you are an individual

Bill Starr Articles January 14, 2012 Comment

You Are An individual

by Bill Starr

You Are An individual

I’ve always been a staunch advocate of teaching correct form on all exercises, for I believe it’s critical to making progress and avoiding injuries. Since I deal almost exclusively with athletes, I have everyone start with the basic routine – that is, unless someone is physically unable to do a certain lift. The big three exercises form the foundation for future strength work, so everyone learns how to do full squats, power cleans and bench presses. I teach everyone the same technique, regardless of background, body type or strength level.

workload

Bill Starr Articles January 14, 2012 Comment

The Concept of Workload

by Bill Starr

Understanding and using the concept of workload is very valuable to anyone who’s seriously interested in getting stronger. It provides you with useful information on just how much work you’re really doing. This, in turn, helps you analyze your current program and plan your future workouts. If you don’t know exactly how much total work you’re doing, this planning process is usually hit-or-miss.

widen your wingspan

Bill Starr Articles January 14, 2012 Comment

Only The Strong Shall Survive: Widen Your Wingspan

By: Bill Starr

Lats were never high on my list of muscles I cared about, and I never made a conscious effort to enhance them. I was much more concerned with developing strong traps and lumbars, since I participated in Olympic weightlifting. In my mind, wide lats were for bodybuilders. That changed when I started dating a young lady who was completely enamored of big lats. I'd always thought that the opposite sex was attracted to big arms, chests and even glutes. But lats? That threw me, but since they turned her on, I added a few specific exercises to try to make mine larger.

warming up

Bill Starr Articles January 14, 2012 Comment

The Value of Warming Up and Stretching

by Bill Starr

As I watch the members of various health clubs and gyms go about their routines, one of the things that strikes me the most is just how few bother to do any type of warmup. The majority walk into the weight room, drop their gym bags and proceed to lift. What’s more, only a very few do any stretching before they lift, or afterward, for that matter. Once they complete their workouts, they grab their bags and rush out the door.

variation by bill starr

Bill Starr Articles January 14, 2012 Comment

Variation

by Bill Starr

One of the questions I’m asked most frequently is, “How can I fit all the exercises I want to do into my program?” Sometimes their lists take up most of the page. If they did all those movements in a week their workouts would last three hours or more, which is certainly not a wise approach.

timed squats

Bill Starr Articles January 14, 2012 Comment

Strong Shall Survive Time to Squat

by Bill Starr

Most readers of this magazine want to make continuous progress and move their top-end numbers up on a regular basis. Change is an excellent method of achieving those goals. Changing a routine, even slightly, can instill enthusiasm for your workouts. Anything that helps you look forward to your next session in the weight room is a positive thing.