The muscle-up is one of the most challenging tests of strength for the amateur trainee. If you’ve mastered dips and pull-ups and you are looking for your next challenge, add the muscle-up to your arsenal.
If you want to learn this difficult move you will need some excellent guidance and Crossfit London’s Ring Training guide by […]

Indoor rowing is one of the most misunderstood exercises in the gym. This is partly because indoor rowing is somewhat counter-intuitive: it looks like a machine where you just pull on the handle as hard as you can.
Few people really think that going on a treadmill and running flat out for as long as you […]

The dip is a staple of many a strength or bodybuilding programme and there are many ways to perform it. A classic bodyweight exercise, it is a good place to start to develop functional strength with no equipment needed.
What is the dip?
The dip is an upper body strength exercise where you lower and raise your […]

This is the fourth article in the series Getting into weight training: a female-friendly guide. A PDF version is also available to download for free: Getting into weight training: a female-friendly guide PDF

1. Why lift weights?
4. Exercise technique

2. Types of weight training
5. Training programmes

3. Starting out
6. Create your own programme

Exercise Technique
To maximise the benefits from […]

Anyone who has been following my personal deadlift saga might remember that I was on a mission to fix some errors in my form by dropping the weight right down and concentrating on technique. Finally, I am back to the weight I was at before I began this journey: 90kg (which is 150% bodyweight). It […]

At a recent Crossfit London session, we focussed on clean technique. Although we had all done the clean before, we were generally not very experienced in this move and variously exhibited these common problems:

Rounding of the lower back
Elbows too low
‘Reverse curling’ the bar up rather than shrugging

Crossfit encourages full squat cleans, which are technically more […]

I have been working recently on olympic weightlifting exercises. These tend to be full body exercises and will contribute greatly to all-round strength. They are working my body in ways it is not used to and I am enjoying the business of learning a new set of skills and techniques.
I haven’t had any personal instruction […]

I like going to the gym, but sometimes I wish I could have my own gym at home. A power rack in the basement, a pull-up bar in the lounge, maybe some gymnastic rings and a rope on the tree outside.
Except that I don’t have a basement. Or a garden, let alone a tree. I […]

Explosive strength is often neglected in the gym. If you think dumbells are only good for arm and shoulder exercises, think again. The swing is superb for leg strength and hip extension. Do something different in the gym today!
What is the dumbbell swing?
The dumbbell swing is an ‘old school’ exercise. It is similar to the […]

I’ve had some useful comments on my deadlift form, on this blog and elsewhere. Today was another deadlift day and I tried to put this advice into practice.
Here’s a clip of my first set today, lifting 60kg.
The issues I am addressing are:

Back angle - i.e. the angle my back makes with the floor. In previous […]