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Training the shoulders may not be at the top of the list for most lifters. It doesn’t even make the list at all for some, and they skip it entirely. But the shoulders (a.k.a. the deltoids or delts) can serve a vital role in many goals.

Whether you want to add more muscle, get stronger, or if you’re only now starting your journey into the iron game, a systematic approach to shoulder training is best. Formulating a solid and effective plan will take some careful consideration of function.

Breaking down the shoulders into separate-but-connected parts, and training them accordingly, is the optimal path for the greatest progress towards fulfilling your specific goals. Below are four options for shoulder training specific to the goals of building muscle, dumbbell-only training, beginner workouts, and pure strength.

The Best Shoulder Workouts

• For More Muscle
• With Dumbbells
• For Beginners
• For Strength

Shoulder Workout for More Muscle

If more muscle is the goal, your ego needs to take a hike. Building muscle isn’t entirely about lifting heavier weight for more reps. Yes, progressive overload is a part of the more-muscle equation, but form and function are imperative to your success, especially when it comes to training the shoulders.

Your focus should be on controlling the weight, avoiding any cheating to move the weight up, and getting maximum fiber recruitment and blood flow. 

The Wide Delt Workout

Many lifters invariably start each shoulder workout with a heavy overhead press to take advantage of increased strength levels early in the session. However, those same lifters would benefit from starting with work for common weak points or overlooked muscles.

This more effective approach will help to balance out shoulder mass and pre-exhaust the area, facilitating a greater training effect without the need for super-heavy weights — which can create stress on the joints and, elicit poor form, and shift the focus to strength-building. 

Bent-Over Dumbbell Lateral Raise

• How to Do It: Grasp a pair of dumbbells and bend at your hips until your upper body is nearly parallel to the floor. Allow the weights to hang straight down, just above your feet. Avoid rounding your lower back. Raise the dumbbells up and out to the side with your palms facing the floor during the movement. Keep a slight bend in your elbows and keep the weights in line with your head. Squeeze your rear deltoids (back of the shoulder) in the top position and then return under control. 
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 10-15
• Rest Time: 30 to 45 seconds between sets.

Standing Dumbbell Lateral Raise

• How to Do It: Stand with a pair of dumbbells held at your sides, palms facing your body. Keep a slight bend in your elbow and a tightly braced core. Raise the weights out to your sides until you reach shoulder-height. Return slowly to your sides.
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 10-15
• Rest Time: 30 to 45 seconds between sets.

Machine Shoulder Press

• How to Do It: Sit in a shoulder press machine and grasp the handles with either a pronated (palms forward) or neutral (palms-in) grip. Adjust the seat or handle to begin the movement around ear-level. Press up until just before your elbows lockout, then return back down.
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 10-15
• Rest Time: 30 to 45 seconds between sets.

Cable Face Pull 

• How to Do It: Attach a rope handle to a cable pulley set around eye-level. Grasp the rope with your thumbs near the end stoppers and step back with your arms extended in front of you. Pull the rope towards your forehead. Keep your elbows up and out to the sides, in line with your shoulders. Squeeze your shoulders back and return slowly to the stretched position.
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 10-15
• Rest Time: 30 to 45 seconds between sets.

Shoulder Workout with Dumbbells

Effective shoulder training shouldn’t be reserved for those who have the latest state-of-the-art technology, the most current training machinery, and the most plush workout environments.

With just a simple set of dumbbells, anyone can build an impressive set of deltoids without needing any flashy equipment.

Dumbbell-Only Delt Training

Below is a basic dumbbell workout covering all the important bases needed for any solid plan. It hits each deltoid head — front, side, and rear — and utilizes a few unique planes of motion, setting you up for a great workout without the traditional (and expensive) gym equipment.

Seated Dumbbell Press

• How to Do It: Sit on a seat with a back pad and grasp two dumbbells. Bring them to shoulder-level with your elbows angled slightly out to your sides. Press the weights up and in, ending up directly over your head. Stop just before your elbows lockout. Return the dumbbells down to the starting position slowly and under control. 
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12
• Rest Time: 60 seconds between sets.

Standing Dumbbell Lateral Raise

• How to Do It: Stand with a pair of dumbbells held at your sides, palms facing your body. Keep a slight bend in your elbow and a tightly braced core. Raise the weights out to your sides until you reach shoulder-height. Return slowly to your sides.
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 10-15
• Rest Time: 60 seconds between sets.

Standing Dumbbell Upright Row

• How to Do It: Stand with a pair of dumbbells resting on the front of your thighs with your palms facing your body. Maintain the same hand position while raising the weight up, leading with your elbows. Keep the weights close to your body. Stop when the dumbbells are at shoulder-height. Your elbows should always be slightly higher than your hands. Return down under control. 
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12
• Rest Time: 60 seconds between sets

Seated Dumbbell Front Raise

• How to Do It: Sit on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand hanging at your sides with your palms facing each other. Keep your arms straight and raise both dumbbells up and inwards, making a slight curve from your sides up to eye-level. At the top, the dumbbells should be close together but not touching. Reverse the movement and lower the weights to the bottom. 
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 10-15
• Rest Time: 60 seconds between sets.

Shoulder Workout for Beginners

With the overwhelming amount of information on the web, it’s tough to discern what works and what doesn’t (about everything, let alone shoulder training).

It also seems that everyone has an opinion about how beginners “should” start out whether it’s with the barebones basics, diving right into some complex program, or using something in between. But rest assured, shoulder training doesn’t have to be, and shouldn’t be, all that confusing.

The Basic Beginner’s Shoulder Workout

A beginner’s routine shouldn’t be too complicated, and that’s especially true for the shoulders. The deltoid complex is made up of many smaller muscles that work in concert to function through many planes of motion. Additionally, it can be a vulnerable area when trained incorrectly.

Beginners need to simply focus on practicing proper form and working the muscles through a full range of motion without worrying too much about loading heavy weights. 

Seated Barbell Shoulder Press

• How to Do It: Sit on a bench with a padded back grasping a barbell a bit outside of shoulder-width. Begin with the bar held just in front of your chin and push the bar straight up. Once it passes your head, push the bar slightly back so it’s directly overhead and allow your head to travel between your arms. After locking out overhead, lower the weight under control to the starting position. 
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12
• Rest Time: 60 seconds between sets.

Wide-Grip Barbell Upright Row

• How to Do It: Grasp a barbell with an overhand grip six to 12 inches outside of shoulder-width. Stand with the bar resting against your thighs. Pull the weight up by bending your elbows. Lead the movement with your elbows, keeping them higher than your hands. The bar should travel up your body until it reaches mid-chest level. Lower the bar back down slowly. 
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12
• Rest Time: 60 seconds between sets.

Standing Dumbbell Lateral Raise

• How to Do It: Stand with a pair of dumbbells held at your sides, palms facing your body. Keep a slight bend in your elbow and a tightly braced core. Raise the weights out to your sides until you reach shoulder-height. Return slowly to your sides.
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12
• Rest Time: 60 seconds between sets.

Shoulder Workout for Strength

Building strong shoulders isn’t as simple as hoisting heavier weights with your current routine. It’ll take a bit of a paradigm shift. The goal should be to lift heavier, but only with the right exercises.

Stronger shoulders are the hub of all upper body movements. A strong and stable shoulder girdle has the ability to support many of the bigger lifts such as bench presses, rows, pull-ups, and deadlifts. 

The Strength-Building Shoulder Workout 

Take a different approach to strength here. You’ll need to think about big compound movements, developing some speed strength, and using exercises that can add more foundational stability. This plan is designed to do just that. 

Standing Push Press

• How to Do It: Stand with a barbell at shoulder-height, holding the bar slightly outside of each shoulder. Begin with a stable core, flexed glutes, and slightly bent legs. Begin the movement by straightening your legs to provide a little push. Capitalize on this assistance by also pressing powerfully overhead. Lockout the weight directly above your head. Brace your core again before controlling the weight down to the starting position.
• Sets and Reps: 4 x 5
• Rest Time: Two minutes between sets.

Hang Clean

• How to Do It: Grasp a barbell with an overhand grip a bit wider than your shoulders. Bend slightly at your knees and hips, allowing the bar to travel down your thighs. Forcefully straighten your entire body while pulling the bar up in a straight line towards your chest. Once it reaches chest-level, quickly bend your knees to drop your body down while fully bending your arms to “catch” the bar on the front of your shoulders. 
• Sets and Reps: 4 x 5
• Rest Time: Two minutes between sets.

Farmer’s Walk

• How to Do It: Grab a pair of heavy dumbbells and allow them to hang by your sides. Find a straight path and begin by walking as far as possible while carrying the weights. Keep your arms slightly bent and your shoulder blades pinched back to maintain strong, safe posture. One complete round trip — from your starting point, going out as far as possible and returning to the starting point — is one “rep.”
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 1
• Rest Time: Two minutes between sets.

Muscles of Your Shoulders

The shoulders, or deltoids, are one muscle composed of three separate heads.

Each head contributes to overall movement, but their anatomical position allows each to be a larger contributor during certain movements, making the shoulder a relatively complex muscle group.

Anterior Deltoids

The anterior deltoids, or front delts, are in front of the shoulder above your biceps. They connect your upper arm to your clavicle. They primarily raise your arm upwards in front of your body..

Lateral Deltoids

The lateral deltoids, or side delts, are located on the central section of the shoulder and are most commonly associated with the “wide shoulder” appearance. The lateral delts connect your upper arm to the acromion process on your shoulder blade. Lateral delts are significantly recruited to move your arm out to the side.

Posterior Deltoids

The posterior deltoids, or rear delts, connect your upper arm to the flat portion of your shoulder blade. They play a key role in moving your arms backwards, especially during pulling or rowing exercises. Because several muscles of the upper back also perform a similar function, the rear deltoids often require (but don’t often receive) specifically targeted training.

How to Warm-Up Your Shoulders

Skipping a warm-up isn’t good for any body part. Sure, you may quickly warm-up your legs, chest, or back, but many lifters have no good reason for simply jumping right into shoulder training without prepping them for the work to come.

The shoulders are a complex, multi-angular group of muscles that require a proper warm-up specific to their needs. Since their function is to lift the arm to the front, side, and back, it’s best to give these movements attention.

A Complete Shoulder Warm-Up

• Face Pull: Attach a rope handle to a cable pulley set around eye-level. Grasp the rope with your thumbs near the end stoppers and step back with your arms extended in front of you. Pull the rope towards your forehead. Keep your elbows up and out to the sides, in line with your shoulders. Squeeze your shoulders back and return slowly to the stretched position. Perform two sets of 10 reps.
• Standing Dumbbell Press: Stand with a pair of dumbbells at shoulder-level with your elbows angled slightly out to your sides. Flex your abs and glutes for total-body stability. Keep a slight bend in your knees. Press the weights up and in. At the top, the weights should be directly over your head with your arms locked. Return the dumbbells under control down to shoulder-level. Perform two sets of 10 reps.
• Band Pull-Apart: Stand with your arms extended in front of your chest, with a palms-down grip on a resistance band. Keep a slight bend in your arms while pulling the band apart until it touches your chest. Hold for one second before reversing the motion under control. Perform two sets of 10 reps.

Well-Rounded, Well-Built Shoulders

No matter if your goal is muscle growth, more strength, or if you need an all dumbbell option or you’re a beginner there’s a shoulder workout designed just for you. Choose a plan, execute with razor-like focus, and finally reach those goals for better shoulders.

Featured Image: Aleksandr Lupin / Shutterstock

The post The Best Shoulder Workouts for More Muscle, For Strength, For Beginners, and More appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

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On roughly April 20, 2022, the Polish powerlifter pulled an incredible 490-kilogram deadlift (1,080 pounds) during a training session. Notably, Wierzbicki appeared to pull the weight without a lifting belt — though he could potentially have worn one under his shirt — and from a sumo stance while wearing only wrist wraps.

Check out the lift below, captured from one of Wierzbicki’s Instagram stories, which was then reposted by Julian Howard (@worldstrongestfan) on Instagram.

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Julian Howard (@worldsstrongestfan)

[Related: Danny Grigsby (125 KG) Makes Powerlifting History, Logs First-Ever 1000-Plus Pound Raw Deadlift In A Full Power Meet]

Wierzbicki did not disclose how much he weighed when he completed the lift. According to Open Powerlifting, he has competed professionally in the 110-kilogram weight class since the spring of 2021. In any event, this deadlift was well over four and a half times Wierzbicki’s recent usual competition body weight.

Paving a Road

Wierzbicki has been open on social media in his pursuit of a hallowed mark in strength sports — the 500-kilogram deadlift (1,102 pounds). The only two people to ever deadlift that much weight are 2017 World’s Strongest Man Champion (WSM) Eddie Hall and 2018 WSM Champion Hafthor Björnsson. Notably, both achieved their legendary pulls from a conventional stance while wearing deadlift suits and lifting straps — which is allowed in a strongman competition.

Given his quick progress of late, Wierzbicki’s entry into the 500-kilogram deadlift club seems inevitable.

During the 2020 National Association of Powerlifting (NAP) Siberian Championships, while competing in the 100-kilogram weight class, Wierzbicki logged the current all-time world record deadlift — a staggering 433.5-kilogram pull (955.7-pound). Roughly eight months later, in November 2020, while wearing wrist straps and a lifting belt, the Polish athlete deadlifted 456 kilograms (1,005.3 pounds) in training, breaking the 1,000-pound barrier for the first time.

The ensuing year, in early November 2021 while competing in the 110-kilogram weight class, Wierzbicki broke the all-time world record for a non-full power meet with a 447.5-kilogram pull (986.6-pound) during the 2021 WRPF-POL Mistrzostwa Polski.

Finally, in what is increasingly becoming a typical deadlift step up for Wierzbicki, he recently pulled 461 kilograms (1,016 pounds) during another workout. 

All four of Wierzbicki’s mentioned pulls were from a sumo stance. His latest 490-kilogram deadlift (1,080 pounds) training feat is another massive step toward that lofty 500-kilogram (1,102-pound) goal. 

Back and Forth 

The 110-kilogram powerlifting weight class appears to have a two-person deadlift tug of war for the record books. While Wierzbicki continues to charge along toward astonishing, seldom-seen numbers, American powerlifter Jamal Browner has generally kept up with the meteoric pace. 

Over the approximate past month, Browner has seen rapid advancements in his conventional deadlift. On March 23, 2022, he pulled 432.5 kilograms (953.5 pounds) while wearing only a lifting belt. An approximate month later, on April 20, 2022, Browner locked out 409.6 kilograms (903 pounds) for two reps.

In the 110-kilogram weight class, Browner also possesses an all-time deadlift world record — a 440.4-kilogram pull (971-pound) from the 2020 World Raw Powerlifting Federation (WRPF) Hybrid Showdown II. Notably, like Wierzbicki, Browner has also previously crossed the 1,000-pound barrier with a 476.3-kilogram deadlift (1,050-pound) during a training session in July 2020. Browner wore a lifting belt and lifting straps for that pull. 

While the 500-kilogram mark is still a ways off, the deadlift world record for strictly powerlifters is within shouting distance for Wierzbicki and Browner. The 2003-2004 Iceland’s Strongest Man Champion (ISM) Benedikt Magnùsson holds the current record with a 460.4-kilogram pull (1,015-pound) captured at the deadlift-only 2011 Hardcore Clash of the Titans IV. Magnùsson competed in the super heavyweight class (319+ pounds; unrestricted weight).

Wierzbicki still has to make progress with his conventional deadlift (at least in public), but whenever he decides to compete again, he might beat Browner to the punch and break Magnùsson’s record. Membership to the 500-kilogram club likely won’t follow long after. Talk about killing two significant strength-sports birds with one stone. 

Featured Image: @worldsstrongestfan on Instagram

The post Powerlifter Krzysztof Wierzbicki Locks Out a 490-Kilogram Deadlift (1,080 Pounds) During Training appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

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The 2017 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) Champion Eddie “The Beast” Hall has finally paid his boxing debts to the 2018 WSM Champion Hafthor “The Mountain” Björnsson. On April 20, 2022, a little over a month after Björnsson’s victory over Hall in the “Heaviest Boxing Match in History,” Hall honored a  pre-match wager — he got a tattoo with Björnsson’s full name. and the moniker of “World’s Strongest Man”.

The complete tattoo reads: “World’s Strongest Man Hafthor Julius Björnsson.”

Hall posted the video on April 20, 2022, but there is no confirmation that is the exact date when he got the tattoo. Check out the clip of Hall’s reveal below, via Hall’s YouTube channel. 

Between the YouTube video and a post on Hall’s Instagram, the tattoo announcement has over 1.1 million views at the time of writing. In addition to his new tattoo, Hall addressed to other pre-match elephants in the room, like a $10,000 bet with Larry Wheels and a $200,000 donation to a charity Björnsson would choose. Hall has said he would “eat humble pie” while expressing admiration for his friendly rival. That certainly appears to be the plan now. 

“I’m a man of my word,” Hall says. “I’ve done everything I said I was going to do, so [I’m] looking forward to what’s next.”

Björnsson has not disclosed which charity Hall will donate to. Notably, Björnsson agreed that he would match Hall’s donation, regardless. At the time of writing, Björnsson has not posted any official reaction to Hall’s new tattoo. Similarly, Wheels has not posted any public reaction that he received Hall’s bet money. 

After getting his tattoo, Hall’s major wish was that Björnsson would eventually agree to a future rematch. 

“This means that down the line, the rematch, if it’s there, will happen,” Hall says. 

The first fight saw Björnsson defeat Hall by a unanimous decision on Mar. 19, 2022, at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium in Dubai, UAE. In the aftermath, Björnsson said he’d open to a rematch, but only if Hall got his tattoo. With Hall finally honoring his word, a second match between the two legendary strongmen might be in store in the future. Though, for now, nothing is officially in the works. 

Hall finished his tattoo address by expressing pride in humility — a strong mindset that seems to have served him well, in more than one facet. 

“At least, this is not as embarrassing as being a sore loser,” Hall says. “And I can take a loss like a man, unlike some people, and that’s how I’ll leave this.”

Featured image: Eddie ‘The Beast’ Hall on YouTube

The post Eddie Hall Honored Boxing Bet With Hafthor Björnsson and Got a Tattoo of His Full Name appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

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Hey folks, Board-Certified Health Coach Chloe Maleski is here to answer your questions about cannabis. Whether you’re wondering if it’s Primal, thinking of experimenting, or trying to cut back, you’ll learn important considerations to keep in mind. Got a question you’d like to ask our health coaches? Leave it below in the comments or over in the Mark’s Daily Apple Facebook group. 

Julie asked:
“I never thought I’d be asking this, but is weed Primal? Is it addictive? I’m a 45-year-old mom of two and ‘partying’ means Netflix in bed. But my state legalized cannabis, and I’m curious to try it. Bad idea or no big deal?”

You’re not alone in asking this, Julie! As laws around cannabis use change, folks who may not have considered using it previously are curious.

The short answer to your first question is Yes…with a caveat. Consumed in its whole plant form, cannabis is Primal. Same holds if you’re consuming the whole plant in combination with other Primal ingredients.

Many times, however, that’s not the case.

For one thing, isolated components (rather than the whole plant) are often used in products such as cannabis tinctures and edibles. You’ll want to check what other ingredients are tagging along. Perhaps any sugar, inflammatory oils, or other non-Primal ingredients are negligible in the context of your overall diet. Still, the answer to “Is it Primal?” could be a No.

Of course, you may be considering smoking it. In that case, there are significant respiratory risks to consider.¹

In whatever form—Primal approved or not—cannabis is potentially addictive.²

Proceed with some caution. If you do try, start extra slow and take close note of how it makes you feel—not just in the moment, but the next day. You’ll also want to have an honest conversation with a reputable dispensary employee. During this conversation:

• Let them know you’re brand new.
• Ask questions.
• Explain your desired outcome (e.g., relaxation, better sleep,³ pain relief⁴).
• Ask whether CBD or a particular CBD:THC ratio may be a better fit.

Also be aware that cannabis affects individuals differently, and not all potential effects are welcome.

For instance, while some people use cannabis to help manage insomnia, discontinuing after heavy use can actually disturb sleep.⁵ While cannabis offers stress relief for some, in others it increases stress and anxiety. Use is also associated with impaired short-term memory.⁶

If you do experiment, it’s important to keep the bigger picture in mind: Just because a substance is legal, that doesn’t mean it’s healthy or good for you! So many factors are at play here, including individual considerations, the type of cannabis, the form of administration, and set and setting.

Make sure you’ve researched laws in your area to know what’s allowed, and approach any experimentation with questions, curiosity, and care.

Trey asked:
“How can I tell whether my THC habit has gone from casual to dependence? I only take it on weekends (in the form of edibles), but sometimes I worry. Can you weigh in?”

Anything we use to numb out or to not feel our feelings has the potential to become addictive—all the more so if it creates a direct physiological response in the body and directly influences the brain’s reward system.

One easy way to tell whether something’s addictive is to take a 30-day break. If you can truly “take it or leave it,” taking time off won’t be a big deal. Run your own experiment. Get really honest.

Also ask yourself: “Is using THC making me feel like my most alive, most vital self? Is it helping me form deeper connections with family, friends, and loved ones (connections not dependent on a shared drug of choice)?”

Alternatively, does using THC feel like an unhelpful cycle on repeat? (Usually, we know the answer.)

Look, there’s no one size fits all when it comes to THC. For some people, it can be a substitute for more harmful substances. For some, it can even be a form of medicine (although smoking is NEVER healthy for your lungs).

If you are using THC in such ways, it shouldn’t reinforce habits that aren’t serving you. It also shouldn’t reinforce limiting or negative beliefs about yourself. Put differently, how does “The Day After” feel?

As I mentioned above, you’ll also want to check what else is in that edible. As a Primal Health Coach, I’m also curious what you eat after consuming THC, which brings us to our last question…

Halle asked:
“I eat Primal 80 percent of the time but struggle with the other 20. No doubt, this is due to my weed habit: Most unhealthy eating happens after I’ve been smoking. If I want to cut back but not quit, what do you recommend?”

This one could get tricky depending on your personality and what strategies work for you. For some people, quitting something entirely is way easier than cutting back. For others, making something off limits leads to self-sabotage and consuming more than they were originally.

Finding your best strategy takes experimentation. That said, whether your goal is more moderate, mindful consumption OR quitting cannabis entirely, here’s are 4 powerful, actionable steps:

1. Add in healthy practices and routines. Eat real, whole, nourishing food, move your body, meditate, create home spa nights, etc. By treating yourself in ways that feel good afterwards (instead of just in the moment or while high), you’ll retrain yourself to relax and decompress using other tools. Most likely, this won’t be a satisfying substitute at first. But with time, you’ll find yourself not wanting to ruin how healthy living makes you feel. Getting high becomes less worth it.
2. Create clear parameters around use. For this to work, these “rules” have to be non-negotiable. Otherwise, your willpower will run out, and you’ll be back where you began. Are you only going to consume on weekends? Once a month? In what quantity? Decide. Make it The Policy.
3. Edit your advertising. The messaging you consume online and off has a huge impact. Minimize messaging that supports your smoking habit. Replace it with messaging that promotes a healthy lifestyle. This may mean swapping out the social media accounts you follow and hanging in different circles. It might also mean saying No to certain invitations…and Yes to more supportive ones.
4. Do what you love! And by that, I mean something other than getting high. Cutting back on cannabis or any other addictive substance doesn’t have to be awful! Focus on creating a life you love at least as much as you focus on cutting something out.

Another key piece—whether you want to cut back or quit cannabis entirely—is to create an extra layer of accountability.

This could mean working with a therapist or sober coach, attending recovery meetings IRL or online, or joining a recovery community.

It could also mean working with a Primal Health Coach as part of your wider wellness plan. As coaches, we can help you get clear on the diet and lifestyle practices that are best for you. We can also support you in following through with change efforts.

If you’d like your own personal health coach, visit myprimalcoach.com. And if you have other questions for me, drop them in the comments!

The post Ask a Health Coach: Is Cannabis Primal? appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

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By now, it’s probably fair to expect Jamal Browner to manage staggering strength feats during his training. On April 19, 2022, the powerlifter did it again when he squatted 345 kilograms (760.6 pounds) for three reps and deadlifted 410 kilograms (903 pounds) for two reps in training. Both lifts were personal records (PRs) for Browner.

Browner — who competes in the 110-kilogram weight class — wore a lifting belt and knee sleeves during his squat triple PR. He also donned a belt during his conventional stance deadlift double PR.

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Jamal Browner (@jamal_b15)

[Related: Powerlifter Danny Grigsby Deadlifts 915 Pounds For 2 Reps And Then Pulls 770 Pounds For 8 Reps]

All things considered, Browner manages both PR lifts with relative ease. He completes his deadlift double with zero rest between reps, and aside from a slight pause between each of his squat triple reps, there’s little sign of an apparent struggle.

Browner at a Glance

Browner has made a name for himself by being one of the strongest active powerlifters in the deadlift. He is a member of the 1,000-pound deadlift club, once pulling a 476.3-kilogram deadlift (1,050 pounds) and a 455-kilogram deadlift (1,003 pounds). Notably, he accomplished both from a sumo stance while wearing lifting straps.

In the 110-kilogram weight class, Browner possesses the current raw world record with a pull of 440.5 kilograms (971 pounds), which was set at the 2020 World Raw Powerlifting Federation (WRPF) Hybrid Showdown II.

Recently, during another training session, Browner managed a 432.5-kilogram deadlift (953.5 pounds) from a conventional stance. It might only be a matter of time before he secures a 1,000-pound deadlift in both conventional and sumo. 

Here are some of the more notable results of Browner’s career to date:

Jamal Browner (110 KG) — Notable Career Results

• 2016 USA Powerlifting (USAPL) Border Bash Alabama vs. Georgia — 1st place | First career victory
• 2017 North American Powerlifting Federation (NAPF) Arnold A7 Bar Grip Raw Pro Challenge — 1st place
• 2018 United States Powerlifting Association (USPA) North American Championships — 1st place
• 2020 WRPF Hybrid Showdown II — 1st place
• 2021 WRPF Hybrid Showdown III —  1st place
• 2021 WRPF The Bucked Up Showdown — 1st place
• 2022 USPA Hybrid Showdown 4 — 1st place

Browner has become a well-rounded powerlifter in an almost six-year professional career. Here are his best-ever marks during powerlifting competitions:

• Squat — 365 kilograms (804.7 pounds)
• Bench Press — 224.5 kilograms (496 pounds)
• Deadlift — 440.5 kilograms (971.1 pounds) | Raw World Record | Conventional Stance
• Total — 1000 kilograms (2204.6 pounds)

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Jamal Browner (@jamal_b15)

[Related: Powerlifter Jessica Buettner Deadlifts 507 Pounds For 6; Crushes 405-Pound Paused Squat For 4 Reps]

A New Challenge

While he continues to push it to the limit during training, Browner has not yet announced his next competition. If recent history is any indication, his next event might be under the eye of the WRPF in the early fall. The next upcoming event that meets those parameters is the 2022 WRPF The Clash on the Columbia on September 3-5, 2022, in Vancouver, WA.

With a formal invitation from the Giants Live organization, he could also elect to compete in the 2022 World Deadlift Championships (WDC). Those will take place during the 2022 Giants Live World Open on Aug. 6, 2022.

However, notably, the 2022 WDC is a strongman competition — meaning athletes can utilize lifting straps, deadlift suits, and lifting belts for their pulls. Strongman events also do not allow Browner’s favored sumo stance. In addition, many of the athletes weigh more than 100 pounds than him. It would undoubtedly be a test for Browner, who has only ever competed raw.

Nonetheless, with Browner continuing to capture new PRs in training, there’s no telling what he could achieve soon.

Featured image: @jamal_b15 on Instagram

The post Jamal Browner Notches a 345-Kilogram Squat (760.6 Pounds)Triple PR & 410-Kilogram Deadlift (903 Pounds) Double PR appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

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On April 19, 2022, International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Pro League bodybuilder Shaun Clarida showed his endurance during another pivotal off-season workout. To test his stamina and attain a “muscle pump,” the former 212 Mr. Olympia Champion (2020) crushed 150-pound incline dumbbell presses for a staggering 20 reps.

Check out the lift below — where Clarida is wearing a lifting belt and wrist straps — via his Instagram profile: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by IFBB Pro Shaun Clarida (@shaunclarida)

[Related: Bodybuilder Hunter Labrada Powers Through A 495-Pound Banded Squat For 17 Reps]

Behind the Pump

Clarida’s thought process behind working out for a massive “muscle pump” isn’t a new concept for professional bodybuilders. To compete at the highest levels of a strength sport that focuses on physiques, the “pump” might even be necessary. 

The pump occurs for an athlete when their bodily fluids (mainly blood and water) accumulate in whatever muscle they’re contracting. When lactic acid begins to build up in a working muscle, it attracts water. Meanwhile, your heart accordingly pumps more blood to an area that needs attention — like, say, an activated muscle — to give it the power and strength it needs at that moment. (1)

This influx of fluids ultimately gives muscles that temporary swollen “pumped” look. This appearance is understandably appealing to bodybuilders working on the aesthetic of their bodies in competition, as the pump can make their muscles appear more full and dense. 

Research shows that there are hypertrophic (or muscle growth) benefits behind the muscle pump, too. Though, that benefit comes with important caveats. 

While athletes can grow their muscles and get stronger by working for a pump, a study maintained that their workout selection must be judicious. The lift must be challenging and extended enough to keep the targeted muscles under consistent tension. Essentially, the athlete cannot allow those muscles to relax during a set. (2)

Likewise, a challenging, high-repetition, low-rest workout shouldn’t necessarily be the sole focus of a routine aiming for a muscle pump. Any athletes with such an aim — such as bodybuilders — might do well to implement their “pump training” after a strength routine that centers around heavier compound lifts, like the bench press. (2)

A seasoned bodybuilding pro, Clarida assuredly understands how to prepare his body for competition. He may well follow his recent pump training by sharing intensive, low-rep strength workouts soon. 

The Road to Mr. Olympia

Clarida has spent most of his professional bodybuilding career in the 212 Mr. Olympia division, but by December of 2022, that could change. While the 40-year-old remained in the 212 division during the 2021 Mr. Olympia — where he finished in second place to Derek Lunsford — he did compete in and won the Open division at the 2021 Legion Sports Festival roughly two months prior. 

Clarida has not yet clarified where he will compete during the 2022 Mr. Olympia, which will take place on December 15-18, 2022, in Las Vegas, NV. With a little under eight months until the competition, there’s likely no rush. 

Whichever competitive division Clarida does choose, he probably won’t neglect his muscle pump in training. 

References:

1. Casey, D.P., Hart, E.C. (2008). Cardiovascular function in humans during exercise: role of the muscle pump. The Journal of Physiology. 2008 Nov; 586 (Pt.21): p. 5045–5046.
2. Schoenfeld, B.J., Contreras, Bret. (2014). The Muscle Pump. Potential Mechanisms and Applications for Enhancing Hypertrophic Adaptations. Strength and Conditioning Journal. 2014 Jun; Vol. 36 (3); p. 21-25.

Featured image: @shaunclarida on Instagram

The post Bodybuilder Shaun Clarida Locks Out 150-Pound Incline Dumbbell Presses For 20 Reps appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

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For this week’s edition of Dear Mark, I’m answering a question that came in response to my previous post on teens and creatine usage. Should women take creatine? Are there any differences in creatine metabolism between men and women? Does creatine work the same in women? And, the age-old question, will creatine make women bulky?

Let’s dig in.

Hi Mark,

I’m wondering if creatine is as helpful for women as it is for men. You don’t really hear much about it out there regarding women. What do you think?

Ultimately, we are all humans. We all produce the same hormones, process the same three macronutrients, utilize the same micronutrients, and require the same nourishment regardless of whether we’re men or women.

However, there are measurable, objective differences between the average man and the average woman. We know, for instance, that even individual cells can be “male” or “female.” A kidney cell from a female looks and functions differently than a kidney cell from a male. The kidney still performs the same role in the body regardless of sex, but there are differences in the margins. Subtle nuances that have an effect.

So it’s natural to wonder whether creatine has the same beneficial effect in women that it does in men. Well, does it?

Creatine for Women

To answer your question: yes, creatine is helpful for women. Just like it does in men’s muscles, creatine helps provide energy for women’s muscles in the form of ATP, or adenosine triphosphate.  For short, intense bursts of speed or strength—if you’re going to be lifting cars off children, sprinting to avoid a giant boulder rolling your way, or eking out a few extra reps at the end of the set, for example—it behooves you to be able to generate more ATP quickly. Creatine facilitates that.¹

What Does Creatine Do for Women?

Studies have shown that creatine has many of the same effects in women as in men:²

• It improves muscular endurance.
• It improves muscular power.
• It improves strength.
• It can increase muscle hypertrophy.
• It can improve both aerobic and anaerobic performance.
• It increases performance in repeated sprinting (though not so much single sprints).
• Combined with resistance training, it may improve bone health.

Plus, creatine doesn’t just enhance physical performance. Creatine is also found in the brain, where it maintains cognitive function by recycling ATP to maintain energy stores:

• Creatine can improve mood, memory, and cognitive function, and women may get an especially beneficial boost to brain energy from creatine.
• Creatine reduces the effects of sleep deprivation, a condition from which women are more likely to suffer.³

Are There Any Sex Differences in Creatine Production, Storage, or Metabolism?

There are differences in how men and women process and store creatine.

• Women tend to have 70 to 80 percent lower levels of endogenous creatine storage than men. Muscle tissue represents the largest storage depot for creatine, and women usually have less muscle tissue.
• Women tend to get less creatine from their diet, but that’s mostly due to their lower meat intakes. This doesn’t apply to every woman, of course. It depends on the amount of red meat (and to a lesser extent fish) you eat.
• Women have higher resting concentrations of intramuscular creatine than men. Their muscles are smaller, but more heavily laden with creatine.

Since women have less room to store creatine, and the storage depots they do have are “fuller,” some researchers have hypothesized that women may not respond as strongly to creatine supplementation. The evidence doesn’t really support this, though. Creatine still works in women, as I discussed in the previous section.

Do Menopause, Menstrual Cycles, or Pregnancy Change Creatine Metabolism or Dosing?

Menopause, menstruation, and pregnancy are three uniquely female physiological processes or states. How does creatine affect them?

Creatine in Pregnancy

Pregnancy reduces creatine stores, not because the body is triggering a self-defense mechanism that sheds “dangerous” creatine or anything, but because it’s used in growth and development of the fetus. You need extra creatine during pregnancy. A woman can get it through dietary sources, like red meat or lean white fish, or she can take a little extra through supplementation.

Supplementation hasn’t been studied in pregnant human women, but in animal models, creatine supplementation protects the fetus from certain types of brain damage. Human studies show that low creatine levels during pregnancy predispose babies to low birth weights, so I’d imagine it’s quite safe (and possibly important).⁴ As always, talk to your doctor before adding any supplements during pregnancy.

Creatine and the Menstrual Cycle

During the follicular phase, creatine is at its lowest along with estrogen. This is also when most premenopausal women report sleeping poorly. Since creatine is known to improve one’s mental resilience to sleep deprivation, taking extra creatine is probably a good idea for premenopausal women—and not just leading up to and during the follicular phase.

Post-menopause

Combined with resistance training, creatine supplementation is a promising strategy for counteracting some of the negative effects menopause can have on muscle tissue, strength, physical performance, and muscle atrophy.

Will Creatine Make Women “Bulky”?

Probably not an issue. Whereas creatine has consistently been shown to increase the muscle hypertrophy response to resistance training in men, the same thing doesn’t really happen in women who take creatine. They don’t gain the muscle water weight that men do, and they don’t get the boost in muscle size—at least not any more than they’d gain from just lifting weights. One study in women found that creatine usage combined with resistance training increased fat-free mass without changing actual bodyweight.⁵

Women still derive a lot of performance benefits from creatine usage, seeing boosts to both strength and power without a big change in size.

How Much Creatine Should Women Take?

Dosing guidelines are the same as men’s: 5 grams a day.

If you want to speed creatine uptake in the muscles, you can do a “loading phase” of 20 grams a day (split up into 4 doses) for a week before dropping down to 5 grams a day.

Make sure to drink extra water, as creatine requires water for storage in the muscle, albeit not as much in women.

For all the women out there, have you ever tried creatine? Would you?

Thanks for reading, everyone, and be sure to throw in any questions you might have down below.

The post Dear Mark: Creatine for Women appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

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The classic sit-up is one of the first exercises most people learn to perform. Sometimes on their own at home as an early attempt to get into better shape or in school during gym class where it was less painful than dodgeball and more fun than square dancing.

The sit-up remains a time-tested fitness evaluation and is an extremely simple and effective way to develop core strength. It’s also developed a debatable reputation for being “bad for your back”. Let’s learn how to perform it, safely and correctly for better abs, more strength, and less pain.

• How to Do the Sit-Up
• Sit-Up Mistakes to Avoid
• Benefits of the Sit-Up
• Muscles Worked by the Sit-Up
• Who Should Do the Sit-Up
• How to Program the Sit-Up
• Sit-Up Variations
• Sit-Up Alternatives
• Frequently Asked Questions

How to Do the Sit-Up

All you need to perform the sit-up is your body and a chunk of floor space. As simple as the exercise may appear, there are a few technique tips to make sure you’re getting results most efficiently.

Step 1 — Lie Down

Begin lying on the floor facing up. Your feet should be flat on the ground with your knees bent. Move your feet slightly forward, away from your glutes, and set them hip-width apart. Having your feet too close to your body, or too close together, reduces leverage and makes it difficult to achieve a full range of motion.

Some lifters choose to have the feet held down in place, either by a partner or an immovable object. This should be avoided because it can decrease abdominal focus, recruit alternative muscles (like the hip flexors), and may encourage poor technique.

As opposed to the classic “hands clasped together behind your head” position, keep your fingertips on either side of your head gently touching your ears or temples. This prevents you from pulling on your head and straining your neck. The back of your head and shoulders should be touching the ground before the first rep begins.

Form Tip: To make the exercise less challenging, begin the set with your torso sitting up, not lying on the ground. This helps to work the “stretch-shortening cycle”, which improves a muscle’s strength immediately following a stretched position. (1) Be sure to lower yourself under control without “bouncing” your body off the floor.

Step 2 — Sit Up

Keep your fingertips in contact with your ears and your feet in contact with the ground. Bring your torso towards your knees by contracting your abdominal muscles. Your head and neck should remain neutral, not pointed up or down, as you move. You should feel muscular tension throughout your entire upper body, particularly in your abs.

To maximally activate your ab muscles, your upper body should curl and “crunch” as you rise up, rather than keeping a straight line from your shoulders to your hips. In the top position, your upper body should be close to your knees and thighs.

Form Tip: If you feel lower back strain during a set, move your feet slightly farther from your body and slightly wider apart. Be sure to start the movement by flexing your torso and “crunching” your abs. Keeping your torso straight de-emphasizes ab muscle recruitment and shifts the muscular stress to the hip flexors, which can worsen back pain.

Step 3 — Lower to the Ground

Begin the descent by reversing direction and “un-curling” your upper body while lowering yourself to the ground. Resist the urge to rebound immediately off the floor, which increases injury risk and decreases muscle involvement. Quickly reset before transitioning smoothly into the next repetition.

Form Tip: In the bottom position, take a deep breath into your belly, not your chest (also known as diaphragmatic breathing). Beginning a rep with this deep breath and steadily releasing it while sitting up can help to increase muscular stress and power output.

Sit-Up Mistakes to Avoid

Many lifters underestimate seemingly simple bodyweight exercises like the sit-up and, as a result, end up performing them incorrectly which lessens any potential results and reduces the overall effectiveness. Here are the most common training mistakes to avoid.

Pulling Your Head Forward

Your torso should be moving up and down during each rep. Your chin shouldn’t be. One big reason for avoiding the popular hands-behind-your-head position is that, deliberately or accidentally, it can encourage you to pull your head with your hands as if you were lifting your entire body with your skull as a handle.

Not only does this not actually help anything, but it can put significant strain on the small muscles of your cervical spine and overall neck. If you feel any increasing strain on your neck during a rep, you’re likely pulling with your hands instead of flexing your abdominals.

Avoid It: Don’t put your hands in a position to help in the first place. Keep your fingertips touching, or nearly touching, your ears so they’re not in a position to pull on anything. Alternatively, you could cross your arms in front of your chest or clasp your hands in front of your chin. Both options remove the urge and ability to pull your body up.

Using Momentum, Not Muscle

Many lifters consider the sit-up to be ideal for performing high-rep sets, which it can be. However, some fall into the trap of using any method necessary to complete extra repetitions. The “easiest” way is to begin using momentum, not muscular force, to get moving.

By swinging the arms as if throwing an imaginary beach ball, kicking the legs, or incorporating hip movement by raising and lowering the glutes off the floor, it’s possible to “swing” the torso up to the finished position. This not only reduces muscle activation in the abs but also increases strain on the joints of the hips and lower back.

Avoid it: Very simply, don’t exchange technique for extra reps. Maintain a controlled crunch of the torso going upwards. Keep your glutes touching the floor throughout the entire set. Keep your fingers touching near your ears.

Benefits of the Sit-Up

For years, sit-ups were the quintessential “workout exercise.” Gotta get in shape? Start with sit-ups. Gotta get stronger? Do your sit-ups. Wanna lose weight? Sit-ups will burn that fat fight off.

Some of these were on the right track, others were a bit misguided. Here’s what the exercise really offers.

Core Strength

The sit-up is an extremely effective exercise for building total core strength. The abdominal muscles are worked through a significant range of motion while the lower back, glutes, and even the hamstrings are recruited as stabilizing muscles.

Ab Muscle Development

Training the abs is, unsurprisingly, a really effective way to build abs that look great. While a variety of ab exercises like crunch variations and twists can also be effective, the standard sit-up remains among a popular and effective choice for activating the ab muscles.

Muscles Worked by the Sit-Up

The sit-up may be one of the most well-known ab exercises. Its straightforward performance, long history, and wide-spread popularity have helped to cement it as one of the few exercises many lifters and non-lifters are familiar with. Here’s a deeper look at the muscles involved.

Rectus Abdominis

This is the main ab muscle running down the front of the torso which makes up the “six-pack” and it’s the primary muscle people are referring to when they talk about the abs.

It’s responsible for flexing the torso in a curling motion to bring your sternum (mid-chest) closer to your hips. This is why keeping your torso straight as you rise up decreases the abs’ ability to contract.

The rectus abdominis is sometimes referred to separately as the “upper abs” above the belly button near the lower chest and “lower abs” below the belly button near the belt-line. While it is one single muscle, research shows that two separate sections can be activated to varying degrees by certain exercises. (2)

Ab exercises with torso movement, like the sit-up, typically emphasize the upper abs while ab exercises with leg movement, like the hanging knee raise, emphasize the lower abs.

Hip Flexors

The hip flexors are a collection of several small muscles found near the top of each thigh connecting to the pelvis and lumbar spine (lower back). They serve to bring the upper leg closer to the chest, in a movement similar to bending at the waist.

The hip flexors are recruited during sit-ups, more so when the torso is kept straight or when the feet are weighted down and held in place during the movement. (3)

Because the hip flexors connect to the lumbar spine, they are heavily associated with contributing to, or relieving, back pain depending on the muscles’ strength, flexibility, and mobility. (4)

Who Should Do the Sit-Up

The sit-up remains a fundamental movement for building core strength and abdominal muscle. It can be incorporated into almost any type of training plan.

Training for Strength

Core strength and endurance have been shown to help improve strength and athletic performance. (5)(6) For this reason, sit-ups can play a key role in any training program designed to build total-body strength or power.

Training for Muscle

All muscles of the body can be stimulated for muscle growth, including the abdominals. The sit-ups are a simple and effective exercise for targeting the abs.

Some lifters mistakenly believe direct ab training may create a “blocky” or bulky-looking waistline, but this isn’t a valid concern because that appearance has more to do with excess body fat than muscle growth.

Similarly, some lifters avoid any direct ab exercise, believing that ab definition is simply the byproduct of a general fat loss plan combined with basic compound exercises. But getting good-looking abs requires some direct work, not just reduced calories, running, and squatting more.

Training for Performance

The sit-up is a popular fitness assessment with some law enforcement and military organizations, often tested for maximum reps in a set timeframe. For this reason, training the sit-up would be considered “sport-specific,” since the most direct way to improve performance is to practice the exercise itself.

How to Program the Sit-Up

The sit-up can be programmed in a number of different ways to accommodate the specific training goal. As with many bodyweight exercises, adding external load such as a weighted vest, weight plate, or dumbbell can increase resistance and allow more programming options.

Unweighted, Moderate to High Rep

Performing the sit-up with your own bodyweight for two to three sets of 10 to 20 reps with 30 seconds rest between sets can be a quick and effective addition to any training program. This approach could even be incorporated into a general warm-up, rather than a workout, for experienced lifters.

Light Weight, Moderate Rep

Add external resistance and perform three to four sets of six to 12 reps with one minute between sets. This would be an intense workout to build core strength. Exercise technique with and without weight should be identical. Adding weight should not compromise form.

For Time

As one part of a physical fitness test, typically in law enforcement or military organizations, sit-ups are required to be performed for maximum reps in one to two minutes. The key with this training approach is to maintain proper technique for the duration and not allow form to get sloppy in order to rush through low-quality reps.

Sit-Up Variations

Because the sit-up is a relatively straightforward exercise (literally and figuratively), simple adjustments to the basic movement can recruit or emphasize different muscles for a more diverse stimulus.

Twisting Sit-Up

Sometimes called knee-to-elbow sit-ups, incorporating a twisting motion recruits the oblique muscles running along either side of the rectus abdominis.

Rather than ending with your chest directly in front of your thighs and knees, end each repetition with your chest pointed toward one knee. Alternating sides on each rep is common, but reps may be performed all to one side followed by the same reps to the opposite side.

Janda Sit-Up

Created and popularized by physiotherapist Dr. Vladimir Janda, the Janda sit-up activates the hamstrings to deactivate the hip flexors. The result is a significantly increased abdominal contraction.

This works by a neurological and physical mechanism technically known as “reciprocal inhibition.” Essentially, it’s a phenomenon which prevents muscles on one side of the body from contracting if the muscles directly opposing it are already intensely contracting.

Straight-Leg Sit-Up

The straight-leg sit-up, like it sounds, is performed with your legs straight and heels on the ground instead of with your legs bent and feet flat on the ground.

This adjustment increases the overall range of motion and significantly increases recruitment of the hip flexors. The straight-leg sit-up is very similar to the Pilates exercise known as a “roll-up.”

Two-Arm Overhead Sit-Up

Keeping both arms raised perpendicular to the ground, rather than close to the body, alters leverage and significantly increases the difficulty. This variation is performed by keeping both arms straight and pointed towards the ceiling throughout the rep.

As an even more advanced variation, you can hold a light dumbbell in each hand or one weight plate with both hands. This will also increase shoulder recruitment, specifically in the smaller stabilizer muscles of the shoulder and upper back.

Sit-Up Alternatives

Some lifters are unable to perform sit-ups, typically because of pre-existing back problems or general difficulty achieving a full range of more. These are some of the most effective options.

Crunch

The crunch may have been the one exercise to bump the sit-up from its prominent spot as the go-to ab exercise. It’s been shown to be one of the most effective ways to specifically target the abs. (7)

The crunch does have a significantly shorter range of motion compared to the sit-up, but that’s one reason why it’s an effective ab exercise. The movement is deliberately restricted to avoid involvement of other muscle groups.

Hanging Knee Raise

Using either a pull-up bar or specialized knee raise station (sometimes called a captain’s chair or Roman chair), the hanging knee raise emphasizes the lower abs. Be sure to curl the entire hip region upwards, rather than only moving the legs, to recruit more ab muscles.

The hanging position also helps to “decompress” the spine by allowing a stretch and relieving tension. This exercise can be made more challenging by using straight legs or eventually progressing to the “toes to bar” position with a full range of motion.

V-Up

The v-up, sometimes called a jackknife sit-up, is a high-intensity total-body core exercise involving the ab muscles while incorporating the arms and legs together. By raising your legs while reaching upwards with your arms, significant stress is placed on the lower abs as well as the upper abs.

This is one of the most challenging bodyweight ab exercise alternatives because it requires high levels of strength, coordination, and mobility.

FAQs

Will doing sit-ups specifically burn belly fat?

Fat, regardless of where it’s stored on the body, is most efficiently burned with a specialized nutrition plan (including a calorie deficit) coordinated with an intense training program. Performing sit-ups and other ab exercises does not lead to any drastic “spot reduction” by significantly increasing abdominal fat loss. (8)

Several decades of research have investigated this persistent idea, as well as countless hopeful lifters over the same time period, and the results have been inconclusive at-best. Any results showing spot reduction to work have been measured in millimeters, not inches.

Time and effort are much better spent on a comprehensive fat loss plan rather than over-relying on spot reducing the abs.

Why does my back hurt during and after a set?

Lower back pain is the most common reason for avoiding sit-ups. This may be due to the hip flexors involvement during the exercise, which stresses the lumbar spine, or the pain may be due to the flexion (crunching) motion aggravating lower back strain. (9)

Modifying sit-up technique by widening the foot stance and shortening the range of motion may help. If pain persists, removing sit-ups from the workout program and incorporating an alternative may be the most effective solution.

References

1. Seiberl W, Hahn D, Power GA, Fletcher JR, Siebert T. Editorial: The Stretch-Shortening Cycle of Active Muscle and Muscle-Tendon Complex: What, Why and How It Increases Muscle Performance?. Front Physiol. 2021;12:693141. Published 2021 May 20. doi:10.3389/fphys.2021.693141
2. Duncan M. (2009). Muscle activity of the upper and lower rectus abdominis during exercises performed on and off a Swiss ball. Journal of bodywork and movement therapies, 13(4), 364–367. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbmt.2008.11.008
3. Burden, A. M., & Redmond, C. G. (2013). Abdominal and hip flexor muscle activity during 2 minutes of sit-ups and curl-ups. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 27(8), 2119–2128. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e318278f0ac
4. Avrahami D, Potvin JR. The clinical and biomechanical effects of fascial-muscular lengthening therapy on tight hip flexor patients with and without low back pain. J Can Chiropr Assoc. 2014 Dec;58(4):444-55. PMID: 25550670; PMCID: PMC4262809.
5. Kocahan T, Akınoğlu B. Determination of the relationship between core endurance and isokinetic muscle strength of elite athletes. J Exerc Rehabil. 2018;14(3):413-418. Published 2018 Jun 30. doi:10.12965/jer.1836148.074
6. Shinkle, J., Nesser, T. W., Demchak, T. J., & McMannus, D. M. (2012). Effect of core strength on the measure of power in the extremities. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 26(2), 373–380. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e31822600e5
7. Escamilla RF, Lewis C, Pecson A, Imamura R, Andrews JR. Muscle Activation Among Supine, Prone, and Side Position Exercises With and Without a Swiss Ball. Sports Health. 2016;8(4):372-379. doi:10.1177/1941738116653931
8. Paoli A, Casolo A, Saoncella M, et al. Effect of an Endurance and Strength Mixed Circuit Training on Regional Fat Thickness: The Quest for the “Spot Reduction”. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(7):3845. Published 2021 Apr 6. doi:10.3390/ijerph18073845
9. Sutanto, D., Ho, R., Poon, E., Yang, Y., & Wong, S. (2022). Effects of Different Trunk Training Methods for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Meta-Analysis. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(5), 2863. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19052863

Featured Image: UfaBizPhoto / Shutterstock

The post How to Do the Sit-Up for Stronger, More Muscular Abs appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

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Robert “The American Monster” Oberst has been a fixture in competitive strongman for nearly a decade. By late spring next year, the American athlete will hang up his lifting belt for good.

On April 16, 2022, Oberst shared his plans for the coming year on his YouTube channel. Amongst a plethora of updates, Oberst announced that he will retire from competitive strongman following the 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM).

Off Into the Sunset

Oberst hasn’t competed since he tore a tendon in his shoulder in August 2021. That injury knocked him out for the remainder of last year’s season. It is also why he won’t participate in the 2022 WSM this May. He admits losing this opportunity isn’t easy. 

“It’ll be hard to sit this one out,” Oberst said in the video. “I will be back next year. I will be back competing in the 2023 World’s Strongest Man. Then, after that, I’ll be done.”

Oberst didn’t mince words in explaining why he wanted to walk away. It’s understandably challenging to give up an endeavor from such a sizable portion of his life. At some point, the physical risk outweighs the reward.

“It’s time for me to thank God that I haven’t beaten up and torn up more than I already have,” Oberst says. 

Indeed, while Oberst’s recent shoulder injury is one of the more significant ailments of his career, it doesn’t mean it stands alone. The nature of professional strongman — in lifting variations of incredibly heavy weights, repeatedly — can be demanding on every aspect of the body. That sort of attrition can add up over time.

This’ll be my riding off into the sunset, guys.

While still strong and able-bodied, at the age of 37, Oberst might not want to subject himself to those rigors anymore. Instead, as he discusses, it’s time to look ahead to the next ambitious phase of life. 

“I’m building a ranch I am super excited about,” Oberst says. “I’m basically gonna spend my time out there. We’re gonna have hunting, and training, and courses for kids.”

A Monster Career

Before he was a strongman, Oberst played Division II college football at his alma mater, Western Oregon University. Once he graduated in 2009, he tried his hand at the NFL but couldn’t gain traction with any team. Oberst then shifted to bouncer work at nightclubs in San Francisco. There, one of his friends told him about the merits of strongman competition.

The rest was history. 

Oberst first burst onto the professional scene as a 27-year-old in September 2012. He’s been a regular around the central strongman sphere ever since. Here are some of the more notable results of Oberst’s career to date, according to Strongman Archives:

• 2012 America’s Strongest Man (ASM) — 3rd place
• 2013 All-American Strongman Challenge — 3rd place
• 2013 ASM — 3rd place 
• 2013 WSM (Final) — 9th place
• 2014 ASM — 2nd place 
• 2015 Arnold Australia (AA) — 3rd place
• 2017 International Strongman Federation (ISF) ISF1 — 1st place
• 2017 Giants Live World Tour Finals — 6th place
• 2018 WSM (Final) — 8th place
• 2019 Giants Live World Tour Finals — 9th place

One Last Ride

After sitting out most of the 2022 season, Oberst will likely have to fare well in at least one Giants Live event over the next approximate year to qualify for the 2023 WSM.

Right off the bat, the strongman will compete at the 2022 Giants Live World’s Strongest Nation (WSN) on November 26, 2022, in Liverpool, England. There, Oberst will serve as captain of Team USA. 

While Oberst hasn’t offered any more detail on upcoming competition plans, he does have a bevy of potential options. In addition to the WSN, Oberst could consider The Giants Live Open on August 6, 2022, in Cardiff, Wales. There’s also the Arnold Strongman UK in Birmingham, England, on September 24, 2022, and the Giants Live World Tour Finals on October 8, 2022, in Glasgow, Scotland. 

Whatever path Oberst does end up choosing, this likely won’t be the last time we see the American athlete. Between his upcoming ranch and YouTube channel with over 338,000 subscribers, Oberst will assuredly stay busy and visible in retirement. Before those days arrive, he’ll have to see what his final strongman hurrahs hold in store. 

Featured image: American Monster Productions on YouTube

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During the 2022 Iran Bodybuilding Federation (IranBBF) National Classic Powerlifting & Bench Press Championships on April 12-17, 2022, Iranian powerlifter Shahram Saki came in first in the 120-kilogram+ weight class. At the same time, he turned a few heads with his strength.

First, Saki captured a raw 440-kilogram squat (970 pounds) — the highest in the history of Asia, per Open Powerlifting. Then he notched a 235-kilogram bench press (518.1 pounds), another number enough for the Asia record. By the meet’s end, he totaled 1,025 kilograms (2,259.7 pounds), yet again the highest in Asian powerlifting history. 

Check out a video of Saki’s record-breaking squat — where he donned a lifting belt and lifting straps — via his Instagram profile: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by shahram powerlifting (@shahram_power_lor)

[Related: Powerlifter Tiffany Chapon Exceeds Total & Bench Press World Records, Again, In Training]

In addition to the three Asia records, Saki is now in possession of all four Iranian powerlifting records (squat, bench press, deadlift, and total) for someone competing in the 120-kilogram+ weight class. Naturally, these marks are also now his all-time best competition PRs.

American powerlifter Ray Williams previously held the Asian records for the squat, bench press, and total. Williams logged a 425.9-kilogram squat (939.1 pounds), a 229.9-kilogram (507 pounds), and a 1008.4-kilogram total (2,223.3 pounds) at the 2015 AsianPF (APF) Asia-Oceania Raw Championships. After his remarkable week, Saki has now eclipsed that squat by 14 kilograms (30.9 pounds), the bench press by 5 kilograms (11 pounds), and the total by 16.1 kilograms (36.4 pounds).

Note: Aside from Saki’s squat, there is no other video documentation, so any equipment he wore during his other lifts is unconfirmed. Here are Saki’s full stats from this recent meet:

Shahram Saki — 2022 IranBBF National Classic Stats

• Squat — 440 kilograms (970 pounds) | Asian Powerlifting Federation Record | Iranian Record | PR
• Bench Press — 235 kilograms (518.1 pounds) | Asian Powerlifting Federation Record | Iranian Record | PR
• Deadlift — 350 kilograms (771.6 pounds) | Iranian Record | PR
• Total — 1,025 kilograms (2,259.7 pounds) | Asian Powerlifting Federation Record | Iranian Record | PR

On the Rise

Saki’s strength feats are impressive, considering he doesn’t have much professional powerlifting experience.

Including the 2022 IranBBF National Classic, Saki has just three full power meets to his name. His first time on a pro platform was at the 2017 World Powerlifting Congress (WPC) Amateur European Championships, where he finished first. The other was the 2021 IranBBF International Club Classic Powerlifting Championships, where he also came out victorious. 

Saki’s performance in the 2021 IranBFF International Club Classic might provide an excellent comparison of what he’s capable of when fully dedicated to the powerlifting craft. To provide a better picture, here are his stats from that meet:

Shahram Saki — IranBBF International Club Classic Stats

• Squat — 425 kilograms (936.9 pounds)
• Bench Press — 217.5 kilograms (479.5 pounds)
• Deadlift — 337.5 kilograms (744 pounds)
• Total — 980 kilograms (2160.5 pounds)

In roughly four months, Saki improved upon his squat by 15 kilograms (33.1 pounds), his bench press by 17.5 kilograms (38.6 pounds), his deadlift by 12.5 kilograms (27.6 pounds), and his total by a staggering 44.9 kilograms (99.2 pounds). As Saki’s career unfolds, it will likely be challenging to keep up that progression from meet to meet. Still, his meteoric leap forward in recent months is worth noting. 

At the time of publishing, Saki has not formally announced his next powerlifting competition. If Saki’s recent precedent is any indication, he may break even more records whenever he steps onto a platform again. 

Featured image: @shahram_power_lor on Instagram

The post Powerlifter Shahram Saki Logs 1025-Kilogram Total (2,259.7 pounds), The Highest in Asia appeared first on Breaking Muscle.