Article recommendations week #4 2017
We have searched the web for the most valuable and interesting articles of week #4 2017
Strength Training Articles
Strength Made Simple outlined Best Sets & Reps For Strength an overview of different set & rep schemes aimed to improve maximum strength.
Swim Swam explained how competitive swimmers are Building Strength For a Long Season
Stack shared Strength for Speed: Upper-Body Training with Odell Beckham Jr. an example program how to use strength training programs for speed gains.
Dr John Rusin 6 Foundational Movements That Every Person On Earth Needs To Master a good overview of the fundamental movements and their application in strength training.
- summarized Heart Rate Variability (HRV), what it is, how it can help determine recovery status and how HRV is influenced by training.
- offered a great overview of GPS technology in the articles GPS (Wearables): Part 1 – Technology, Validity, and Reliability and GPS (Wearables): Part 2 – Metrics and Application
Muscle & Fitness explained how to Gain Greater Mass With Drop Sets a good outline, how to use drop sets. What the article misses to address is, that drop sets are advanced training methods and should be used carefully.
T-Nation addresses that issue in their Tip: The 2/1 Technique, Leg Press where they state, that you want to use advanced methods sparingly and only if you know, that you have a planned recovery period after that. Check out the video
Complementary Training shared Football Periodization: Review and Opinions a great review with an applied example, but not only applicable to football.
Bonvec Strength explained 6 Ways to Improve Your Bench Press Lockout a very thorough article on the Bench Press and important factors to consider. Also check out the cue’s for the Bench Press set up
From The Ground Up shared Common Push-Up Mistakes and How to Fix Them! a thorough analysis on typical push-up mistakes and how to fix them.
Juggernaut Training Systems discussed Fitness Myths | Maxing Too Often a good analysis of when to max, how often to max and how to iterpret maxing results depending on the training phase. Check out the video
Plyometric Training Articles
Eric Cressey shared 7 Random Thoughts on Plyometrics offering some good advice for a plyometric training program.
Steemit explained Plyometric Training – What is Plyometrics & Plyometric Exercises simple, but good outline on plyometric training.
Power Training Articles
Elite FTS demonstrated 3 Jump Variations for Total Body Athleticism some not so usually loaded jump variation.
Speed Training Articles
Stack busted 4 Speed Training Myths That Are Slowing You Down explaining the relation between strength and speed and discussing common misconceptions of strength training program design on improvements on speed.
Back Squat, Front Squat, and Overhead Squat Articles
MensXP published Here Are 5 Damn Good Reasons To Do Front Squats outlining the unique Front Squat benefits.
Stack shared 5 Squat Tips From World-Record Squatter Brian Carroll simple and very good advice for a proper Back Squat technique and execution.
T-Nation offered
- a Tip: 3 Moves to a Better Front Squat how to improve the mobility in the wrist and thoracic spine in order to achieve excellent Front Squat technique.
- a Tip: Eccentric Isometrics for Squats how eccentric isometrics can be a useful add-on to the strength training program, check it out
Deadlift Articles
Fitness & Power compared Hex Bar Deadlift vs Barbell Deadlift : Which One is Better when to use the Hex Bar Deadlift and when to use the Barbell Deadlift and the specific benefits of each Deadlift variation.
Advanced Human Performance explained Master The Single Leg RDL and Unilateral Hip Hinge a thorough piece on the Single Leg RDL, how to progress and how to apply it.
T-Nation offered a Tip: How to Set Up for the Deadlift a great instructional article and video on how to get into the correct start position for the Deadlift, check it out
Ma Strength shared Lu Xiaojun 270kg Deadlift, check out the excellent Deadlift form with that high load, for someone below 80 kg body weight!
Power Clean, Power Snatch, and Olympic Lifting Articles
Catalystathletics discussed Elbows Up & Out: Is It Dead or Just Misunderstood? a great nuanced piece on the elbow position during the end of the second pull of the Power Snatch technique or Power Clean technique.
The Athletic Build published Power Cleans – The Ultimate Power Athlete Exercise a good overview of the Power Clean benefits for athletes.
Roman Fitness Systems shared How to Get Absolutely Jacked with the Power Clean outlining the use of the Power Clean and a teaching progression.
The Bar Bend offered 4 Exercises to Strengthen Your Receiving Position in the Snatch not only a good outline of the different exercises but also provided a good rationale for choosing them. If you are not fully familiar with the different phases of the Power Snatch technique, check out
All Things Gym demonstrated Chinese Weightlifting Instant Lift Assessment System Presentation a feedback device that allows for instant feedback, check out the video
and some Training impression Aleksey Torokhtiy 225kg BTN Snatch Grip Push Press, check it out
T-Nation offered a Tip: The One-Hand Dumbbell Snatch as a good variation to learn to jump with a weight in your hand and can be useful as a part of the progression to learn the Power Snatch technique. In addition to that, the One-Hand Dumbbell Snatch is a great variation for unilateral sport, such as racket sports or throwing sports. Check out the video
Highlights of the week
It has to be the final of the Australian Open 2017 of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. Just the dramaturgy and story of the great champions who seemed to have been past their prime facing each other again in a Grand Slam final after 6 years can fill an entire article.
Even though my sympathies in the past have been very clear and are still very clear and in favor of Rafael Nadal, it was impressive what Roger Federer did. Not only has it been spectacular tennis, between these two players it has always been spectacular tennis. Just watch the highlights to see how impressive it was
What in my opinion, makes it truly spectacular is the fact, that in past matches you could get the feeling, that Roger Federer just could not maintain the pressure of facing tenacity his most feared opponent and didn’t always fight until the end. This time it was different and he even bounced back in the last set from a break down. This time it was different and he mentioned in the press conference after the match, that throughout the match he always believed there is a chance to win the match and what made the difference is that for this match, the strategy he laid out with his coaches was to play the ball, much rather the opponent. Which means he focused on the process much rather than the outcome. Which reminds me of the Muhamad Ali fight against George Foreman from 1974 coined Rumble in the Jungle where Muhamad Ali figured out a way to win despite his opponent being the superior boxer in that fight. Finding a way to win.
In addition to that, I like the fact, that this match challenges the conventional wisdom of the necessity of competition and getting match practice, Roger Federer hasn’t played any tournaments for half a year.
He focused on recovery from an injury and training to get in the best possible shape for competition.
