Weightlifting

[Jesse_01 0]

Or, like he says, you could do unilateral exercises that enable you to apply max load to both the back and the legs. That's his point. He's training athletes and has X amount of time to spend with them. He maximizes his gains by eliminating squats and "training to bring up the squat". In particular he trains a lot of hockey players, who would benefit from unilateral movements.

Imo eliminating squats is stupid. Squatting and deadlifting naturally increasing hgh release. The degree of intensity, squats and dead lifts force your body to release greater volumes of growth hormone, which results in larger strength gains all over your body.

If you got short amount of time to work with someone, Squatting and Deadlifting work out about 75% of your entire musculature, including your traps, shoulders, arms, back. Gluts, hams, calves and core muscles.

How is a smith machine much different than free standing squats? The smith machine doesn't have an assist. It's just guided. Right?

Smith machines are junk. They are for people who don't want to learn how to properly squat. They don't require you to build any stabilizer muscles, which are some of the most important muscles in hockey.

This is exactly what I'm looking to do, add 10 or so pounds of lean muscle. For those of you who have been able to accomplish this, my original question was what foods you ate to gain good weight. Any easy to prepare staples that became a part of your routine? I'd also take shake recommendations. I've been using ON shakes which have good protein but not many calories at all.

Here is my typical daily diet.

7am. 1 cup oatmeal, 4 eggs, glass of milk

10am, shake, hand full of greens, some almonds

12:30: chicken, salad

3pm: shake and some fruit

6pm: steak and greens

9pm: bed time shake

1g of fish oil 3 times a day, multi at night before bed. So usually about 250g of protein a day.

[TheGasman 0]

How is a smith machine much different than free standing squats? The smith machine doesn't have an assist. It's just guided. Right?

To me, Smith machines are good for calves and shrugs if your into those.

[dangle 0]

Any easy to prepare staples that became a part of your routine?

Eggs are super easy to prepare and are a great source of protein.

3 Eggs = 19g of Protein and 232 Calories

Oats are also easy to prepare but can be bland!

I'd also take shake recommendations. I've been using ON shakes which have good protein but not many calories at all.

A shake that i like for post-workout:

Chocolate Milkshake

1 scoop low-fat vanilla ice cream

1 tablespoon chocolate syrup

1/2 cup low-fat chocolate milk

1 tablespoon chocolate whey-protein powder

1/2 banana

3 ice cubes

Nutritional Information:

Calories 355

Carbs 60g

Protein 17g

Fat 6g

Saturated Fat 4g

Sodium 158mg

Fiber 4g

[Trooper 8]

Imo eliminating squats is stupid. Squatting and deadlifting naturally increasing hgh release. The degree of intensity, squats and dead lifts force your body to release greater volumes of growth hormone, which results in larger strength gains all over your body.

If you got short amount of time to work with someone, Squatting and Deadlifting work out about 75% of your entire musculature, including your traps, shoulders, arms, back. Gluts, hams, calves and core muscles.

There is very little evidence regarding just how HGH is released during exercise, not sure how full intensity squats would have an advantage over full intensity single leg squats. Boyle has a myriad of athletes to monitor, I'll take his results and weight them just like everything else. He has empirical data, while most just yell from their keyboard.

Doesn't mean I'll eliminate squats from my guys' program, but I would never dismiss anything out of hand.

And yes, Smith Machines are awesome....for hanging your towel on while you lift.

[mug25 2]

Smith machines are junk. They are for people who don't want to learn how to properly squat. They don't require you to build any stabilizer muscles, which are some of the most important muscles in hockey.

I see. I used to do free weight squats in high school for football so the smith machine is fairly new to me.

I guess I'll support the free weight vs machine argument by saying that whenever I do free weights (or cables even) I get a much better "burn". I feel like I'm using a lot more than just the target muscle group.

Eggs are super easy to prepare and are a great source of protein.

3 Eggs = 19g of Protein and 232 Calories

Egg with the yolk though? I need to trim down, not just build muscle.

[chippa13 1844]

That is one thing to be mindful of when trying to add muscle. Don't sacrifice good eating habits in the rush to build muscle. Three/four eggs a day might add plenty of protein but it also adds plenty of cholesterol.

[mug25 2]

That is one thing to be mindful of when trying to add muscle. Don't sacrifice good eating habits in the rush to build muscle. Three/four eggs a day might add plenty of protein but it also adds plenty of cholesterol.

That's what I thought. I know that you can get Egg Whites in one of those cartons. Not sure how good they taste though...

[Jesse_01 0]

That is one thing to be mindful of when trying to add muscle. Don't sacrifice good eating habits in the rush to build muscle. Three/four eggs a day might add plenty of protein but it also adds plenty of cholesterol.

There is 2 kinds of cholesterol, healthy and unhealthy.

The first kind is considered to be a good kind of cholesterol carrier. It is called High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. HDL helps to remove cholesterol from the blood, and therefore, preventing it from piling up in the arteries. The bad kind of cholesterol carrier is called Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. This is the kind that, when there is too much in the blood stream, can lead to build-up and blockage of the arteries.

There is very little evidence regarding just how HGH is released during exercise, not sure how full intensity squats would have an advantage over full intensity single leg squats. Boyle has a myriad of athletes to monitor, I'll take his results and weight them just like everything else. He has empirical data, while most just yell from their keyboard.

Doesn't mean I'll eliminate squats from my guys' program, but I would never dismiss anything out of hand.

And yes, Smith Machines are awesome....for hanging your towel on while you lift.

A person would have to do like a 3-4 month program, one with squats, than the exact same without squats and see what happen's. Myself I do notice squats help growth in other area's.

[dangle 0]

Egg with the yolk though? I need to trim down, not just build muscle.

I'll usually go with 1 yolk to 2 whites ratio...

breakfast is usually 2 yolks with 4 whites scrambled

[Trooper 8]

A person would have to do like a 3-4 month program, one with squats, than the exact same without squats and see what happen's. Myself I do notice squats help growth in other area's.

The alternative isn't with or without squats, it's with full squats or with single-leg squats. The point is, Boyle has years of data with tons of athletes to draw from, that's why I won't dismiss his ideas. His athletes perform, and at the end of the day that's what matters, not what some people extrapolate from theories on the internet.

[Jesse_01 0]

The alternative isn't with or without squats, it's with full squats or with single-leg squats. The point is, Boyle has years of data with tons of athletes to draw from, that's why I won't dismiss his ideas. His athletes perform, and at the end of the day that's what matters, not what some people extrapolate from theories on the internet.

So your saying because of what Boyle has showed, single leg squats are more effective than full leg squats?

[Law Goalie 147]

I think part of what's going on is that Boyle has made a few statements - largely for shock value - that grossly overstate his conclusions. To say that the squat is *not* a lower-body exercise but a low-back exercise exclusively is not exactly what his conclusions show. His conclusions show that the low-back - no matter how strong - limits maximum lower-body strength in the traditional squat, both in performance and in strength gains.

Now, even if he has conclusively proven that traditional squats don't maximise leg-strength, they are still a useful exercise for the simple reason that it's a valuable movement to train. Squat-like situations occur in plenty of sports. In hockey, single-leg squats may have an inherent advantage, but training the low-back as part of a dual-leg squat movement is surely still valuable.

Boyle's best point, I think, is that over-training on the squat yields diminishing returns as you hit the limit of the low-back; it's over-training precisely because of that limit.

[Trooper 8]

So your saying because of what Boyle has showed, single leg squats are more effective than full leg squats?

What I am saying is what I am saying, don't put words in my mouth.

He has shown that squats don't fully load the legs because the lower back limits the load. By doing single leg squats the back can handle a load that can fully load the leg. That is all he is saying. He doesn't have his athletes squatting, he has them doing single leg squats. In addition to loading the leg they work the stabilizer muscles in a way that is very beneficial to hockey players.

I'm saying I don't dismiss what credible people say, especially in the arena of S&C where new ideas are always met with scorn. Years ago people thought linear periodization was kind and that 5 miles runs "got you into shape" no matter what sport you played.

Boyle's best point, I think, is that over-training on the squat yields diminishing returns as you hit the limit of the low-back; it's over-training precisely because of that limit.

Nicely summed up.

[Jesse_01 0]

He has shown that squats don't fully load the legs because the lower back limits the load. By doing single leg squats the back can handle a load that can fully load the leg.

I can kind of see what he means by that, if you have a untrained lower back and poor form. But if you properly train your back with hypers or straight leg deadlifts or whatever you like. You shouldn't run into those issues.

I suppose you could run both squats because they are going to target different muscle groups.

For me though, my main lower body lift is dual leg squats. Than I will do other assistant excises that will hit anything that wasn't fully hit.

Somethings work better for some people than others.

[Trooper 8]

I can kind of see what he means by that, if you have a untrained lower back and poor form. But if you properly train your back with hypers or straight leg deadlifts or whatever you like. You shouldn't run into those issues.

I suppose you could run both squats because they are going to target different muscle groups.

For me though, my main lower body lift is dual leg squats. Than I will do other assistant excises that will hit anything that wasn't fully hit.

Somethings work better for some people than others.

Maybe, though I doubt his guys suffer from poor form. GMs and reverse hypers are great at training for the squat, but he is training guys for a sport. Training for the squat so you can use the squat to train for a sport may be a little inefficient.

[mug25 2]

wow, you guys are really passionate about your squats!

[shooter27 116]

I think Law is pretty dead on here. The concept is that the split-squat is a more efficient way of training your legs for hockey because you're able to load the leg with more weight without your low-back becoming a factor. Clearly, the squat will have a place in a well-balanced program because of its ability to activate huge amounts of muscle and strengthen the entire body. However, the low back is always going to be the limiting factor in squats, its just never going to be as strong as your legs. How else can you explain people being able to leg press 2-3x (or more) as much as they can squat. Even controlling for the 45* angle and the machine, its pretty much the same movement and there shouldn't be that much of a difference. When you're able to making the limiting factor your legs instead of your lower back then of course you're going to work the legs more intensely.

Like I said earlier, I'm using both, and while my squat has improved somewhat, the improvement I feel in the strength in my legs on the ice is much greater than I would expect feel given the minimal improvement in my squats in isolation.

[mug25 2]

I think Law is pretty dead on here. The concept is that the split-squat is a more efficient way of training your legs for hockey because you're able to load the leg with more weight without your low-back becoming a factor. Clearly, the squat will have a place in a well-balanced program because of its ability to activate huge amounts of muscle and strengthen the entire body. However, the low back is always going to be the limiting factor in squats, its just never going to be as strong as your legs. How else can you explain people being able to leg press 2-3x (or more) as much as they can squat. Even controlling for the 45* angle and the machine, its pretty much the same movement and there shouldn't be that much of a difference. When you're able to making the limiting factor your legs instead of your lower back then of course you're going to work the legs more intensely.

Like I said earlier, I'm using both, and while my squat has improved somewhat, the improvement I feel in the strength in my legs on the ice is much greater than I would expect feel given the minimal improvement in my squats in isolation.

What about us overweight guys who have a harder time doing the pistol? :(

[Kevin 5]

Do Bulgarian split squats (back non-working leg supported on a bench).

What about us overweight guys who have a harder time doing the pistol? :(

[Law Goalie 147]

What about us overweight guys who have a harder time doing the pistol? :(

Actually you (er, we) have something of an advantage from a pure (rather than proportional to bodyweight) strength perspective. Your body is pre-loaded with a relatively balanced weight-vest made of lard - just doing them unweighted will give you a better workout than a guy with low bodyfat.

Boyle's biggest problem, as he says in the video, is trying to load the single-leg squats: the athletes were wearing weight-vests and holding dumbells, both maxed out, and they didn't hit a leg-strength limit.

The Bulgarian split-squat is a very good recommendation; in fact, if you look and listen closely in the video, I think it's the one Boyle prefers. He does also put a little board or shelf down on the floor to prevent the back knee (with the corresponding foot hooked on the bench) from bottoming out on the floor.

[ktang 34]

Anybody do periodization? Do you keep doing all exercises all the time, with emphasis on some, or do you do different exercises for each phase? I've tried both, and the former seems to work better for me.

[Jesse_01 0]

A person could always do this as a routine: reg squat, weighted lunges, calf raises, good mornings/hyper. 3 sets of each and u got a nice simple 60 min lower body workout.

[ktang 34]

A person could always do this as a routine: reg squat, weighted lunges, calf raises, good mornings/hyper. 3 sets of each and u got a nice simple 60 min lower body workout.

Thanks for your routine. My gym doesn't have a hyper station / glute-hamstroc raise station, so I might do some good mornings. I might have to start doing lunges again. And I should try split squats or using the leg sled machine, to see if Boyle is correct about the back being the weak link.

My routine consists of, from fastest to slowest moves (I prefer to train from fast to slow):

- Power Snatches

- Power Cleans

- Jerks

- Presses (bench and overhead)

- Squats

- Pullups

- Dips

- Romanian Deadlifts

- Deadlifts

- Weighted incline situps

- Weighted back extensions

Nothing for calves, specifically. Nothing for the back, specifically.

I don't do everything each workout; usually 5 exercises.

--------------

About off-season periodization:

some say that it should have distinct phases (hypertrophy, max strength, power, agility (plyos), aerobic, anaerobic),

and

others say that all these phases should be worked, with limited amounts of other elements to avoid soreness when the next phase is started.

--------------

I'm in the hypertrophy phase now, so I'm doing more of the slow lifts. My questions are:

should I be throwing in some power snatches / cleans so that when I get to the power phase I won't get sore? Or will doing so hinder the hypertrophy phase?

Would doing some cardio now help to prepare for the aerobic / anaerobic phases, or would it hinder the hypertrophy?

[Jesse_01 0]

I don't know much about HST. But from what I just read on http://www.hypertrophy-specific.com

I have now used these principles myself, and have used them successfully to train competitive bodybuilders for some time. It is not "specifically" designed for competitive track athletes, Powerlifters or Olympic lifters, although I have had many athletes from different sports apply HST to their off-season training with ground breaking results. It is designed according to research looking specifically at muscle hypertrophy, not muscle performance.

Although me myself is more of a power lifter routine, I may try this HST routine for a month to see what kind of gains I can see. As any weight lifter, I'm always interested in trying new routines and learning about how to make my work outs more effective.

[TheGasman 0]

I always found Romanian or Stiff Leg deadlifts to be the best all around workout for my legs. I always try to get in at least 1 set when im working out my legs. I just worry that this will be the one that blows out my knees one of these days. I have to remind myself the whole time not to lock them.