gubernatrix

All-round Strength Training

Currently browsing posts found in October2008


Is it really about looks?

» by gubernatrix October 30th, 2008 at 1:01 am » Comments (6)

A woman’s weights: Catherine Imes’ painted kettlebells

It struck me recently that whenever the topic of women and weights crops up, we feel the need to address the ‘fear of bulking up’ issue. The usual argument proferred in defense of weight training is that it doesn’t make you bulky or masculine; actually it can help you […]



Paralysis by analysis

» by gubernatrix October 23rd, 2008 at 1:58 pm » Comments (5)

Ever noticed how everyone seems to be obsessed with form these days? I blame books like Starting Strength – great book of course, but now suddenly everyone’s an expert! It’s one thing to know the theory; it’s another thing to apply it to an individual. If it was that easy, we wouldn’t need strength coaches […]



How-to: Bench press

» by gubernatrix October 22nd, 2008 at 11:23 pm » Comments (3)

Possibly the most popular exercise in any gym, the bench press is not just for ego and the t-shirt muscles. It is an event in powerlifting and a great way to build upper body strength.
What is the bench press?
The bench press is one of the three lifts in powerlifting (the other two are squat […]



Bridget Jones’ Powerlifting Diary: episode 1

» by gubernatrix October 19th, 2008 at 10:44 pm » Comments (5)

Spinster, lunatic, powerlifter…
19th October 2008
Bodyweight: 61kg
Squat: 80kg
Deadlift: 110kg (good)
Bench: 52.5kg (poor)
Argh! Have stalled on my bench press again!!!! Am complete and total failure at powerlifting! Should prob back off for a week.
Saw Mark Darcy in the gym again today. God, he is so irritating! He came up to me while I was squatting and said […]



Improve weaknesses with unilateral exercises

» by gubernatrix October 16th, 2008 at 11:09 pm » Comments (8)

Unilateral exercises are, quite simply, exercises done on one side only, such as single leg squats or one arm dumbbell presses. Most exercises that you do in the gym have a single-side option.
Why do unilateral exercises?
Many of the best functional strength and conditioning coaches advocate unilateral work:
“Most athletes and people in general need to focus […]



Dieting rules of thumb

» by gubernatrix October 10th, 2008 at 10:32 pm » Comments (7)

Photo by trekkyandy

Whichever diet you are on, whether it is one you have devised yourself or one from a book, there are quite a few things you can do to increase your chances of success.
I call them rules of thumb because they are:
- not specific to any one diet;
- easy to remember;
- things that you […]



How-to: Front squat

» by gubernatrix October 5th, 2008 at 5:21 pm » Comments (8)

The front squat is a very useful exercise that is not often seen in the average gym. But it is unjustly neglected and some coaches even prefer it to the back squat.
What is a front squat?
Holding the bar across the front of your shoulders, squat down until your hips are below parallel and up again. […]



The low-fat myth

» by gubernatrix October 1st, 2008 at 12:10 am » Comments (12)

Photo by malias

Anyone who has delved into current theories of nutrition has probably heard that the low-fat obsession of the last few decades has largely proved unhealthy and damaging.
The new culprit in today’s western diet is carbohydrate – more specifically, high glycemic index carbohydrate.
Of course, if you do have an inkling of any of this, […]



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