Loved and despised in equal measure, the squat has long been the iron game's go to exercise for maximum leg development. A cornerstone of most trainee's leg routines, there is certainly no doubting the exercise's popularity. Yet despite the fact that the back squat in particular has enjoyed a decades long dominance amongst gym rats, … Continue reading Peary Rader’s Magic Circle
Exercise Pioneers
Forgotten Exercises: The Bradford Press
One of the most maligned exercises of recent decades has been the military press done behind the neck. Owing it is said to the undue stress this exercise places on the shoulder joints, lifters have been advised to avoid this technique at all costs. I, for many years, was one of those lifters. Not only … Continue reading Forgotten Exercises: The Bradford Press
Bob Gajda’s Peripheral Heart Action (PHA) Training
One point that always fascinates me about training is the sheer diversity one finds when it comes to training systems, exercises and training philosophies. What works for one trainee can prove pointless to another. No matter how good the programme, it often has to be tailored towards the individual, and indeed, we often find that … Continue reading Bob Gajda’s Peripheral Heart Action (PHA) Training
A HISTORY OF PRE-WORKOUT SUPPLEMENTS
Situated halfway between the gym and the nightclub, pre-workout supplements have taken on a remarkable popularity amongst gym goers in recent years. Labelled with ‘hardcore’ names such as ‘Anarchy’, ‘Mr. Hyde’ or ‘Rage’, the pre-workout supplement has become a staple amongst portions of the lifting community. Indeed, one may be forgiven for thinking that bodybuilders, … Continue reading A HISTORY OF PRE-WORKOUT SUPPLEMENTS
HISTORY OF THE GOOD MORNING EXERCISE
Depending on the gym you attend Good Mornings are either a commonplace exercise or a complete rarity. Aside from the cynical observation that far too many back squats one sees in the gym are bastardised good mornings, the reality is most like the latter. Used by numerous bodybuilders, powerlifters and athletes, the Good Morning is … Continue reading HISTORY OF THE GOOD MORNING EXERCISE
The History of the Bosu Ball
Part of the functional training fetish exhibited by members of the strength and conditioning community in the opening decade of the twenty-first century, the Bosu Ball was not too long ago, a ubiquitous piece of gym equipment. Nowadays found in the corner of the gym floor, if at all, the Bosu Ball, along with the … Continue reading The History of the Bosu Ball
Iron Man: Jack Lalanne
Who? Those of our readers who are unaware of Lalanne are in for a real treat. Born in the early 1910s, Lalanne was one of the most outspoken and passionate men to grace the Iron Game in the past century. A bodybuilder, gym owner, TV personality and much, much more, Lalanne was still exercising on … Continue reading Iron Man: Jack Lalanne
