The human body wasn't born with trekking poles attached, so why should we use them when walking on scenic trails or even challenging hikes? However, the proponents of trekking poles for hiking swear that these devices [...]
There are so many different cable attachments for weightlifting. You may be wondering how each weightlifting cable attachment works and how they all differ from each other. Some weightlifting cable attachments are more ergonomic (comfortable, [...]
Have you heard of super slow training? This pertains to weight training done very slowly, as in a 10-second release of the weight, after taking 4 or 5 seconds to lift it. Super slow training [...]
Comparison of drop sets, supersets and pyramids... Drop set vs. superset vs. pyramids: What exactly are these, how are they different and what are the benefits of each? Drop sets, supersets and pyramid sets are [...]
This article clears the air once and for all that your butt will not get bigger from using the stair climber. Whether you worry that the stair climber will make your butt bigger, or whether [...]
Find out if it matters how fast you walk when using a treadmill desk. The treadmill desk, in which you walk while using a computer, is the solution to the hazards of sitting all day [...]
Renegade rows with pushups is one of the best routines for hammering the entire body at once. I’m a former certified personal trainer and I’ve been doing renegade rows for quite some time. This exercise [...]
There are a number of ways to add intensity to renegade rows, but few people do this! Yes, you can add intensity to renegade rows – many ways! I do renegade rows on my chest [...]
Find out what a study determined activates more latissimus muscle: bent-over barbell row or the T-bar style! So which is better when it comes to building up the lat muscle, the bent-over barbell row or [...]
Learn why it’s a myth that lifting weights is harder for tall people. It’s often said that tall people have a harder time with lifting weights, and that it’s easier for short athletes. Let’s assume [...]
There’s more than one reason why strongman competitors are so very tall. Isn’t it odd that many champion powerlifters aren’t all that tall, yet when it comes to strongman athletes, it’s not uncommon for them [...]
An intellectual disability should be no barrier to lifting weights at a gym. When I say that people with a mental challenge should lift weights, I’m obviously referring to those who have no medical issues [...]
If you’re a woman who’s mad that your long femurs make squatting difficult, here’s a reason to embrace those generous thigh bones! Are you a woman who’s been struggling to pull off a decent squat at the [...]
A smart woman with long femurs relative to torso and/or shin bone length will know this is why the parallel back squat is difficult without a lot forward lean. The back squat is not the be-all [...]
There is solid truth to the claim that a bad femur to torso ratio will make back squats very difficult; learn why this is not a lame excuse! Are you one of those “bro science” [...]
If you can’t get parallel with squats and fall backwards instead or must hold something in front of you, you won’t like the reason. Many things have been blamed for not being able to go [...]
Adults who can’t get parallel with a squat, let alone deep, must realize that one reason children squat so easily is body proportions. Google “children squatting” and hit “images” and you’ll see toddlers in a [...]
Yes, long femurs DO really SCREW up the back squat! It’s interesting that the men in fitness forums who slam those who insist their long femurs screw up their back squats don’t suffer from long femurs themselves -- [...]
The so-called butt wink in a back squat is bad news and if you have this problem, it needs to be corrected. Many people butt wink when they perform a squat. Many don’t realize they do [...]
This article explains in plain English the fascinating reason why a wide stance makes squatting parallel so much easier for long femurs. If you know that long femurs have been hampering your ability to go [...]
There is no comparison between an adult's full squat and a young child's full squat, yet people continue comparing the two when discussing the back squat exercise. As a former personal trainer, it continues to [...]
Does femur length really matter when it comes to hiking efficiency? “Long femurs” refers to relative length of these bones to one’s overall height or leg length, and in the world of weightlifting, the issue [...]
Here are three simple and fun exercises to improve back squats if you have the unfortunate levers of relatively long femurs. Bad levers do not mean that you can’t override long femurs by “strengthening your ancillaries.” [...]
Though a long femur relative to shin is a disadvantage in squats, it’s a biomechanical plus in the leg extension and hamstring curl. The long femur to short shin proportion has been vilified as bad [...]
Even a super tall NBA star could do an ass to grass squat if he has the right proportions! Do not blame squat problems on being tall. Being tall, in and of itself, is not a disadvantage [...]
It isn’t just femur to torso ratio that can create problems with the back squat; shin length relative to upper leg can also mess things up. You’re aware that if the femurs are longer than [...]
Anyone who’s struggled to get parallel in the squat (femur torso ratio) knows that elevating the heels makes this possible, and here’s why. For those with long femurs and short torso who can’t achieve a [...]
I could not believe it when a strength training enthusiast chastised another about the parallel squat, in that the one trainee insisted he was not able to squat due to a short torso (and long [...]
Super tall men with relatively short femurs have a squat advantage over shorties with relatively long femurs ANY DAY. Many believe that being tall interferes with doing a parallel squat because, allegedly, it's troublesome to [...]
If you’re biomechanically disadvantaged due to femurs that are longer than your torso, find out if this means you’re weak. When a person with long femurs (meaning, femurs longer than their torso, regardless of overall [...]
It’s a myth that the squat butt wink is caused ONLY by tight hamstrings or tight hips! Want to know what really is behind the cause of the butt wink motion that so many people [...]
Short people CAN have a relatively long femur, meaning, their thigh bone is longer than their torso -- even if their overall height is way shorter than average. As a former personal trainer, I am fascinated [...]
You know that long femurs are a curse for squatting exercises, but does this problem carry over to day-to-day activities? As a former personal trainer and always-fitness enthusiast, this topic intrigues me. If you clicked [...]
There’s a fool proof way to tell if your femurs are too long for decent parallel back squats. If you can’t parallel squat, does this automatically mean your femurs are too long relative to the [...]
If you’ve given up on the squat due to long femurs, here are the best exercises to build muscle in your legs. Time and time again, the muscle building literature says that people with long [...]
Learn about what increasing low back flexibility can do for your squat if you're stiffed with the curse of long femurs and a short torso! If you’ve been working hard on getting your squat to [...]
Are you in construction and wondering if this will build muscle the way that training at a gym with weights will? The big question for men in construction work who believe that this occupation can [...]
Does doing leg presses make your legs shake? So your legs shake while doing leg presses; what is going on here? I’m a former personal trainer and was not uncommon for my clients’ legs to start [...]
Follow these guidelines to help prevent finger pain related to climbing. Finger pain from climbing can be caused by more than one factor, says Joseph Ciccone, DPT, CSCS, a doctor of physical therapy and certified [...]
You can relieve your low back pain by walking backwards on a treadmill... ...but if you hold on, you'll sabotage this benefit! You need to stand upright and keep your hands off the rails. Walking [...]
