If you are 25 or 46 (as I am now) the same training principles apply and produce results. Yes, you still get jacked and very strong even when you are over 40, 50, 60. But, IMO, you have to implement certain modifications. Still, even at 46 years old, strength training is going to produce all the great benefits: - great neuro-muscular coordination - great muscle activation - increased bone density - stronger muscle fibers - more hypertrophy As said above, there are several modifications you should consider if you are over 40 compared to when you were 25 and could get away with just about any ..read more

Let's face it. Oldtimers like me (I am 46 when writing this post) usually want to be strong, fit and lean. Or they want a sport-specific strength training. But young dudes? Hey, they want to be strong and jacked. Well, it is actually quite simple. You combine a time-tested strength training of multiple sets and low reps with bodybuilding hypertrophy training typically with higher reps and medium weights. It gives the lifter a variety of both worlds, big compund lifts and isolation movements for the bodybuilding exercises.  The variations are endless and you should never get bored. The big ..read more

Alright, I do not like to do this but I do it anyway because many people ask. There are some things you should remeber though before you read further. Cookie-cutter programs are useless because everybody is different (different CNS adaptation, different leverages, different strength and weaknesses, different history or injuries, etc.) I strongly believe everybody should be coached individually. Nothing, I repeat NOTHING, beats a personal coach who can watch your videos, correct your form, analyze your CNS adaptation, select exercises for YOUR weak points, etc. Below is an EXAMPLE of a 5-we ..read more

Like it or not, deadlift is one of the best exercises you can do in your life. It is a full body lift, one of the most natural movement patterns mother nature has designed for us. Human beings pick heavy stuff off the ground for thousands of years. Powerlifter? No brainer here, you must deadlift, it is your 3rd powerlift. Strongman? You can bet your ass one of the contest movements is going to be a heavy conventional deadlift for reps. Bodybuilder? No other exercise can pack so much meat on your back. Crossfitter? You need functional and strong posterior chain for most of your exercises re ..read more

You are a CEO. You work like hell. 50+ working hours a week easily. Tons of stress, phone calls, meetings. Ups and downs of business. Frequent biz trips. AND you have a family. You can possibly squeeze in a max 50-min powerlifting session 3 times a week tops. But you decide not to because how the hell would it be even remotely possible? Powerlifts, assistance, conditioning, mobility? So you decide to bag it. .... and you are run down, stressed, irritated, overworked and your strength took a dive. I've been there, trust me, but I can help you out. Anything is possible if you put your mind i ..read more

From time to time we have the unique opportunity to watch a great lifter perfom. One out of millions. Ed Coan of powerlifting, Michael Jordan of basketball, Usain Bolt of sprinting. I believe, today, Yuri Belkin is THE icon when it comes to sumo pulls. He mastered the most efficient starting position AND execution. 400kg (880lbs) is now a working training weight for him and recently he pulled over 420kg (920+lbs) several times. Why is he so damn strong? What does he have what the others do not? I believe it is mainly two things: excellent setup and impecable execution. (of course, he is su ..read more

I recently read somewhere that when you get older you should do less because you cannot tolerate it same as when you were young. I disagree. There is more info to that which needs to be explained. When you are young (let's say 15-30) you have fresh joints, great mobility, you recover faster and you can tolerate higher intensities (you can spend more time in the 80-100% zone and more often). What you do not have is training experience and motor learning skills. When you are older (say 40+) your joints are worse, mobility is not what it used to be, you recover slower and you cannot max out v ..read more

If you are interested in cut abs, thin waist and toned obliques, please stop reading now, this post is not for you. If you want super strong core which can support heavy ass squats and deadlifts, keep reading, I got some cool info for you. If you want to squat heavy ass weights, pull massive deadlifts, participate in strongman competitions or be super strong in your chosen sport, you need a very strong core, this is a no brainer, right? "Core" is not abs. Core is the whole thing between your rib cage and pelvis. Is it abs, obliques, lower back and all the small muscles around your trunk ..read more

I see this over and over in my gym. A person which did not do any sports for many years decides to join a gym and starts a "routine". Bad form, dangerous body movement patterns, wrong selection of exercises. Sometimes there is a good coach to help out but most of the time not. Our average Joe is about 30 years old, office rat, 10kg (22 lbs) overweight, rounded shoulders, soft belly, anterior pelvic tilt, terrible dorsi flexion, very low motor skills, horrible mobility, dysfunctional glutes. Joe's work capacity is shit, the days of weekend football are long gone. And he starts squatting with ..read more

I said that before and it is still true: the powerlifts should be your main focus and bread and butter, it is 70-80% of your work and energy, you should have a smart plan regarding each session programming of powerlifts and a mid-term plan (several weeks) as well. A well programmed cycle. However, carefully selected assistance and corresponding volume on assistance exercises can boost your powerlifts, help you with your weaknesses and MOST IMPORTANTLY improve efficiency and motor skills on the main lift. Now, what is it, a "weakness". Many people think a weakness in powerlifting is a small ..read more