Strength is the ability of the body to exert force. Questions are about training methods for improving strength.
2
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2answers
479 views
Multiple short workouts vs one long session
I'm a 20-year-old male, and it's been a while since I've done anything physical, so I'm trying to build some muscle. However, I'm a full time student and I work 20 hours a week, which doesn't leave me ...
1
vote
1answer
192 views
Will calcium supplements affect my strength gain?
I've just started taking calcium supplements, 1 tablet each day with each tablet containing 650mg of calcium.
This is to try and negate the effects soda can have on on making it hard for bones to ...
7
votes
2answers
3k views
How does muscle size relate to strength?
I've heard it often that the size of muscles, for example biceps, is not realted to how strong someone is. Is this true?
See for example this image of Gu Yanli who won the strongest man championship ...
2
votes
1answer
97 views
What to expect for fitness and strength losses given x amount of days of rest?
After training off and on (mostly on) for about a year, I recently took a break from the gym and didn't exercise at all aside from gentle walking for close to 3 weeks. When I returned, it seems I ...
9
votes
3answers
495 views
Doing it right: sit-ups
How do you train sit-ups correctly?
I've heard you can damage your back if you don't do it right.
Also, are there any varieties that allows one to use weights or similar objects? I ask about this ...
10
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8answers
1k views
what exercises are good (and bad) for striking speed in martial arts?
Since being told that biceps are bad for punching speed, I've toned down the amount of pull-ups I do, and switched to a wide grip with palms facing away to emphasize the lats more than the biceps. Now ...
3
votes
2answers
745 views
Dumbbell / Free Weights Training Programme
I'm currently road running and swimming and I'd like to start strength training using free weights.
I have access to a set of dumbbells and would like to make use of them, but searching for starter ...
1
vote
4answers
328 views
Strength training weightlifting workout routine
I'm looking for a workout routine between 4-6 days per week to get generally stronger. I've seen a bunch of questions here and webpages with routines, but the schedules seem all contrived. Is there ...
8
votes
2answers
505 views
Training exercises to increase speed and strength
I'm a handball trainer and coach for a couple of teams in our club. All the teams have two training's, each a hour long at minimum.
I am looking for simple exercise which can be done without using ...
1
vote
1answer
50 views
Ankle Injury From Soccer
Recently I went down in my soccer game and I was told by the ER that I strained my upper superior ligament, or something of the sort. It's been a week and two days, and today was my first day even ...
2
votes
2answers
115 views
Is my current diet good for strength building?
I'm looking to build strength. I'm not concerned with size or bigger muscles so much as strength.
At the moment I eat a lot of meat and carbs. For most meals I tend to eat things like donor kebabs, ...
3
votes
2answers
360 views
Dancing and the core
I do a lot of salsa dancing and like many other dances you need to have certain muscles subconsciously and almost perpetually tense so that the dancer isn't having to remember to 'flex' all the time ...
4
votes
3answers
1k views
What are some good stretches to help with squatting?
It seems a lot of form problems with the squats are caused by inadequate flexibility - I think mainly in the hamstrings and also the shoulders.
What are some good stretches that can be used to ...
0
votes
2answers
174 views
How should I Lift and eat so I can Gain Weight?
I want to be good at football next year so I'm lifting anywhere from 4 to 6 times a week. I'm a defensive lineman so I want to gain weight (in muscle of course). How should I lift (weight, reps, ...
7
votes
1answer
346 views
What's the point of the weekly 2-day break in Starting Strength's programming? Can a novice just skip that?
Starting Strength prescribes two daily lifting schedules (A and B), to be performed alternately on 3 non-consecutive days per week.
That means something like this:
S M T W T F S
...
5
votes
1answer
399 views
How can I best modify starting strength to fit with a team practice schedule and cardiovascular conditioning?
I have two goals: improve speed and vertical, and improve at my sport (ultimate).
It seems from my relatively untrained state, the biggest gains in speed and vertical will come from strength ...
6
votes
4answers
394 views
Week without a gym, what instead?
I am doing Starting Strength program and I am going to my hometown for Christmas. I won't be able to access a gym there. What can I do instead? I don't like the idea of not doing anything for a week, ...
3
votes
1answer
142 views
How do you know what intensity you should go with?
I've started working out several month ago at home. I'm building my own training routines and using mostly Super-sets. (as for the equipment I use dumbbells, exercise bands and body weight).
Mostly I ...
7
votes
3answers
361 views
How can I best recover for a second strength workout on the same day?
I'd like to do two strength workouts in the same day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. With this goal in mind, what strategies can I employ throughout the day so that I'm as fresh as ...
3
votes
1answer
236 views
Four day training for strength
Could someone suggest me a strength training that I could do for four days a week?
I am 26 years old, I weight 77kg and have 176cm. I can do about 50 - 60 pushups in a row and I have done 5 weeks of ...
5
votes
2answers
328 views
How do you know your overall strength/lifting level?
How do you determine when you move from beginner to intermediate to advanced levels in strength training? What are some indicators? I'm assuming it's not how much weight is lifted, since that ...
2
votes
2answers
191 views
Calorie consumption dilemma: strength vs fat loss
I am a 77 kg guy. I used to be a scrawny 52 kg guy before I began 5x5 workout.
During the weight gain process, I didn't care much about the associated fat gain. I was getting stronger and looking ...
9
votes
3answers
1k views
Are multiple lighter deadlifts better than single heavier maxes?
My max deadlift is 350 (still gaining), but I can deadlift 300 twice. Is it better to focus on my 2 lift max or my single lift max to build overall strength?
13
votes
4answers
2k views
How can I increase the number of push-ups I can do?
The number of push-ups I can do is dismal.
I have tried over the years to increase the number and have received to pieces of advice.
Start easy and try something like a raised bar or railing and ...
8
votes
2answers
530 views
How to get stronger (mostly upper body)?
I'm a college runner with a 14 month injury that doesn't look like it's going away anytime soon.
So I decided I may as well take up weight-training instead. I absolutely hate lifting weights, but, ...
0
votes
1answer
588 views
First week at gym, am I doing right?
I have just joined a local gym near my home. My body details are:
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 56 Kg
My target is to gain strength, shape, and muscle. I am 24 years old.
After joining a gym, I found that ...
5
votes
2answers
4k views
How can I increase shoulder flexibiity for squats & snatches?
I have noticed flexbility is a big issue for me in squatting as well as snatching (I cannot snatch at all currently).
For example, if I squat with no weight, I cannot complete a squat with my arms ...
4
votes
3answers
507 views
Which resources should I go to for programming ring training?
I just received a set of EXF gymnastics rings (thanks, Team Chaos!) and I have a smorgasbord of individual exercises that I'd like to try. However, I don't want to do just a collection of random ...
4
votes
3answers
2k views
How is it possible to use a higher percentage of our theoretical strength?
I've read somewhere ( Why is muscle size not proportional to strength?) that under normal circumstances, even when we try our hardest, we can use only 20-30% of our strength.
Under what circumstances ...
4
votes
2answers
947 views
Do ring dips and ring push-ups overlap?
I'm getting a set of gymnastics rings soon, and will be modifying my current strength workouts to use them. I'm not at the stage where I should be doing ring dips yet, but from looking at ring ...
5
votes
3answers
345 views
Strengthening neck and shoulders to hold weight on my head
I practice lion dance as part of the tradition and culture of my martial arts system. It is a dance in which two performers mimic a lion's movements inside a costume. As part of some lion dance ...
9
votes
6answers
4k views
How to Get Bigger And Stronger with no gym or weights
How can one get bigger at home without weights such as bench press, dumbbells or anything else. I don't have any weight equiment at home but I workout everyday such as push-ups, sit-ups and dips but ...
9
votes
1answer
129 views
What's the time threshold for a drop in performance when taking a break from training?
Whenever I go on vacation, the dilemma in my head is, should I try to work out there? Or just take a break from everything and resume when I get back.
The worry is that a break would cause some ...
3
votes
1answer
149 views
Is wearing weight adders on arms beneficial?
I am doing weight-lifting 3 times a week, 2-3 hours for each workout.
Now I got a gift of arm weight adders (basically, a sand bag wrapped around forearm, each bag weights 1kg). I'm considering ...
6
votes
1answer
3k views
Importance of short rest times between sets
What are the benefits of taking shorter rest times in between sets? If I am capable of doing an extra rep or two if I rest for 1 minutes instead of resting for 30 seconds, which is more beneficial?
9
votes
2answers
951 views
How to find your one repetition maximum?
Are these formulas close to every ones one rep max on varies exercises? and
I would like to know how accurate this is for everyone and if you have anything better?
Formulas to find your one rep max ...
1
vote
1answer
247 views
Full Muscle Mass Increase Work out [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Is increasing resistance the only possibility to build more muscle mass?
So, I'm 23 male, running 3km 1-2 times a week, and lifting weights 2-3 times a week. I'm 175cm ...
15
votes
3answers
1k views
Do you need to “feel the burn” to become stronger?
If your goal is increasing strength, must you always train to the point where you feel the burn later?
12
votes
9answers
2k views
What are some short 30-minute body-weight lift routines for travel.
I travel a good bit for my job. As a result, the weeks that I travel often involve a lack of physical activity since I am primarily a weight lifter when it comes to exercise and most hotel gyms have ...
6
votes
2answers
1k views
What's the minimum amount of strength training that will yield a measurable benefit?
I'm not an athlete – I just want to be healthy and fit with decent muscular strength.
What's the minimum amount of strength training that will yield a measurable benefit?
For instance, sitting ...
5
votes
2answers
2k views
How to do 2 or 3 finger push-ups
Are two or three finger push-ups a matter of finger/hand or arm strength?
What techniques should I use to learn two or three finger push-ups (if it is finger strength how do I build this up etc.)
1
vote
2answers
105 views
More energy than normal - should I push myself?
Somedays (like today) I feel literally like I could move mountains! Is there any harm to pushing yourself harder on these good days? Just likes it's okay to slow down on the low energy days (I'm ...
5
votes
1answer
676 views
I can't do more than 10 - 15 repetitions for biceps
I have been going to the gym since last seven years.
My friends at the gym do more than 15 repetitions per set.
I am not comparing with them, but I don't understand why can't I do more that 15 ...
4
votes
1answer
355 views
Swimming routine for a person in very bad shape?
I've been trying to find an answer to this but I couldn't. If this is a duplicate please accept my apologies and please show me the original question.
A bit of background:
I'm a developer in quite ...
10
votes
1answer
503 views
Should one generally avoid machines in favor of free weights?
From what I have been told, machines are not recommended for strength training, because they isolate muscles and thereby exclude the smaller stabilizing muscles from developing together with the major ...
7
votes
3answers
1k views
Need to gain strength to gain muscle?
I've been strength training 4 days a week for about 8 months. My goal is to increase mass. The usual recommendation for this is to do three sets of 8-12 repetitions for most exercises, and that's what ...
6
votes
1answer
2k views
What is the best set of dumbbell exercises for a complete upper arm workout?
I'd like to find a good set of dumbbell exercises for a "complete" upper arm workout - working out the biceps, triceps, and brachialis* muscles fairly evenly. What combination of curls or other ...
4
votes
2answers
290 views
How can I improve my vertical?
I have been playing basketball a lot lately and I'd like to improve my vertical. Currently it's not terribly bad, but I'm guessing below the average competitive basketball player (somewhere around ...
3
votes
1answer
320 views
Going backwards in training, do I need a break?
I've been steadily progressing with the Starting Strength program for a couple of months now. But my last two trips to the gym have been a disaster.
When I started the program I could only ...
5
votes
3answers
140 views
To count or not to count?
I started training some months ago (mainly strength), but when I do sit-ups/ crunches I tend to forget counting repetitions and just continue until I can't do any more.
What are the pros and cons of ...
