One common problem people have when training with weights or even bodyweight exercises, is they tend to bounce the weight or somehow use momentum in the exercise. It may feel good for the ego to lift more weight, but you're not doing much to stimulate quality muscle growth. And on top of that, you're risking injury. One of the most important things I learned from Powerlifting was that you need to control the weight properly at all times. Judging is very strict at Powerlifting meets and any kind of bouncing or lack of control is grounds for a red light.…

Working out can be an addiction. We love the way it makes us feel. We love the way it makes us look. We love the increase in strength, speed, flexibility, etc. But unfortunately like any addiction, we can often push too hard for too long a period of time. And doing this can lead to burnout and overtraining, the complete opposite of why you started!   One thing I'll always be grateful for is the training I had in Powerlifting. In Powerlifting we understand that you can't train all out all the time. That's why we train in cycles. Typically these are…

Although Doug Hepburn may not be as common a household name like Arnold Schwarzenegger, he certainly deserves to be. Born in Vancouver, BC, Canada in 1926 with a club foot, he may not have seemed at first like a future strength legend. But he did just that. At a height of 5 foot 8 and a half, he weighed in at 300 lbs of power! And he had the numbers to back it up!    For one thing, he was the first man in the world to bench press 400, 450, and 500 lbs! Here are some of his other lifts and…

Just about everyone who's been training for a while has heard of periodization. However like many other things, there is a ton of misinformation about it. There are of course many different methods and possible training cycles that can be used. Far too many to list here, but I want to provide a basic overview of what it's all about.   So to put things simply, periodization is all about the fact that you can't train at the same level all the time. Back when I was first learning about working out, the gym rats I was working out with had no…