Results matching “thumb”

If you're anything like me, grip training seldom works the thumbs heavily. Try a few of these.

This week began awkwardly, with the shoulders somewhat tired following the impromptu weighted chin-up test. The chin-ups themselves were fine, but a less-than-perfect rep in the subsequent overhead press work gave me some immediate - and negative - feedback. Fortunately the presses were being done kneeling in a power rack (the rack isn't tall enough to do them standing), and there wasn't _too_ much weight on the bar. Just enough to make a suitably alerting noise.

Friday
DE SQ/DL. The squat is not exactly my favourite exercise, and I'll switch to deadlifts more than happily. On Friday, however, I decided to test the shoulders (squatting always seems to be a good shoulder-pain indicator); quickly discovering that they weren't too bad at all.

My depth, however, was another story.

Sunday
DE Bench. Started with a few thumbless pull-ups off the back of the rack, which was nice and slippery. Moved over to the chinning bar proper for some hand-over-hand stuff (from memory there's a bit of this on one of the Sonnon videos Jim pointed to recently), before falling to the floor for some presses. Good fun.

Pull-ups (thumbless, back of rack) 3
Hand-over-hand work on chinning bar
Bench press 2x10@40/88
Bench press (close grip) 2x10@40/88, 9x3@60/132
Band pressdowns - blue and green, high reps

Monday
ME SQ/DL. Back to the rack pulls, this time one hole lower than last week (about knee height). Used a sumo stance and double overhand grip for all but the last couple of sets (switched to conventional stance, alternate grip). Worked up to a single at 160kg, which is still well short of previous levels, but much stronger than pulls of the last fortnight.

Hindu squat (sumo stance, heels remaining on ground - slow) 50@bw
Hanging knee raise 4x20@bw
Rack pull (knee height) 2x15@60/132, 2x10@100/225, 2x5@120/264, 2x3@140/315, 1@160/352

Wednesday
ME Bench. With the funniest thing I've heard all week being the insult 'imaginary lat syndrome' (not directed at me, I hasten to add) I decided to return to the bent row/chin-up supersets. This time it was 5 bodyweight chins, immediately followed by a set of 10 bent rows at 40kg (felt too light at first, but was quite enough after a few sets with very short breaks. Only 3 rounds this time - I suspect including a couple of sets of chins in the warm-up wasn't the wisest move.

Bench press (close grip) 2x10@40/88, 2x10@60/132
Chin-up/bent row superset (only 10-15sec break between supersets) 3x 5@bw/10@40/88
Anconeus sidekick - light weights only, just trying them
Band pressdowns - blue and green, high reps

This week began awkwardly, with the shoulders somewhat tired following the impromptu weighted chin-up test. The chin-ups themselves were fine, but a less-than-perfect rep in the subsequent overhead press work gave me some immediate - and negative - feedback. Fortunately the presses were being done kneeling in a power rack (the rack isn't tall enough to do them standing), and there wasn't too much weight on the bar. Just enough to make a suitably alerting noise.

Friday
DE SQ/DL. The squat is not exactly my favourite exercise, and I'll switch to deadlifts more than happily. On Friday, however, I decided to test the shoulders (squatting always seems to be a good shoulder-pain indicator); quickly discovering that they weren't too bad at all.

My depth, however, was another story.

Sunday
DE Bench. Started with a few thumbless pull-ups off the back of the rack, which was nice and slippery. Moved over to the chinning bar proper for some hand-over-hand stuff (from memory there's a bit of this on one of the Sonnon videos Jim pointed to recently), before falling to the floor for some presses. Good fun.

Pull-ups (thumbless, back of rack) 3
Hand-over-hand work on chinning bar
Bench press 2×10@40/88
Bench press (close grip) 2×10@40/88, 9×3@60/132
Band pressdowns - blue and green, high reps

Monday
ME SQ/DL. Back to the rack pulls, this time one hole lower than last week (about knee height). Used a sumo stance and double overhand grip for all but the last couple of sets (switched to conventional stance, alternate grip). Worked up to a single at 160kg, which is still well short of previous levels, but much stronger than pulls of the last fortnight.

Hindu squat (sumo stance, heels remaining on ground - slow) 50@bw
Hanging knee raise 4×20@bw
Rack pull (knee height) 2×15@60/132, 2×10@100/225, 2×5@120/264, 2×3@140/315, 1@160/352

Wednesday
ME Bench. With the funniest thing I've heard all week being the insult 'imaginary lat syndrome' (not directed at me, I hasten to add) I decided to return to the bent row/chin-up supersets. This time it was 5 bodyweight chins, immediately followed by a set of 10 bent rows at 40kg (felt too light at first, but was quite enough after a few sets with very short breaks. Only 3 rounds this time - I suspect including a couple of sets of chins in the warm-up wasn't the wisest move.

Bench press (close grip) 2×10@40/88, 2×10@60/132
Chin-up/bent row superset (only 10-15sec break between supersets) 3× 5@bw/10@40/88
Anconeus sidekick - light weights only, just trying them
Band pressdowns - blue and green, high reps

The most recent edition of T-Nation's Exercises You've Never Tried series (#18) encouraged me to re-read the earlier articles in search of lost gems. Amongst them I found this treat - the Anconeus Sidekick - which soon formed part of an ever-growing Triceps-blasting arsenal.

The Anconeus is the oft-forgotten 4th elbow extensor. To perform the sidekicks, kneel down beside a bench and use it to support your upper arm. Move your upper arm so that it's at right angles to your torso (and parallel to the floor), with your forearm hanging straight down. Pick up a dumbbell with a pronated grip (point your thumb down), and raise your forearm to horizontal (your upper arm won't move).

Follow it up with your usual tricep work.

The most recent edition of T-Nation's Exercises You've Never Tried series (#18) encouraged me to re-read the earlier articles in search of lost gems. Amongst them I found this treat - the Anconeus Sidekick - which soon formed part of an ever-growing Triceps-blasting arsenal.

The Anconeus is the oft-forgotten 4th elbow extensor. To perform the sidekicks, kneel down beside a bench and use it to support your upper arm. Move your upper arm so that it's at right angles to your torso (and parallel to the floor), with your forearm hanging straight down. Pick up a dumbell with a pronated grip (point your thumb down), and raise your forearm to horizontal (your upper arm won't move).

Follow it up with your usual tricep work.

Just to get you in the mood for a bit of kettlebell action - here are a few photos from Pavel's last certification workshop.

Just to get you in the mood for a bit of kettlebell action - here are a few photos from Pavel's last certification workshop.

An interesting study is being carried out by a team at Melbourne's (Australia) Howard Florey Institute, in which the plasticity of pain responses is being assessed. Their latest findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, indicate that pain is increased at times of mild thirst (if you're wondering, thumbscrews and a saline solution).

Think I'll skip the thumbscrews, but it is another reason to drink plenty of water both during and after workouts.

An interesting study is being carried out by a team at Melbourne's (Australia) Howard Florey Institute, in which the plasticity of pain responses is being assessed. Their latest findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, indicate that pain is increased at times of mild thirst (if you're wondering, thumbscrews and a saline solution).

Think I'll skip the thumbscrews, but it is another reason to drink plenty of water both during and after workouts.

UK events for the remainder of 2005.