Tag Archives: sandbag

Full-Body Routines, Auto-Regulation, Squats and Deadlifts Q&A

2 Replies

John GrimekRecently I received some e-mails from readers of RoughStrength.com with questions and I thought it might be useful to share the answers with all the audience. So here it is.

Rough Strength Questions and Answers:

“Hi, Alex!

So you believe in whole body programs over split routines yourself correct? I do not believe you can split bodyparts up period and I do not know who came up with them but in the old days that is all the old timers did and they were stronger, more powerful, better conditioned, and much more healthier back in those days then today?” Continue reading →

Franco Columbu and Heavy Deadlift

What Is ‘Heavy’?

6 Replies

You can often hear such phrases: “To get big you need to lift heavy!” or “Lift heavy stuff to get strong!”. Many personal coaches preach this approach nowadays. Arguments are hard to beat:

  • Heavy lifting strengthens tendons and ligaments
  • Heavy lifting ends with more muscle growth response
  • Heavy lifting even brings more metabolic cost
  • Heavy lifting is badass
  • Oldtimers lifted heavy
  • Etc

They say: “Bust your ass off in the gym!” or “Train heavy as hell!” You name it. It’s all cool but average trainee can become little confused. He starts to add weight every workout, he ‘busts his ass off’ every workout, he adds as much reps or sets as he can, he feels exhausted and beaten after every workout. And his progress stalls in matter of weeks. He tries new program but after couple of weeks he becomes even weaker. And on and on.

What’s the Problem?

Continue reading →

Deadlifting at Home

26 Replies

Franco Columbu Deadlifting OutdoorsThe Deadlift. Exercise that involves pretty much all the muscles in your body into action while none of them go through full range of motion. One of the most productive exercises on earth while one of the hardest. One of the simplest exercises in setup. Benefits of the deadlift are endless. Besides, it’s one of my favorite exercises (:

You will always notice a good deadlifter in the crowd. Good deadlifter is a lucky possessor of massive traps, shoulders, lats, forearms and legs. And these are just visible bonuses. Good deadlifter (not stupid deadlifter) is a possessor of strong and healthy posterior chain. And posterior chain is one of the main muscles in your body if your goal is strength and performance. Strongmen use to say: “If you want strength then train your back”. Forget about curls and crunches. Leave them for sissies. Build your back and get big and strong!

Wondering how? Read on. Continue reading →

Mixing Training Implements for Ultimate Results

8 Replies

Franco Columbu Mixing ToolsThere are so many debates on what implement is the ultimate training tool. Barbells? Dumbbells? Sandbags? Kettlebells? Bodyweight? You name it. People tend to oppose them to each other. One camp says: “Barbells are the best because you can always make micro adjustments in weight”. The second camp replies: “Sandbags or kegs are the best because they rock the stabilizers big time; barbells cannot offer this”. Yet other dudes say: “Kettlebells are the best because they are fun and versatile and can offer unique exercises”. The fourth camp states: “Forget about weights! Old school bodyweight strength training is the king because you learn to master your own bodyweight”.

So who’s right and where’s the truth?

Continue reading →

Why Train in a Home Gym?

16 Replies

Gold's Gym Do you seriously think that you need all that stuff in your training?

How many times have you seen guys in your gym with eleven-inch guns doing bench or curls all day long for 7 days a week with girly poundages with grunting and screaming like they were squatting 1000 lbs?

How many times did the instructor in your gym tell you not to deadlift/squat/military press/bent press etc because they are DANGEROUS?

How many times were you afraid to drop the weight on the floor because it is so loud and because of the instructor(s) that will run to you immediately and tell you not to do so because it will wreck the bar or something?

How many times have you seen all those metrosexuals who think they’re so sexy that they should check themselves in the mirror every minute?

How many times have you not found dumbbells of an appropriate size and weight in all that machine jungle?

I can go on and on but I think there are enough reasons to understand that commercial gyms today are full of crap. And you know what the funny thing is? If you train in a commercial gym you actually pay for that crap. It is a business after all. Nowadays people go to gyms pretty much to socialize rather than to train. But it’s not what gyms were originally meant to be. You can’t even imagine how your progress will skyrocket when you will get rid of all that annoying shit and will train rough in a place where you’re the master and where you can concentrate on lifting.

Continue reading →