by Matt Marshall on September 23, 2009
Do muscles slow you down? Conan thinks not.
Some myths just won’t go away. And sometimes I’m surprised how even the “experts” still get this stuff wrong.
Case in point:
For my last blog post, I was looking up some stats about Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson.
During my research, I stumbled across an article detailing how this ultra-strong and ultra-fast running back almost got “tricked” into gaining 10lbs of muscle.
You can read the article here.
For this post, I’ll provide quick recap:
Peterson was hanging out during the off-season and a few veterans convinced him that he’d be even better if he gained 10lbs of muscle. Peterson was convinced but before he set out to accomplish his goal he consulted with a few “experts” (his coach and his father). The “experts” explained that Peterson had been duped by the wiley veterans and that he should NOT sacrifice his blazing speed in the pursuit of an additional 10lbs of muscle.
But this is the part I don’t get: Why do these experts still believe that muscle makes you slower? Would an extra 10lbs of muscle actually make Adrian Peterson slower?
Not likely. In fact, you could even make the argument that the reason Peterson is so fast already is because he carries so much muscle mass.
Using the same logic espoused by the “experts” above, Peterson could actually get even faster if he LOST 10lbs of muscle. We know that doesn’t make much sense, so why would it make any sense that gaining muscle will make you slower?
But unfortunately, people are still confused by this. Yes, added muscle increases your bodyweight. But that doesn’t automatically make you slower. Strength coach Mark Rippetoe talks about this in the terms of adding a bigger engine to your car. Does the bigger engine increase the overall weight of the vehicle?
Of course.
Does a bigger engine make the car slower? Not by a long shot.
So I’ll open this up for comments. What do you think? Do you believe that gaining lean muscle mass slows you down? If you think that’s just a myth, why do you think this myth still persists, even at the highest levels of athletics?
by Matt Marshall on September 21, 2009
Arnold put in his time under the bar. Should you?
These days, it seems like everyone “already knows” how important squats are.
And yet, it’s still incredibly rare to see anyone performing full squats in most gyms. And it’s even more rare to see someone working HARD with the barbell on their back.
On some level, I get it. Hard work will never be popular.
But everybody loves RESULTS, right? And given that so many people aren’t seeing results from their efforts combined with the fact that the squat rack in most gyms is mainly used for bicep curls… I can’t help but wonder if people are under-estimating just how important squats are.
So in this article, I’ll give you five reasons why you should not only be squatting, but you should be working hard at squats.
(Granted, I know most of my readers are already painfully aware of the value of correctly-performed full squats, but if you could see my email inbox you’d understand the vast majority of guys out there are still looking for ways to get big and strong without hard work on the heavy exercises.
So I might be “preaching to the choir” with this post, but if you’re one of my regular readers perhaps you might consider forwarding this article to a friend in need.)
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by Matt Marshall on September 14, 2009
Zabo knew how to build 8-pack abs.
If you’re having trouble burning off body fat and developing a razor-sharp set of abs, maybe it’s time you started skipping some meals.
Yes, I know. All the “gurus” tell you to eat 5,6,7, or even 9 times a day. And that’s fine advice if you’re trying to bulk up.
But if you want to strip off some body fat and get back down to your “fighting weight”, maybe you should try eating just twice per day.
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by Matt Marshall on September 3, 2009
Sorry for the lack of posts lately.
Here’s a little something to tide you over.
Believe it or not, I’m actually going to link to a t-nation article.
(Something inside of me just died).
While the guys at t-nation catch a lot of flack (and deservedly so), occasionally they do good.
Like when they run articles by Dan John.
Today’s article was especially good and I recommend you read it now.
Soak up the wisdom of the article and do your best to shield your eyes from the ridiculous bodybuilder photos.
Oh and one more thing: Enjoy the holiday weekend.
by Matt Marshall on August 24, 2009
The old-time trainers knew how to build muscle without wasting time in the gym.
Many of today’s modern day bodybuilders spent their entire lives inside the gym. They have no hobbies, no friends and no social activities. And they don’t care.
Compare that with the old-time trainers who found a way to build muscle even while balancing a career, a family and other hobbies outside the gym.
Today, I’m going to give you a simple (but incredibly effective) workout plan that you can “fall back on” when life gets hectic.
This plan involves only two workouts per week, and each workout will only take 30 minutes.
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by Matt Marshall on August 11, 2009
You don't get arms like Bill Pearl unless you figure out how to smash through sticking points.
Training is fun when you’re making constant progress.
Hitting new personal records every time you set foot in the gym makes it easy to look forward to your training session.
Unfortunately, these brief periods of uninterrupted personal records don’t usually last long. Sooner or later, you’ll hit a sticking point. You get stuck.
And suddenly, motivation drops and training becomes a burden.
In this article, I’ll give you 12 simple strategies you can use to smash through a sticking point and start making progress again.
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by Matt Marshall on August 5, 2009
I just finished watching a fascinating lecture… and I think you should see it.
The title is Sugar: The Bitter Truth.
Trust me. This is NOT something you’ve heard before.
During this 90-minute lecture, Dr. Robert Lustig, UCSF Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Endocrinology explains:
* Why fructose is poison for your body… and why fruit (which contains fructose) is perfectly healthy.
* The “Coca-Cola” conspiracy — how big businesses are trying to trick you into drinking poison.
* Why a shot of whiskey is no worse for you than a glass of orange juice (bonus: the whiskey is more fun!)
* If you must eat at McDonald’s, 7 foods that do NOT contain high fructose corn syrup. (Surprise, chicken nuggets are on the list).
* The only two drinks you should have in your ‘fridge.
* How to cure type-II diabetes in a week -without prescription drugs or surgery.
This video runs 90 minutes and can get a little dry at times. But I urge to at least listen to the video (you can get all the main points without actually seeing the presentation — so just let it play in the background while you work on the computer.)
Watch it today and I’ll bet you dramatically change the way you eat tonight.
There’s no sales pitch. Nothing to buy. But this information could very well save your life and prevent you from developing some nasty diseases.
(Note: Tip of the hat to Keith Norris. I found this video through his excellent blog.
by Matt Marshall on July 31, 2009
Most of the time this blog will focus the “tried-and-true” fitness methods from yesteryear.
However, sometimes I stumble across modern research that I think readers of this blog would find interesting.
So from time to time, I’ll do a “round-up” of modern scientific studies.
Let’s dive in:
#1) Need Speed? Bulk up.
Every so often, someone will ask me how they can get faster without getting bigger. It seems the common belief is that bigger muscles will somehow slow you down.
Research now shows that - when it comes to speed - bigger is faster.
#2) Working out makes life easier.
Progressive resistance training - it’s not just for kids. Research shows that even at the age of 80, a progressive resistance training program can improve quality of life.
#3) Mass-Market Supplements May Contain Steroids
The New York Times discovered a couple of over-the-counter sports supplement products that actually contained small amounts of illegal steroids. See for yourself.
Of course, it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if this news actually BOOSTS sales for company in question. Because the number of kids today who feel like they NEED steroids to gain weight is just overwhelming.
Which is especially concerning when you consider that, not too long ago, legendary bodybuilder Steve Reeves built 18-inch biceps naturally and even once said, “The only steroid I ever used was Brewer’s Yeast!”
That’s all for this week. Thoughts? Leave ‘em in the comments.
by Matt Marshall on July 28, 2009
Before you ever pick up barbell, you should know the story of Milo. It should be posted on the door of every gym.
Milo of Croton was a six-time Olympic wresting champion nearly 3,000 years ago. The legend of Milo and his bull is perhaps one of the most famous weight-training stories of all time.
As legend has it…
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by Matt Marshall on July 23, 2009
If you want to dramatically improve your bench performance, build upper body strength and boost overall muscle size,
then here’s a secret exercise that most modern day trainers ignore.
Everyone knows that the bench press is a good exercise for building upper body strength. But many old time trainers performed this exercise in a different manner.
And as a result, they took an already brutally effective exercise and made it every tougher.
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