Strength and Conditioning
Are you spending hours and hours in the gym with little to show for it? If you’re not getting stronger or building muscle, it’s time to evaluate your training practices. Emphasize what’s effective and eliminate what’s not. Your body will thank you.
Here are 10 things you might be doing that can slow your progress. [Read more…]
The benefits of exercise are well known: athletic development, physical health, psychological wellness, enhanced mood, sense of accomplishment, and an attractive body.
Despite the obvious advantages, it can be difficult to initiate or adhere to an exercise program. Given the numerous desirable consequences, it’s somewhat confusing that so many people avoid exercise. In this article, I’ll cover some of the predictors of poor adherence and describe behavioral and cognitive strategies for promoting exercise behavior. [Read more…]
I know I write a lot about athletic performance, but let’s face it, many of us train for aesthetics, too. Perhaps you prefer the word vanity?
Regardless, the upper part of the chest (particularly the clavicular head of the pectoralis major) is a difficult area to develop through the usual chest exercises, such as bench presses and dips. Even incline presses, the popular choice for upper chest development, don’t do the trick for many people. [Read more…]
Note: I focus on the 3×10 scheme throughout this article because it’s the foundation upon which many training programs are created. However, much of this article could also apply to other popular “sets and reps” training models (e.g., 5×5, etc.).
Whether you’re new to resistance training or a grizzled vet, at some point you’ve probably relied on the classic “3×10” approach to training, which means performing three sets of ten repetitions for each exercise. Is this the best way to train? It depends on your goals and training experience. [Read more…]
I hope you all enjoyed the Plyometrics for Dancers article on Monika Volkmar’s site, The Dance Training Project. Take a look at the follow-up article where Monika shares more of her own thoughts on the benefits of this type of training for dancers and ideas for effective programming. In the follow-up, Monika and I also discuss whether dancers should incorporate plyometric exercises into their training. You will love Monika’s insights and I think you’ll find our discussion interesting. Check it out here!
I'm Joel Minden, PhD, licensed clinical psychologist, cognitive behavior therapist, sport psychology consultant, and strength and conditioning specialist. Read more