Results matching “Bird”

Barbell Step-upIn the 1920s - particularly in the US - weight training began gaining favour with the public at large, and the Step-up began finding itself in various books and magazines. However, the back squat gradually started to dominate (largely due to the efforts of the German Henry 'Milo' Steinborn and Joseph Curtis Hise) and the Step-up was all but forgotten.

The Step-up seems to have been largely forgotten as a weight-bearing exercise for the thighs - primarily due to the dominance of the back squat. This article may just make you reconsider its use.

What is it?

The Step-up - as the name implies - is nothing more complex than stepping up onto an object, then stepping back down from it. Although it is an incredibly simple exercise, there are a few things to be aware of.

Factors to consider

Perhaps the most important of these is the height of the step. The basic exercise works the hips and thighs, and the step height adjust things in favour of the quadriceps or hamstrings. A higher step works the hamstrings harder, a lower step targets the quads (1).

According to Anatoly Bondarchuk, the 'normal' or ideal step height (for those with perfectly balanced quad and hamstring strength) is such that when the leading leg has the foot flat on the step, and the corresponding thigh parallel to the ground, the trailing leg has the toes just touching the ground (but the heel elevated) (1). This will naturally vary from person to person, and the use of a weight plate is common to bridge small gaps (it's unlikely that your training partner will have exactly the same requirements as you).

In addition to the step height, speed and number of reps both play crucial roles in determining the effectiveness of this exercise (for your personal goals). The usual rules apply - in general the reps will be lower and the breaks longer when training for maximum strength, and the reps higher/breaks shorter for hypertrophy goals.

The starting/finishing distance of the feet from the step also makes a difference, with a larger gap emphasising the Gluteus Maximus and a smaller gap emphasizing quadriceps (2).

Muscles used

The target muscle group is usually the quadriceps, though the weighting of this can be adjusted by altering the step height and gap as indicated above. Other muscle groups involved are (2) :

Synergists

* Gluteus Maximus
* Adductor Magnus
* Soleus
* Gastrocnemius (Second Leg)

Dynamic Stabilizers

* Hamstrings
* Gastrocnemius (First Leg)

Stabilizers

* Erector Spinae
* Trapezius, Upper
* Trapezius, Middle
* Levator Scapulae
* Gluteus Medius
* Gluteus Minimus

Antagonist Stabilizers

* Rectus Abdominis
* Obliques

As you can see, this is well and truly a compound exercise, and targets similar muscle groups to the squat.

Variations

Bodyweight step-up
The simplest form is a bodyweight-only step-up onto anything of a reasonable height (usually something below knee height). The speed, number of reps and step height will all play roles in the effectiveness of this exercise for your goals. Because of this flexibility the step-up can be used as a warmup, conditioning or strength training exercise.

Dumbbell step-up
As per the bodyweight step-up, performed whilst holding a dumbbell in each hand.

Barbell step-up
As per the bodyweight step-up, performed whilst holding a barbell across the shoulders in the same manner as for a back squat.

Step-ups wearing a weight vest
As per the bodyweight step-up, performed whilst wearing a weight-vest (such as the V-Max).

Sri ChinmoyFormer East Bengalese marathon runner Sri Chinmoy switched to weight-lifting in the mid 1980s (when he was in his 50s); setting a personal record for Step-ups done whilst wearing a 50lb weight vest by regularly performing 100 in 1996 (aged 65). Once again, the usual rules of rep ranges and breaks apply.

Inspired by Chinmoy's effort, the slightly more spritely Ashrita Furman (6) completed 2,574 step-ups (bodyweight only) onto a 15" bench in one hour, later that same year.

Walter Norton (spotting), Rick DiPietro (benching) and Mike BoyleEric Cressey conducts a very interesting interview with strength and conditioning coach Mike Boyle. Although Boyle is perhaps best known for training athletes using unstable surfaces, there's far more to his methods than that. From the article :

I do some unstable surface training to make sagittal plane exercise more multi-planar. I really believe that unstable surface training and multi-planar training are excellent tools when used at the right time and place. The difference is that all the bells and whistles with no horsepower is a waste of time.

That 'horsepower' takes the form of many of the usual major compound movements, as well as the occasional spot of single limb work. Speaking of compound exercises, one of the many slightly unusual opinions expressed in the article was on Front Squats.

[Perform] Front squats instead of back squats: I love front squats because you can't really do them wrong. No back pain, lots of leg work. I think the only reason most people back squat is because they never thought about not doing it.

Definitely something to think about.

Strongman Training 101 - Test articles

Brian KingConsidering trying your hand at Strongman? Kentucky Strongman's Brian King teams with strongmen Eric Hammer and Bryan Dermody to provide an introduction to strongman training.

The first part of this article series answers 2 key questions : what is their training like both in-season and during the off-season. Good stuff.

Josh Bryant jumpingThe Sport Fitness Advisor site has an interesting article on the physiology of plyometrics, including a brief note on the benefit of concurrent plyometric and strength training.

Hanging Leg Extension - Test articles

Hanging Leg ExtensionHanging Leg ExtensionThis exercise was born of necessity (not quite enough space in the home gym) : the Hanging Leg Extension. There's enough room to perform Hanging Knee Raises, and enough room to extend the legs once you're a couple of feet off the ground. Unfortunately, Hanging Leg Raises are out as there isn't enough space to raise the feet through the first 30 degrees or so.

The Hanging Leg Extension is simply a blend of the two (Hanging Knee Raise and Hanging Leg Raise). To perform it, hang from a bar, raise the knees as high as possible toward the chest, then extend the legs. Your body will be in an 'L' position at the end of it.

Simply reverse the procedure to complete the exercise.

This exercise neatly fits in the progression to L-pullups, and is slightly more difficult than a standard Hanging Knee Raise.

Precision NutritionIf, like me, you've got John Berardi's Precision Nutrition on your wishlist (and I'm yet to hear of anyone who bought it and is less than 110% satisfied); his latest email nutrition course may be a good interim solution.

You can learn a lot in 8 days.

Tree-athlon - Test articles

Cannock ForestOn September 23rd in London's Battersea Park is a fun-run with a decidedly environmental flavour : the Tree-athlon. Everyone who competes in the 5km run is given a potful of seeds to help green the city.

For those living a bit to the north there's another run through Cannock Chase Forest, Birmingham on October 14th.

Cockatoo in the backyardI don't need much more of an indicator that I'm feeling less than 100% than missing a scheduled deadlift workout. That's exactly what happened on Monday, and with today's session also absent it feels like I've done little this week other than chin-ups.

Friday DE SQ/DL
Another squatting practise session similar to last week's. A combination of quad/shin stretches, step-ups (great little conditioners), Hindu squats and light bar work. Not bad at all.

Sunday DE BENCH
I decided to try my hand (hands, I guess) at tactical chin-ups; adding a lengthy pause at the bottom of each rep. This makes quite a difference, and I was certainly recycling the room's air afterward.

For some reason shrugs appealed, although working up to the point of grip failure didn't bode well for the rest of the workout. Decided to call it a day there and concentrate on Monday's session.

Chin-up (tactical) 5,4 @bw
Shrug 10@80/176, 10@90/198, 10@100/225, 10@110/242, 10@120/264, 5@130/286

Monday ME SQ/DL
How much did Sunday's shrug-fest take out of the upper back? A quick bout of chin-ups seemed like a good test. Not a good result.

Chin-up 13@bw

Wednesday ME BENCH
Things still didn't feel right following a few sets of chin-ups (the magic 50 still eludes me here).

Chin-up 10,10,10,10 @bw

Ross EnamaitFollowing Ross Enamait's original thoughts on strength training for boxers there was a bit of confusion. In order to clarify things he looks at Strength training for fighters - a good summary.

Now, that's squattingJeff Fiss discusses just a few of the reasons he considers the squat to be the king of all lifts. Good stuff.

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