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Train hard, train smart, train like an Athlete!
Filed Under (Uncategorized) by Ryan Miller on 16-08-2011
Today I wanted to compare traditional strength training(bodybuilding) vs training like an Athlete(functional training).
In traditional strength training you sit on machines and push/pull weights on along an unnatural plane. This has a negative effect on your balance, coordination and doesn’t develop all the small stabilizing muscles that work in conjunction with the large muscle groups.
Plus, you only strengthen those muscles in that unnatural position.
This sounds like a great way to train to increase your chances of injury!
In bodybuilding it is very common to spend the same amount of time on small muscle groups(like the biceps & triceps) as you would on the entire lower body. There is a huge amount of lean muscle tissue between your ankles and your hips that are involved in almost every move you make.
Doing the same amount of work between your lower body and your biceps doesn’t seem like a very productive use of time and you are just asking for an overuse injury!
Training with slow tempos common in bodybuilding is great for posing on a stage in your underwear but will not translate to picking up your kids, shoveling snow, your golf game or anything functional for that matter!
If you train slow you will become slow.
Single joint exercises, isolating exercises and using machines affect a significantly less amount of muscle fibers than their free-weight alternatives, making them far more inferior exerices if you are looking to improve functionality.
The human body rarely moves, works in isolation. Just think about walking or throwing a ball. Nearly every muscle in your body has to work in conjunction with one another(not isolated muscles) to perform either one of those tasks.
Training large multi-joint movements(squats, deadlifts, push-ups, etc) just makes more sense.
Don’t fall into the trap of training like a bodybuilder(unless of course, you are competing in bodybuilding). Get rid of the isolating, time consuming exercises, avoid all the typical fitness myths out there and start training like an Athlete today!
Trade these typical bodybuilding exercises for the more functional ones below…
Instead of biceps curls…Try chin-ups or inverted rows
Switch the leg press for…Squats, deadlifts, front squats or lunges
Exchange your seated machine rows for…Inverted rows or pull-ups
Swap the leg extension machine(probably the worst possible exercise for your knees!) for…Step-ups or the single leg squat
Replace the lateral raises with…Push-ups or the push press
Substitute your ham curls with…Straight leg deadlifts
Trade calf raises in for…Jump squats
And, ALL of these exercises can be done using JUST your own bodyweight!
NO fancy, expensive gym equipment or memberships needed!
Swap out these machine based exercises with the suggestions above and let me know what you think.
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How many reps would you recommend for each of these exercises when performing them in a circuit fashion?
Hi Matt. Thanks for checking out my blog. If you want more of a metabolic strength workout, do 8-10 reps. For more of a metabolic conditioning circuit do higher reps with less resistance. Hope this helps