Overhead Press

"When the overhead press was still the standard of shoulder strength, rotator cuff injuries were as rare as hen's teeth." Bill Star, The Jerk and Overhead Strength, Milo Magazine, page 65 December 1999.

Today numerous lifters complain of this problem, which they blame primarily on the bench press. I suppose this is what you get for trying to do most of your exercises lying down.

Peaking

"By lifting well within himself in practice, a man will do much better in training." Henry Higgins, Strength and Muscle Course, page 4 (1915, Bill Hinbern reprint).

You cannot "peak" a racehorse or a prizefighter more than once every two weeks to three months. Modern bodybuilders try to "peak" as much as three times a week and then wonder why they don't make any progress. An exercise routine is just that, it is not a contest.

Heavy Weights First

Always do your major muscle group exercises with heavy weights first (squats, bench presses, etc.).

Anthony Ditillo, in his book, The Development of Muscular Bulk & Power, on page 116, describes a teenager who spent half an hour "pumping" his arms with light weights and then took a bar off the rack to do bench presses. His arms gave way. An ambulance had to be called for him.

If your spine is not aligned properly and/or your hips are not in the position they should be, the odds are that, if you do heavy squats, you are going to hurt yourself. The stretching and balancing exercises you use to correct these conditions are called pilates, named after Joseph Pilates who invented them.

What is as important as knowing what to eat and how to exercise is knowing what not to eat and when not to exercise.

Today's "mirror athletes" are more concerned with cosmetic appearance than athletic ability. This is most noticeable in the lack of grip and forearm development among modern bodybuilders. What is the point of having the size and strength to lift a weight that you can't hold onto?

A massage is more than just a back rub. A massage can release contracted muscles and help carry toxins out of the body which will help in your recovery after a workout.

DON'T Dismiss the Power of Dumbbells

Regular strength training enables your body to burn calories at a higher rate, even at rest.  This is because a pound of muscle burns from 35 to 50 calories a day and a pound of fat will burn 2 calories per day.  Building muscle mass keeps your body toned and your metabolism up.  Those who limit their exercise to aerobics will not have this advantage.  Pumping iron for 20 minutes three times a week is enough to gain this advantage.  

For more detail, see Beat the Get-Fat Years:  Here are the secrets to staying thin after 35 by Stacey Colino, Reader's Digest, page 163 (February 2000).

Stamina:      resistance to fatigue, staying power, endurance

Maximize your stamina by:

Eating a light snack two hours before training.  

Having a meal following your workout that includes whole grains, legumes, or starchy vegetables to help restore the glycogen stored in the muscles and liver.

Avoiding dehydration.  Drink water before, during, and after exercising so you can minimize the fluid loss due to perspiration.

Stabilizing your body weight.  If you are changing your body weight through diet, gain or lose no more than 1-2 pounds a week

The Set System

Cable Set

Using a cable set is an easy way for those who find themselves frequently away from home to keep in shape.  Using a cable set can even keep up the strength of those who travel in outer space because gravity isn't necessary for resistance.  Any exercise you can do with a dumbbell, you can replicate by using cables.  Using a cable set cannot replace training with free weights but it is a great way to supplement your training program.  A cable set is portable and the exercises can be done in half the time it takes to use weights.

Rest

Train for six weeks. Take the seventh week off. If you don't take regular breaks from training you will go stale. You'll find your strength will increase even after a week off.

If you have a back or shoulder pain that is causing you some discomfort, try lying on the floor with a tennis ball placed between the floor and the affected area. Slowly roll the ball with your back around the area. This is a way to do deep muscle massage or rolfing on yourself free of charge. You are the best judge of the length of time to apply this method. You won't be able to endure it for a long period--rather do several short applications.