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Man With a Plan: Part I
First published at www.johnberardi.com, Oct 6 2003. Introduction I’m sure you’ve read all the headlines in the magazines before: The ULTIMATE shoulder training routine, Put 50 pounds on your bench press in 8 weeks, etc. I would also be willing to guess that many of you have tried these programs before and followed them day-by-day, […]
Continue ReadingMan with a plan: Part II
First published at www.johnberardi.com, Oct 20 2003. The Program Hopefully, after the first article, you have taken the time to thoroughly evaluate your training or physique status. I hope you have also taken the steps to determine your weaknesses, goals, and an action plan to help you achieve your goals. Now is the time to […]
Continue ReadingMan With a Plan: Part III
First published at www.johnberardi.com, Nov 3 2003. Making a Good Program Better In the second installment of our series, you should have gotten a fairly good idea of how to set-up a training program with your specific goals in mind. However, it’s very hard to explain all the different possibilities. You will notice that while […]
Continue ReadingMan With a Plan: Training Template
Training Template In part I, part II and part III of the Man with a Plan series, Mike walks you through the training program design process. Here he provides a simple but effective template that you can use to structure your own programs. Option 1: Antagonist Muscle Pairing (Same Day) Exercise Sets/Reps Rest (sec) Weight […]
Continue ReadingHow to Improve the Wide Stance Squat
Squatting…like it or not, you just have to do it if you are serious about getting strong! There are two main ways of squatting today; one being the high bar, narrow stance squat (Olympic squat), and the other being a wide-stance, low bar squat (Powerlifting or Power squat). While they are in essence the same […]
Continue ReadingHow to Improve the Sumo Deadlift
There is a common phrase in powerlifting circles that states, The meet doesn’t start until the bar hits the floor. I’m not sure if that’s entirely true, but I do know that the deadlift is your last chance to move up in the standings. There are two major forms of the deadlift used in competition: […]
Continue ReadingBiomechanics and the Bench Press
How many times since you’ve been going to the gym have you heard, “Dude, how much can you BENCH?” If you’ve been training for a while, I would venture to guess quite a few. Big bench pressers are always highly revered, especially because someone with a massive bench can inspire everyone, not just powerlifters. To […]
Continue ReadingAccessory Onslaught #1: The Squat
My first 3-part article series dealt with how you can use biomechanics and technique to improve your total. However, choosing the right exercises and performing them correctly in your daily workouts can go a long way to improving your total as well. This first article will describe common exercises performed to improve your squat. Primary […]
Continue ReadingIron Evolution #3: Recovery 101
In our daily struggle to get bigger and stronger, most of us have tried numerous training programs that all promised unbelievable gains. Put 100 pounds on your squat or 50 pounds on your bench press in 6 weeks; the emphasis always seems to be on the training program rather than what you do OUTSIDE OF […]
Continue ReadingAccessory Onslaught #2: The Bench Press
In part one of this series, I discussed how employing specific assistance lifts can improve your poundage’s in the squat. In part two, I will give you plenty of exercises that will help you build a stronger, more powerful bench press. Beyond that, I’ll give you plenty of exercises to keep your shoulders healthy as […]
Continue ReadingAccessory Onslaught #3: The Deadlift
In this final installment of the Accessory Onslaught series, I am going to give you the tools necessary to develop a big time deadlift. Deadlifts, like the squat and bench, can be built with a mix of smart training, hard work, and proper exercise selection. This article will cover a few of the exercises that […]
Continue ReadingIron Evolution #1: Diet and Nutrition
Think back since you’ve started training: How many sets and reps articles have you read? And going beyond that, how many have you actually tried? The truth is that everyone is looking for the bullet-proof training regimen, guaranteed to put X amount of pounds on your frame or your lifts. What if I told you […]
Continue ReadingIron Evolution #2: Flexibility and Mobility
I’ve been told that what you say in the first paragraph of an article determines whether or not a reader will finish it; I would assume this is even truer regarding an article on flexibility! So what if I told you that something as simple as improving your flexibility could help keep you injury-free and […]
Continue ReadingThe Quest for Size And Strength
“A Journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” – Confucius The Quest for Size and Strength In other articles, I’ve written at length about functional anatomy, exercises to try and the like, but I wanted to write an article that summarizes the kind of training I’m all about. Some might call me […]
Continue ReadingAn Interview With Strength Coach Mike Robertson
This article originally ran on Bodybuilding.com This week I have a great interview with strength coach, Mike Robertson. Mike has some very solid information to share and I’ve read most of his articles – when you see anything by this guy, you know it’s high quality and can help you get bigger, stronger, faster… and […]
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