, maintain a neutral spine and bend at the knee, giving yourself stability before unracking.
Unrack the bar and when ready, lower to the ground. Keep your weight centered and heels on the floor.
Keeping solid form, push up to the starting position, driving through your feet to get the most out of your power.
Repeat for your desired number of sets and reps.
Key Points to Remember
Keep time under tension. Don’t rush the exercise. You want to soak up the pain and soak up the burn so that the muscles can get hit efficiently and effectively.
Keep the lower back straight and look straight ahead. Looking up or down will cause rounding in the back which can lead to injury.
Squat till your thighs are parallel or slightly below parallel and ensure that your knees are kept behind your toes to ensure that stress is kept away from your knees.
Wrap Up
Squats are one of those exercises that you need to see in your routine in order to get the most out of your training and performance. With the right number of sets and reps, and this placed strategically into your routine, you will find this exercise is one to take advantage of as you seek the best for your gains.
Editor’s Note: Some of this information above was shared with us by Geo Chang, a NASM Certified Personal Trainer and Nutritionist whose mission is to educate and empower his clients to live healthier and happier lives. Geo has a Bachelor’s Degree in Nutrition/ Biochemistry and is RD eligible. Geo Has maintained a thriving practice in New York City and brings the triple threat of education, experience, and passion to health & fitness for his clients.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Images courtesy of Envato
References
Kubo, K.; et al. (2019). “Effects of squat training with different depths on lower limb muscle volumes”. (source)
Chiu, L.; et al. (2011). “A Teaching Progression for Squatting Exercises”. (source)
Chandler, T.; et al. (1989). “The effect of the squat exercise on knee stability”. (source)
3 Better Muscle Builders Than The Barbell Back Squat
Try out these three exercises during your next leg day to replace the barbell squat!
Gym culture is oddly obsessed with impressing powerlifters. Somehow the sport of powerlifting has bled into everyday gym goers to worship the big 3 including the barbell back squat.
However, most gym goers simply want to have jacked legs.
And if you want jacked legs, you would ditch the barbell back squat for other quad builders. I know, that sounds blasphemous, but the barbell back squat is not as good of a quad builder as other exercises.
And this is not a matter of opinion. This is undeniable physiology and biomechanics. It’s like water being wet. You can’t debate it. So if you have any ounce of an open mind, let’s me explain everything to you.
How Quads Grow
For most bilateral squats, the goal is to build the quads with some glute development as well. Quads like any other muscle grow from mechanical tension, the force produced by your muscles. This is often confused with load because the barbell back squat is generally a heavy exercise, so people assume it builds tons of muscle.
However, your muscles have no idea how much weight is on the bar, nor it give a flying fairy about it. Your muscles only detect tension, so your quads can only detect the tension placed on it. Lifting heavy is great, but only if that load is applying mechanical tension across the quads.
This is why the barbell back squat is a poor quad builder for many people. Despite it’s heavy load and absolute obsession among the fitness community, the barbell back squat forces a bar over your center of mass or else you would topple over like a losing Jenga tower. Based on your mobility and limb ratios, you will likely not get much knee flexion from this position.
Knee flexion is simply a fancy word meaning the knee bend you achieve especially as your knees travel forward. Due to structural and mobility limitations, most people can’t barbell back squat deep with an upright posture without butt wink. That’s the position needed to stimulate more quad growth.
Furthermore, barbell back squatting is highly fatiguing.
So when you’re feeling dead after 2 heavy sets of barbell back squatting, that’s not because your quads are generating much muscle growth. It’s because your entire body is collecting tons of fatigue. The exercise has a deeply poor stimulus to fatigue ratio.
This is not to say it doesn’t build muscle. It certainly does, but it builds a less than expected amount for a higher price point.
Better Muscle Builders
So to build your quads, you need deep knee flexion. This position trained through a full range of motion while minimizing fatigue is far more important than total load. In fact, arguably the best exercise on this list is also the lightest.
Here’s the list starting with the front foot elevated split squat.
1 – Front Foot Elevated Split Squat
You’re essentially doing split squats with your front foot elevated. Pretty straightforward.
This exercise trains each leg individually with the rear leg for support. The position allows you to manipulate the joint angle of one leg to maximize knee flexion. In addition, it requires less mobility and will also help your lower body mobility in the hips and ankles.
For the elevation, use anything that is about 5-10 inches off the floor. Press through your entire front foot as you keep you push your knee forward and sink down with an upright or relatively upright torso down. If your knees are able to go past your toes, that’s a good thing!
Don’t listen to outdated coaches who tells you that’s bad for your knees. That’s how you build mobility and more importantly, that’s called deep knee flexion. It means your quad is actually contracting through it’s full range of motion and experiencing the mechanical tension needed to grow in size.
Start this exercise off with dumbbells. You will notice as you progress and use heavier dumbbells, they might hit the box you’re using to elevate your front foot and limit range of motion. This is where it’s best to use an elevation with minimal surface area or simply switch to having a barbell on your back.
For a barbell set up, use a squat rack. And yes, you can do split squats in a rack, not just barbell squats.
Finally, if you want even more quad growth, you can get more knee flexion by elevating the front heel.
2 – Hack Squat
It’s odd that machines get such a bad rep. Some people see barbell exercises as the meat and potatoes of a program while they describe machines as “accessories” whatever the flying fairy that means.
Ironically, the hack squat takes all the pitfalls of the traditional barbell back squat and fixes it allowing for more quad growth.
The angle and stability of the machine allows for more knee flexion without worrying about the weight folding you over. In other words, the hack squat fits everybody’s structure allowing for more quad growth. You are able to get deeper with a hack squat as well.
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Although, for my fellow short lifters, most hack squat machines will end at the bottom when you can still go lower. An easy fix is to slap on some yoga blocks underneath the pad to extend the range of motion.
There are also 2 setups I particularly like with hack squats. Banded and unbanded. With an unbanded version, you load the bottom stretched position more. Adding bands to the hack squat increases the resistance at the top of the movement where you’re typically stronger.
I’ve also noticed banded hack squats tend to be more joint friendly with my clients as well, but certainly train both versions.
3 – Leg Press
For whatever reason, people are sticklers about barbell back squat depth and form. If you don’t go low enough, you’re wimpy dork who didn’t squat like a man. However, all of these critics will happily slap on a billion plates on the leg press and do a bunch of reps with a microscopic range of motion.
Not to mention people leg press with bouncy uncontrolled reps. They like seeing the weight they’re lifting more than actually growing their quads.
However, if you’re serious about your leg day, doing proper full range of motion leg presses are brutal for the quads. The angle allows for a deep range of motion that will fit most people’s structure.
I like to have clients do them for both lower and higher reps. The lower reps allow for some heavier strength work which can feed a person’s ego.
Higher rep work really pumps your quads into a new dimension and skyrockets your mental strength.
A bit of an exaggeration there, but the leg press will grow you bigger quads than the barbell squat regardless of the rep range.
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Learning to Think For Yourself
Look, I don’t hate the barbell back squat. It’s cool and required for powerlifting. However, it has it’s major limitations that nobody talks about. People do it because they’ve been taught to without rhyme or reason. As a result, they’ve grown an emotional attachment towards it.
This is clearly the case when you tell a bro that the barbell back squat is not a great muscle builder and they’re so triggered, they’re about to have a heart attack. That scenario is more common than you think.
But anyways, you need to reassess your exercise selection if you want actual quad muscles. The type that have lines of definition, not those flabby dimensionless chunks most guys have.
Derek Lunsford Takes Down 100-Rep Challenge Using 315-Pound Barbell Squats
212 Olympia champ Derek Lunsford took on a new challenge during his leg day workout.
Derek Lunsford got over the hump during the 2021 Olympia and is now looking to remain at the top. The current 212 champion took on the 100-rep challenge during his most recent leg day sing 315-pound barbell squats. This came after some sets on other machines to get the maximum pump in his legs.
The 28-year-old bodybuilder has been consistent in the 212 division over the years but has been unable to reach the pinnacle. That changed in October when he beat Shaun Clarida, who was the favorite entering the weekend. Lunsford has a chance to make it two in a row this year and he is gearing up his prep toward that goal.
Lunsford went through a huge leg day workout and added a twist in the middle. It began with seated leg extensions and lying leg curls. He completed 15-20 reps during sets to get the necessary warmup before moving on in the workout. Lunsford spoke on leg days and how they are important to bodybuilding, despite not being a favorite.
“As much as it sucks in the moment, these are the days I live for. This is why I do what I do and I love it,” Derek Lunsford said.
Derek Lunsford began his quest for 100 reps in the middle of the workout. He loaded 315 on the squat rack and took down the first two sets of 20 reps with ease. Wearing a lifting belt, Lunsford attacked the third and fourth set, where he added an extra rep to make it 21. This is where it began to look a bit challenging.
This is no easy feat but Lunsford was dedicated to setting the goal that he set for that day. The fifth set was grueling but Lunsford tackled all 100 reps and was able to move on in the workout.
“I think if you look at yourself and say what is my best and can I beat it, you keep that as your focus, that’s a champion mentality man!”
Derek Lunsford finished the workout with two sets of leg press and standing single-leg curls. At this point, he had plenty of pump in his legs following his 100 reps on the squat rack.
There is no doubt that Lunsford is going to enter the Olympia this year looking his absolute best. With workouts and goals like this, Lunsford is building a championship physique and it will be exciting to see how it progresses over the summer.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Julius Maddox Shows Full Ability As Powerlifter, Sets New PR With 820-Pound Squat
Julius Maddox is known as the king of bench press but has plenty of strength to go around.
Julius Maddox has taken over bench press in recent years. He currently holds the all-time world record in the lift and has been working to get that number even higher. This does not mean that Maddox neglects other lifts, quite the opposite actually. On social media, Maddox has stressed the importance of other lifts that can help strengthen body parts to help on the bench. This time, Maddox took to the squat rack to set a new PR with an 820-pound lift.
Maddox shared the massive PR on Instagram. He approached the Kabuki Strength transformer bar loaded up with 820 pounds. With a classic in “Soul Survivor” by Young Jeezy and Akon coming out of the speakers, Maddox made the lift look easy and even said the same at the end of the video.
This was the second lift as Maddox completed a 775-pound lift prior. Because of the speed that this lift went up, Maddox decided to throw some more weight on. He did not use any equipment or gear to aid in this lift making it raw.
“Huge PR 775lb/ 820lb x 1 with@kabukistrength Transformer Bar.. Followed up with 820 which was sloppy but was a pR”
Julius Maddox has not participated in events other than bench press since his competition career began. He has competed in 17 sanctioned competitions, all on the bench. In fact, Maddox does not even share a lot of content in other lifts on social media. Interestingly enough, this squat video shows that Maddox could have a shot at totaling one of the heaviest weights in powerlifting if he competed in all three lifts.
Maddox has been on the chase for 800 pounds on bench press. He currently holds the record of 355kg (782.6lb) and is looking to become the first person to lift 800 pounds officially. As of now, Danial Zamani has accomplished that feat but it came in a training session making it unofficial.
Julius Maddox has attempted this lift before but has yet to do it successfully. It is clear that he is training to reach the number and could plan on it soon. Maddox might not compete in competition but he can setup a chance to reach the 800-pound mark separately. At 34 years old, it is unknown if Maddox would venture out from bench press in a sanctioned event but it would be fascinating to see the total number he could reach.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
A Definitive Guide To Improving Your Squat
How To Improve Your Squats
If we were asked to name an exercise that is the illest-performed in the gym – it would have to be the squats. It’s no secret that squats are one of the most beneficial and important exercises when it comes to building muscle mass and improving functional strength.
While many people take the right step of incorporating the compound exercise in their training program, only a few take out the time to learn the correct way of performing the squats.
Start Right
The squats start before you get under the bar. How and where you place the bar on your shoulders can determine the quality of the exercise. High and low bar positions are the two most popular ways of placing the barbell on your back.
The high bar is generally used by bodybuilders and/or average height individuals. Whereas, the low-bar position is used by powerlifters or taller people. Both can take time getting used to. We recommend picking the one you’re comfortable with and sticking with it.
Mind Your Step
Most people make the mistake of unracking the barbell in a lunging position. Both your feet should be under the bar as you go for the lift-off. While the foot placement might not make a difference in the beginning, it’ll prove it’s worth as you lift heavier weights.
Once the bar is unracked, you need to get in position by your second step. The first step-back should be to get at a comfortable distance from the rack, and the second should be to get in position for the squat. Don’t lift off the bar and take 5-10 steps to get in position.
Many people don’t know the correct foot placement while squatting. They either keep their feet too close or too wide. In a normal squat, your feet should be directly under your shoulders and pointing at 1’o clock.
Squats Not Good Mornings
We’re sure you know someone who bends forward while performing the squats so much so that their upper body is almost parallel to the floor at the bottom of the movement. If you can’t help but lean forward while squatting, you should consider dropping down the weights.
Another trick is to keep your chest out and look at the ceiling. Forcing your upper body to remain straight throughout the lift can take some getting used to. Warming up and stretching before squatting can also help improve your form.
Breathe Right
Breathing is one of the most overlooked aspects of working out. If you’re not already using controlled breathing in your workouts, you’re leaving gains on the table. Also, using controlled breathing while squatting isn’t as simple as breathing in while going down and breathing out while coming up.
To make the most of the exercise, you should take a deep breath at the top of the movement and hold your breath as you squat down. Exhale sharply as you return to the starting position.
Use Accessories
Using accessories like the gym belt and knee wraps can take your squatting game to the next level. A weight lifting belt combined with the new breathing technique you just learned can help you generate an incredible amount of thoracic pressure.
The knee wraps keep your joints tight and can help with generating a little push on the concentric motion. Wrist wraps, barbell pad, and weightlifting shoes are some other great accessories you should consider investing in.
How much can you squat? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
16 Squat and Deadlift Variations You Should Know About
Squat and Deadlift Variations You Should Know About
Squat and deadlifts are two of the most dominant compound exercises. These two exercises are also some of the most functional movements. You’ll find these exercises in almost every kind of training discipline be it bodybuilding, powerlifting, CrossFit or any other.
Performing the vanilla squats and deadlifts can cause you to hit a plateau. A great way to break through the glass ceiling is to try new variations of the exercises. There are enough variations of these exercises to keep you entertained for months.
Squats
Back Squats
Back squats are the conventional and most common type of squats. Based on your mobility, you could perform all types of squats with a high or low bar position. In the high bar position, the barbell sits on your traps, and in the low bar position, the barbell is placed on your shoulder blades.
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Front Squats
In the front squats, you place the barbell across the front side of your shoulders. The front squats are quad dominant as you need to maintain an upright position throughout the exercise.
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Box Squats
If you’re don’t have the mobility and are not comfortable going ass-to-grass in the conventional squats, the box squats can help you by squatting to the desired depth and develop explosive strength in the squat movement.
Sumo Squats
Sumo squats are wide-stance squats which primarily target the hams, glutes and inner thighs. The range of motion while performing the sumo squats is considerably smaller as compared to the conventional squats.
Narrow Stance Squats
Narrow stance squats are the opposite of sumo squats. In this variation, you have to place your feet next to each other. Doing so targets your outer thighs and helps in building the outer quad sweep.
Frankenstein Squat
Frankenstein squats are an advanced level squat variation. To perform the Frankenstein squat, you need to extend your arms straight forward and place the barbell on the “shelf” created in your shoulders. The Frankenstein squat teaches you the proper positioning of both the bar and your body during the clean and front squat.
Goblet Squat
If you’re suffering from a back injury and are not comfortable performing the barbell squats, the goblet squats can be a lifesaver. Hold a dumbbell next to your chest while performing the squats to target your quads.
Zercher Squat
Zercher squat involves holding the barbell between the crook of your elbow while squatting. The Zercher squat increases glute and quad activation. It improves the front squat and even works the biceps.
Deadlifts
Conventional Deadlifts
Conventional deadlifts are the most common type of deadlifts which involves standing with a shoulder width stance and holding the barbell with a shoulder-wide snatch or a mixed hand grip.
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Sumo Deadlifts
Sumo deadlifts have the same feet placement as the sumo squats. The sumo deadlifts take your legs out of the equation and primarily focus on the upper back. Hold the barbell with a mixed hand grip while performing the sumo deadlifts.
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Deficit Deadlifts
Deficit deadlifts are for the more advanced lifters as it includes standing on an elevated surface (weight plates or a hard aerobic stepper) while performing the deadlifts. Standing on the weight plates increases the range of motion which makes the movement harder than the conventional deadlifts.
Rack Pulls Deadlifts
In the rack pull deadlifts, you lift the bar off the safety pins in a squat rack. This variation of deadlifts is great for people who have back problems and can’t perform any other type of deadlifts. You can adjust the range of motion of the movement by setting the height of the safety pins.
Trap Bar Deadlifts
Trap bar deadlifts target the traps and the upper back. In the trap or hex bar deadlifts, you hold the barbell at your sides which makes the movement easier. You should be able to move heavier weights while performing the hex bar deadlifts.
Romanian Deadlifts
Romanian deadlifts or stiff-legged deadlifts target the hamstrings. Stand with a barbell in hands and your knees locked at a slight angle. Push your hips back as you lower the barbell and contract your hamstrings. Pause at the bottom for a second and return to the starting position.
Snatch Grip Deadlifts
In the snatch grip deadlifts, your hands take on a wide grip where they are almost touching the sides of the weight plates on the barbell. The snatch deadlift is a type of Olympic lift which mainly works the hamstrings. It acts to strengthen the pull of the snatch.
Dumbbell Deadlifts
Some people are not comfortable performing the deadlifts with a barbell. The dumbbells can improve the range of motion and the resulting pump as you have better mobility with them as compared to the barbell.
Have you tried all the variations of the squats and deadlifts mentioned above? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
*Header image courtesy of Envato Elements.
Need Cardio But Hate Running? Here Are 5 Others Ways To Cardio-Infuse Your Workouts
Cardio is definitely one of the building blocks when it comes to exercise.
Unfortunately, not everybody can tolerate long jogs. In fact, for those of us who prefer going to the gym to lift weights or use the equipment, running on the treadmill can become a huge chore. Unfortunately, however much you might hate running, there’s no running from the truth: cardio is an essential component of bodybuilding and fitness that needs to incorporated into your workouts if you’re looking to maximize results.
But for those of us who truly dread going for a run, here are five easy ways you can add cardio into your workout without running.
1. Indoor Rock Climbing
If the monotony of running bores you, say no more. This isn’t a staple at most gyms but Google if there’s an indoor rock climbing gym near you; they’re around. Rock climbing requires the upper body to be in a state of constant exertion, which gets your heart rate up and keeps it up at an intensity equal to or better than going for a jog. So, if you find yourself avoiding the chore of more conventional cardio workouts, this might be a fun one for you to try out.
2. Boxing
All forms of boxing are another great source of cardio. If you go to the gym with a spotting buddy, try turning him into your sparring body and go for a couple rounds of boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai — anything works. If you’re more of a lone wolf type in the gym you can try just punching the bag for a solid twenty or thirty minutes; that’ll get your blood pumping better than a relaxing jog in the park.
3. Try the rowing machine.
The rowing machine is a great piece of workout equipment available in almost any standard gym across the country that doesn’t get a lot of love. The truth is, the rowing machine has so much to offer: it’s a great source of cardio because of the adjustable tension in the bands, and it also gives you a great workout in your upper arms and back that you wouldn’t simultaneously be getting if you just go for a jog. What’s not to love?
4. Biking or stationary bike
This is a pick-your-poison type scenario. If the reason you hate jogging is because you don’t like being outdoors, than biking isn’t likely to help you get more cardio in. A stationary bike might be a good fit for you since they’re also available at almost any gym and can be knocked out in tandem with whatever workout you happen to be doing there.
However, if you’re looking to get some fresh air or be in nature, a long bike ride — try challenging yourself with an incline if you’re really looking to get your heart rate up — might be just what you’re looking for.
5. Jump squats or burpees
Finally, if you’re a fan of HIIT, this type of cardio infusion is more your speed. Jump squats and burpees, when done rapidly and in small amounts, can really increase your cardio and overall gains from your workouts. If biking or rock climbing seem like too much of a new time investment, this is an easy way to take whatever existing workout you’re working with and inject some cardio inside.
The next time you’re strength training, challenge yourself by doing 20 seconds of jump squats or burpees alternating with 20 seconds of rest for about 5 minutes — you’ll be amazed at how fast it gets your blood pumping.
YouTubers Jujimufu And Joey Szatmary Complete 43 Sets Of Box Squats
Jujimufu and Joey Szatmary went through a legendary squat session.
Jon ‘Jujimufu’ Call and Joey Szatmary are fitness YouTubers with huge followings. Recently, the duo joined forces to recreate a legendary squat session. They competed 43 sets of box squats at the EliteFTS training equipment headquarters in London.
The YouTube sensations began the session with the intention of battling like Chuck Vogelpohl and Dave Tate. The two Ogot together for a squat session that was supposed to feature eight sets of two reps with 405 pounds. Once those sets were complete, Tate wanted to be the last one standing and decided to add some more sets. Nearly an hour later, the two completed 40 sets of box squats before Vogelpohl ended up being the winner.
Tate was present in London for this recent squat session, along with Sam Brown. The two began with eight sets of two reps with 330 pounds. There was little rest between sets as Call and Szatmary started their sets after the other finished.
Jujimufu and Joey Szatmary completed 30 sets with this weight before some more was added. Tate added 50 pounds for the final 13 sets. It took 43 sets for Call to step back and declare Szatmary, who was completing as many as six reps, the winner. The full video was posted to Jujimufu’s YouTube page.
Jon ‘Jujimufu’ Call has become a fitness freak. He consistently shows off his latest eye-opening feats for his 1.7 million followers on Instagram. This includes full splits with his feet on two chairs while performing a shoulder press with a barbell. It is no surprise to see him take on a squat session of this magnitude.
Chuck Vogelpohl was the winner of the original squat session. He is a powerlifting legend who is often forgotten about. He competed in weight classes that spanned from 90kg to 125kg. He was an extremely intense powerlifter during his career, which was almost two decades long. Vogelpohl was victorious in many events but it all culminated during the 2006 WPO World Finals. During his career, Vogelpohl squatted 1,175 pounds and deadlifted 835 pounds.
The duo of Jujimufu and Joey Szatmary have completed many feats of strength in their careers and there will be plenty more coming. This was an incredible competition that must be seen.
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The 6 Best Strength Building Exercises You’re Not Doing
6 Greatest Exercises To Build Strength
With the advancement and mainstreaming of machines in the gyms around the world, people tend to stick to exercises they’re comfortable doing. The sad news is, strength gains lie outside your comfort zone.
If you want to improve on your strength, you’ll have to give up the isolation exercises for compound (multi-joint) lifts. Performing the exercises mentioned in the article will take your strength gains to a whole new level.
Clean and Press
When was the last time you performed the clean and presses or saw someone perform then in your gym? Lifting weights off the floor and over your head is a badass way of putting your brute strength at the display.
The clean and press consist of two main movements. The first part entails lifting the barbell off the floor and to your shoulder level. In the second movement, you need to push the weight overhead. Return to the starting position with a slow and controlled movement, and repeat for the recommended reps.
Deadlifts
Many people prefer using machines or doing rowing exercises in place of the deadlifts for convenience. The deadlifts should be a staple in your back workouts. An effective back workout should be as brutal (if not more) as an annihilating leg workout.
The deadlifts are a full-body exercise and are fantastic for building overall strength. Keep your chest up, back arched, and drive through the heels, knees, and hips to move the weight upward.
Farmer’s Walk
There’s a reason why the farmer’s walk (or a similar exercise) is a part of almost every strongman meet. Walking around while holding onto heavyweights will not only improve your strength but will also help in putting on muscle mass.
Set a one-minute timer and grab the heaviest pair of dumbbells you can find. You can add variations to the farmer’s walk by using a barbell or weight plates in place of the dumbbells.
Bench Press
The bench press is one of the best exercises to improve your pushing strength. The exercise can also help in developing your pectoral muscle size. With all the exercises listed in the article, your priority should be to learn the correct form of doing them rather than going after the heavier weights.
Keep your elbows pointing inwards while performing the bench press to reduce the chances of an injury. Most people expose themselves to a pec or shoulder blade tear by flaring out their elbows too wide.
Rack Pulls
The rack pulls are an incredibly effective but underutilized lift. The rack pulls are a modified version of the deadlifts where the bottom half of the movement is omitted. Lifting the barbell with a limited range of motion will put all the tension on your lats and will help in building strength.
While performing the exercise, most people make the mistake of bouncing the barbell off the rack. By using the momentum you’re leaving gains on the table by reducing the already limited range of motion of the lift.
Squats
Squats shouldn’t come as a surprise on this list. The big 3’s – deadlifts, bench press, and squats – are the compound exercises you shouldn’t skip at any cost if your goal is to build strength and muscle mass.
If you’re a beginner, start by performing easier versions of the exercises like the smith machine squats or dumbbell deadlifts and gradually progress onto the advanced versions with heavier weights.
Who is your favorite exercise? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
*Header image courtesy of Envato Elements.
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