The idea of working opposite movements is nothing new and it's a fantastic way to promote balance. For most bodybuilder types this means the difference between being a one part wonder and having the symmetry and proportion necessary to place. For competitive lifters this means staving off the myriad of chronic injuries that come with performing the competitive lifts over and over again. For athletes this means strengthening the body as a whole so overall performance is not hindered and injury is prevented.

Another lesser known benefit is that working opposing muscle groups can increase your strength immediately. In short, training opposing movement in a consecutive fashion dis-inhibits the antagonistic muscle group. Theoretically this will increase the firing capability of the muscles you are training at that moment.

An example would be performing a set of pullups before a set of overhead presses. The set of pullups is designed to “fatigue” the lats enough to not allow them to inhibit the firing capabilities of the deltoids and upper traps. Therefore, training the extension muscles more efficiently. You can think of this as reducing internal “friction.” The body’s muscle groups work against each other, so if you can fatigue the opposing muscle groups then it stands to reason you will be a little bit stronger.

In my opinion I prefer to think of training opposing movements as “balancing” the loading, by equally distributing comparable loads and controlling the volume of your flexion and extension muscles. This is great for bringing up an underdeveloped body part or to help restore joint integrity so as to prevent or rehabilitate an unstable joint. Here are some variations that can help you decide how to organize a training routine around this concept.

The indestructible shoulder girdle
A1) Pushup (plus protraction): 10-20 reps, wait 30 seconds to 1min. Then…
A2) Inverted Body Row: 10-20 reps. Rest 2 min then repeat for desired number of sets.

B1) Upside down pushup (yes, like Paul Anderson used to do against the wall): 10-20 reps wait 30 sec. to 1 min. then…
B2) Prone grip medium width pullup: 10-20 reps rest 2 min. then repeat series for desired number of sets.

Barbell push/pull mania
A1) Med grip bench press: 6-10 reps rest 1 min. then…
A2) Prone med grip bent over or chest supported row: 6-10 reps then repeat series for desired number of sets.

B1) Close grip bench: 6-10 reps rest 1 min. then…
B2) Supine grip bent over or chest supported row : 6-10 reps then repeat for desired sets.

Ultimate Arm Blaster
A1) Dips: 4-8 reps rest 1 min. then…
A2) Supine grip barbell curl: 4-8 reps and repeat series as many times as desired

B1) Neutral grip dumbell extension: 8-12 reps rest 1min…
B2) Hammer curls: 8-12 reps

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While most of the training world is obsessed with how they look in the mirror and how they "appear" to be strong, there are a select few that dare to put function over form. Needless to say if you choose to do your talking on the field (or court) then it is inevitable that your training consist of developing some of the special strengths necessary for developing POWER (and more importantly FORCE). The following article is a small guide into training your lower extremities for ultimate function. But please do not mistake function for so called "functional training." We will not be learning how to do a back flip off a wobble board, landing on a bosu ball in a single leg squat position. After all it would be very uncool if we had 1000lb legs and a ten cent squat!

To begin, force is defined as mass times by acceleration. Where mass is roughly the weight you are using and acceleration (also related is deceleration) is in reference to increasing the speed at which we progress through the exercise. In order to become more forceful we can:

1) Become stronger by increasing the loads we move (absolute strength), and
2) Increase the speeds at which we move the loads (sub maximally and maximally).

A live example would be if two athletes (given same height and weight) can squat 500lbs with the difference being that player A completes his lift in 1.5 seconds while it takes player B 3.5 seconds. In this case player A is more forceful because his lift is completed with the same weight but in 2 seconds less time due to poor acceleration. Player A also holds the potential to move sub maximal loads at a faster rate and possibly has left many pounds on the table given he did not have to strain for long. So a true test of player A's absolute strength may not have been validated.

What also needs examination is the comparison between each player’s ability to absorb force. This is also known as DECELERATION. This is important to note because if one does not possess the proper abilities to store energy then the delivery or release of energy will be hindered to a related degree.

In laymen’s terms we must train 3 main aspects of force in order to develop explosiveness. This does not necessarily mean that we demonstrate explosiveness all of the time, but our intentions are to execute special strength training with maximal efforts. A rough plan would include:

1. Increasing absolute strength through executing maximal attempts with 85%+ loads.

2. Maximally accelerating every sub-maximal load and releasing the load if the weight is between 30-50%.

3. Maximally decelerating loads through the use of lowering overloads very slowly, abruptly stopping sub maximal loads at given points, and landing from depths concentrating on stopping quickly.

With these aspects in mind one can develop a proper explosive leg training protocol. The protocol options are limitless and only bound by the limits of your imagination. The exact programming will vary from person to person depending on their specific goals, but if you use the basics as a cornerstone and expand upon their use from there then you will have legs that not only look good, but perform as good as they look.

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It seems that you can’t read a paper or turn on the TV without hearing something about the current worldwide economic downturn. While the effects of this crisis are far-reaching, for those of us interested in muscle gain and getting stronger it is even more pronounced. I doubt many will argue that the pursuit of more muscle mass and strength is a journey of excess.

To accomplish your goals you need more weight, more sleep, and of course, more food. But with everyone tightening-up their pocketbooks and with food prices already soaring well in advance of this latest economic downturn, we need to see what we can do to make our goals compatible with our paychecks.

First and foremost is to cut-out the unnecessary. Here are three places where you can trim some costs without sacrificing your gains.

1. Supplements
Sure, you may like that NO supplement or the high priced energy drinks, but wouldn’t a cup of coffee give you at least 90% of the benefit at a fraction of the cost? Or how about opting for regular old creatine monohydrate instead of creatine ethyl ester? In fact, you could probably get rid of pretty much every supplement you’re using, except for maybe a good protein powder and multi-vitamin, and not notice any measurable change in your progress.

2. Food
I know that eating organic is popular among those looking to gain muscle and be healthy, but you should be aware of what is important to buy organic and what is not. To make it simple, I would advise that most of your fruits and vegetables be organic, but things like grains and animal products are less important to buy organic. For animal products it is much more important to look for grass-fed sources of beef and dairy products then it is to look for organic sources. It is also a good idea to look for cheaper sources of protein since these are typically the most expensive items. Use the links below to find an article on this topic.

3. Gym
I am always amazed to find how many people have multiple gym memberships. In most cases this is completely unnecessary. In fact, if you have some basic equipment in your basement you might not need a gym membership at all! If you do need to keep your gym membership, consider opting for a longer contract that will give you a lower monthly rate or volunteering some of your time working at the front desk or cleaning the equipment in order to save on your membership costs. Not only will this help you save money, but it will force you to get to the gym more often!

Whatever you do, don’t let the current economic situation change your goals. If you are serious about building muscle then you will simply have to make a few more sacrifices to get there. Most importantly you need to re-evaluate what you are doing and stick with the basics, as this is what works time and time again. Figure out a budget and spend it on the things you know will make a difference: a scientific training program and high-quality food, not hype-laden supplements.

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One of the most commonly injured areas in bodybuilders is the rotator cuff. This is primarily due to a high volume of pressing (bench press, incline press, overhead press, etc.) and a low volume of work for the antagonistic muscles of the upper back. The best fix for this is obviously to begin to balance the training of your upper body. For every set of pressing you should do a set of rowing to balance the muscles of the shoulder girdle.

This strategy not only prevents injuries, but also prevents the dreaded "caveman posture" (rounded upper back). Proper posture is not only an issue of aesthetics though, it also improves your performance since the joints are stabilized and in correct alignment.

Balancing pressing with rows is a great start, but if you have been training in an unbalanced manner for awhile then you may also need to do some direct work for the rotator cuffs. Please notice that this is to be done in addition to a balanced training program. There is nothing I hate more than seeing some guy do set after set of heavy bench presses and then do a few sets of a rotator cuff exercise with 5 pounds in an effort to prevent injury.

Always remember that proper program design is your first line of defense against injuries! If you don’t know how to properly design a training program (hint: there is more to it than just balancing rows and presses) then find someone who does. Your muscle gains will be faster and your injuries will be fewer.

With that said, let’s look at a couple of simple rotator cuff exercises you can use:

1. Prone 90/90 Rotations
Start laying face down on a bench. Grab a light dumbbell or plate in each hand. Raise the dumbbells off the floor by bending your elbows to 90 degrees and having your upper arm at 90 degrees to your body. This is your starting position. From this position you are going to keep your elbows in the same position and rotate at the shoulder until the dumbbells are out to the side of your head. Then return to the starting position and repeat.

2. Side-lying 0/90 Rotations
Start lying on your left side with a dumbbell or plate in your right hand. Put your elbow on your hip with a 90 degree bend in your elbow. Your forearm should be lying across your stomach. This is the start position. From this position rotate from the shoulder while keeping the elbow at your hip. Rotate as far as your flexibility will allow and then return to the starting position.

These two direct rotator cuff exercises are a great addition to an already solid muscle gaining program. There are many more rotator cuff exercises, but the basics will serve you well for while. Do not be surprised if you can't use more than 2 or 3 pounds on these movements to begin with. If you've been ignoring your rotator cuffs and upper back for awhile then they are bound to be weak. Give it some time and you will begin to see progress.

If you stick to a well-designed training program you will prevent injuries and gain muscle mass. Always keep in mind that a great training program comes before everything else. If your workout program is poorly designed then don’t ever expect to see consistent muscle gains no matter how hard you work in the gym or what supplements you take.

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We all know the old saying by Russian powerlifting coach Boris Sheiko, "to press a lot, you must press a lot." While for most of this may mean training the bench twice a week for others like Sheiko's trainees it could mean training the bench everyday! In either case this motto simply means you must practice the skill of bench pressing by using the bench press drill with heavy weights in order to put up huge numbers on a regularly scheduled basis. The inherent problem here is the fact that there will be a "pattern overload" of sorts in that the extension muscles of the upper torso may be over utilized in one particular posture such as the competition style bench press. One way to counter act this problem is that full meet lifters will get ample upper back work during the deadlift. Another way to counter act this is to include a bit of an upper back routine where the extension muscles are counter acted by working the muscles of flexion. But as most full meet lifters know the combination of all three lifts is hell on your shoulders leaving one in painful predicaments often enough to not have the wherewithal to continue with any type of movement after your main lifts are done. Well, if you want to stay in the game and continue to PR well into your golden years; lifters of all kinds must suck it up and begin to train those abused areas with respect to restoring balance and dexterity. For most of us competitive lifters and recreational lifters alike the internally rotated (i.e.- "walking ape") look is often times a warning sign of a potentially injurious situation in regards to the muscles responsible for balancing the humerus and decelerating horizontal adduction.

Here is a prehabilitative list that you can plug into the end of your bench training.

1) Halbert Cleans: Named after Westside bench great George Halbert. You simply perform a dumbell clean a la Westside except your body is inverted, lying prone on an incline bench . Higher rep ranges are best and you can also perform them for timed efforts.

2) Barbell Muscle Snatch: take a wide or close grip on a barbell in standing position and proceed to "snatch" the barbell utilizing only your upper body muscles. This will surely engage everything from your traps, levators, rotators, and serratus in a deliberate concerto of shoulder girdle mechanics.

3) Seated External Rotations: take a seat on a flat bench while propping one leg up on the bench with the knee bent and in front of your body and foot held flat on bench. Situate your arm in "L" formation with the elbow held on top of the knee of the propped leg (you would obviously use the arm of the same side in this drill). From here hold a dumbell or low cable handle in your working hand with the arm in internal rotation (hand should be at crotch) forcefully externally rotate the arm until the hand is in a direct line over knee. You can use reps as low as 8 here but this is no maximal attempt drill.

4) T-raise into External Rotation: More of a mobility drill here. Lie prone on an incline bench with dumbells in hand. Start by holding the bells in front of your chest with your thumbs facing each other. From here horizontally abduct both arms as in a rear delt raise while rotating the thumbs to the ceiling. Get through 15 reps if you can.

The use of one, or all, of these exercises after your bench training will mean an extended longevity of your shoulders and the chance to train productively without interruptions from injury.

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