Results matching “Bird”

Always on the lookout for new exercises and variations to add to my routines, today I stumbled across the little-used Hise Shrug. Invented by 'the father of American weight training' Joseph Curtis Hise - who is perhaps best known for popularising the flat-footed squat in the 1930s - the Hise Shrug is a wonderfully simple, yet torturous, trap builder. As the exercise is painful even when performed correctly, it doesn't have the same widespread appeal as its shrugging cousins.

The Hise Shrug is essentially a shrug performed with the bar resting across the traps, as if you were about to perform a high-bar squat. Even following several sets I was constantly reminded of my first squatting session - it's not a comfortable movement. As it's widely reported to be an effective trap strengthening movement however, it'll make many repeat performances alongside the humble barbell shrug.

It seems that the short-term goal of pressing bodyweight was a little closer than I realised. Whilst showing my flatmate how to perform the bench press (not that my form is ideal, but it's certainly more solid than a few weeks ago) I worked up to a comfortable 80kg, slightly above bodyweight. Unfortunately I didn't quite reach lockout with 85 - one for next time.

Following the pressing we sampled the delights of a few exercises that don't make an appearance as often as they should; in my routines at least. A little lat work in the form of bent-over rows and T-bar rows (followed by some cheeky chinups to make sure I'd sleep well tonight); tricep work in the shape of Tate curls and dips; and a few bicep curls to finish with. Not exactly something I do all the time, but they're fun occasionally.

As planned, today's session was a training ground for the Front Squat. Sampling both clean and crossover grips - each with their own benefits - I settled on the crossover style for the majority of sets. The loss of stability is made up for by gains in comfort. Not that there's a large amount of that.

Perhaps a bit of additional anterior deltoid work would help, but there doesn't appear to be any real comfort zone between the options of letting the bar roll forward down the arms or back into the neck. Neither of which is particularly desirable.

After 10 light sets I didn't feel any more comfortable with the exercise than I did following the two on Friday, so it seems as though another practice session (or several) is in order.

Wrapped up with a few sets of good mornings (starting from the pins - set just below sternum height), and a bit of ab work.

Helped along with a little Probot (Dave Grohl's metal project), today's session followed a pretty similar pattern to last Sunday's workout. With the addition of the obligatory weight increases of course.

Starting the show was the common-or-garden variety bench press, which is certainly feeling a lot more solid than a few weeks ago. Whilst the intricacies of leg drive still elude me, the rest of the form seems to be fitting into place.

Following a bit of close-grip benching (which inadvertently included one set with a normal grip width - thought that one felt a little easier), came a combination of seated tricep extensions and shoulder presses. Tiring, very tiring.

Closing the session was the wonderful Upright Row - which doesn't get to spend as much time in the sun as it probably should. I'm still experimenting with grip width on this one, as everything I've read to date suggests a different width (ranging from 4" to just outside shoulder width). I suspect this has more to do with the finishing position (high point) of the lift than anything else. Currently I favour a grip of around 17cm/6.5".

Following on from last week's DE SQ/DL session, I decided to add some heavier sets to today's high rack pulls. Much better, although I suspect I could add a little more weight without sacrificing a great deal of speed. Will have to test that theory next week.

After the rack pulls came an exercise that's managed to elude me thus far, the Front Squat. After watching the clip of hands-free front squatting pointed to by Kris the other day, I was keen to give this movement a try. After a few sets I realised that the hands-free approach wasn't anywhere near happening (it took a while to get used to simply having the bar in front of the body) and decided to leave it to a dedicated front squatting session. Monday is the current target for that one.

As with the rack pulls, the Romanian Deadlifts were done using a sumo stance; which is slowly feeling more normal. A few more weeks and I might just switch the back squatting to the same stance.

One of the goals I set myself some time ago was to bench press bodyweight (currently a little under 80kg), and the past few workouts have seen this creep tantalisingly close on occasion. Unfortunately - despite a solid start - this was not one of them.

The current situation : 70kg doesn't present a problem, 75kg happens on occasion and 80kg is somewhere in the 'yet to happen' basket. Accordingly it looks as though I have the options of either losing a bit of weight (not exactly about to happen) or continuing to work on building a reasonable foundation. Not to mention refining form.

Blessed with some lingering adductor soreness (of unknown origin, for the moment at least), today's workout was of the 'short and sweet' variety. Slightly reduced weights and a respectable timeframe etc.

Once again the Zercher squats opened the attack, complete with wide stance and moderately wide grip. Performing these from the second pin ensured a good depth for each movement.

For the good mornings I decided to only work on the lifting part of the movement, beginning each lift on pins set just below sternum height and finishing with the bar in the hooks. Reset, rinse and repeat. Will have to consider the time consuming vs possible lower back benefits here. Resetting the bar each time takes far longer than simply bending back down. Possibly not a concern whilst light weights are being hoisted.

Still feeling like the past couple of weeks are taking their toll, at least today's workout felt one step closer to being back in the groove. For an added bonus, it was relatively on time.

Following a pretty similar routine to that embarked upon last time I hit a DE BENCH, I began with the humble bench press as the core exercise; following suit with close-grips, tricep extensions and upright rows. Short and sweet.

The insanity of the previous fortnight succeeded in pushing yesterday's workout to today, but hopefully things will be back to normal as of tomorrow.

Today's session was a little closer to having a deadlift focus than the squatting sessions of previous weeks. I decided to begin with some rack pulls done with a sumo stance, which is gradually moving into favour. Despite a bit of speed, the weights felt quite light (started with 60% of 110% of my 1RM - the 110% is allowing for the fact that these were rack pulls, not conventional deadlifts). A little tweaking to do next week it seems.

Following the rack pulls were a collection of regulars, as well as the hand shredding single-handed rack pulls. These are quickly moving to the top of my list of favourite grip exercises. The fact that they also work the obliques is just an added bonus.

Having abandoned yesterday's workout (following the realisation that I'd actually fallen asleep in the middle of a set), I set about finishing off the planned exercises today.

Whilst still somewhat less than wide awake, I managed to throw a little extra weight on the bar a few times without causing too much trouble.