The Linkz - 30th May 2011

Here we are at the end of May, 5/12s of the way through the year (thats 42% for all you decimal folks!) hopefully everyones plans are on course and your goals are getting closer to being fulfilled.

Being that its the end of the month, you can have a look back at my picks for my favourite articles of the month here, here, here, and here.

This weeks picks are...

Dean Somerset explains a great stretch routine to prepare for pissing excellence

Shelby Starnes on T-Nation with why you, yes chunk, you! keep failing with your diet

Jen Comas with an awesome article on nutrition for the ladies, Strong(her) University.

Bret Contreras on tightening your ship...

Mike Robertson gets some stuff off his chest about coaching "difficult" exercises

Tony Gentilcore has a great interview with Molly Galbraith, part 1 and part 2

A link to Mens Healths "Eat this not that" helping you to choose some better options.

Bret Contreras and Brad Schoenfeld get all science-y and cool on why bodybuilders are more jacked than powerlifters.

Danny McLarty on getting your first pull up.

Ali Gilbert on why workouts shouldnt be easy

Jason Ferruggia can help with those weedy looking forearms you got there...

Mark Young on leptins sneaky way of making it difficult to get rid of that extra poundage.

Thats it for today, not gotten as much reading done this past week as I would normally get done, but that should keep you going for a while!

I'm on the Facebook, and the Twitter

Have an awesome week!

The Linkz - 23rd May 2011

Here we go again, another  collection of my favourite articles of the past week. Enjoy!

Juliet Deanne on Elite FTS on What women should never do to get in shape. (Guys, you're just as guilty too!)

Tony Gentilcore with a great article on training the obese client - ie.  not like they do on Biggest Loser...

John Izzo has a great 2 parter on the effects of glute atrophy, part 1 and part 2.

Jen Comas with yet another freaking awesome recipe. This time its scones.

Ben Bruno with a kick ass burger recipe...

Sam Feltham - The Fitness Business Dude - on what he learned at F.E.B.

Eric Cressey on his most favourite-est single leg exercises.

A post from the Personal Trainer Development Centre on why you'll probably be fired as a trainer.

Bret Contreras on stall sessions. It happens to everyone now and again.

Tony Gentilcore on book smarts v street smarts. I agree 100%, I usually have 2 or 3 books on the go at any 1 time...
Do It Tomorrow and Other Secrets of Time Management
Athletic Body in Balance [Paperback]
The Elephant to Hollywood

Smitty Diesel with an awesome back rehab protocol.

A great 4 part interview with Alli McKee on Not just a Mans World. Part 1, part 2, part 3 and part 4

Nick Tumminello with the 10 commandments of Performance U. nutrition. Simple but effective!

Zach Moore with 2 tips on a more effective DB row.

Harold Gibbons on some cool low tech conditioning. Sure as hell beats rows of "cardio" machines...

Anyways, that should keep you going for a while... If you want, you can contact me on Twitter and Facebook.

Exercises to keep you strong through the end of the world!

So assuming that the world doesn't end tonight, I've put together a list of my favourite exercises that I've been using over the last few months and would heartily recommend to most healthy individuals looking to get stronger. I've found these a great addition to my training and you might too!

What a great place to begin! Blondie first! I love squats,  and I'm not talking monster weight, partial rep ones either. I'm talking ass to grass, don't talk to me about going below parallel is bad for your knees. Nothing feels as good as getting a load on the bar (front loading is my preference but if you like it on your back, that's cool too, although Mike Boyle may disagree...) and getting deep into the hole and powering back up. Kinda puts all those partial reppers in their place!

Now, on to the deadlift. I must admit I'm kind of new to the deadlift. I didn't really realise the true kick ass nature of the deadlift until I really started to read more on the blogs I follow (see the side bar...) Once I got started on them, I couldn't stop! Fantastic for strengthening the whole of the posterior chain. Just make sure, as with the squats that you use proper technique, otherwise major ouchies can occur!

Bench press... the last of the big 3. Get yourself a good base and go to work with the load. Use pins or a spotter when you get up towards your higher percentage weights (just don't let him turn you into a "its all you! ITS ALL YOU!! type!)



 Pretty much any pulling variation. So many guys end up with horrible posture, wrecked shoulders, albeit great pecs!) I try to aim for a 2:1 pulling: pushing ratio. You have to make sure that you work the upper back, traps, lats, posterior delts etc in order to maintain muscular balance. Inverted row, in a power rack or on a TRX, or as a chest supported row and seated cable rows are all good options. Just keep your shoulder blades back and down and your good to go.











Pull ups and chin ups. Nothing beats blasting out multiple reps on these. Most people can't do more than a couple of these with good technique, but these will really work your upper back.





Single leg work. I love lunge variations. I have found I really enjoy TRX rear foot elevated split squats (particularly loaded ones)

That'll do it for now... I'll follow this with the accessory lifts, warmups and core training techniques I use.

You can find me on  Facebook (dave ballantine) or Twitter.

The Linkz - 16th May 2011

Hi all, I hope everyone has had an amazing weekend and are ready to get back at it this week! I've been working all weekend in retail hell but got some good lifts in over the last week as well as some good times with the future -in-laws and some friends. Looking forward to seeing my folks this week and to making progress towards my goals I set at the start of April for the run up to the halfway point of this year.

And since its Monday, it must be time for the linkz, the 20 or so articles I've gotten something from (a little or a lot, the point is I took something from each of them so hopefully you will too!) So without any further ado...

Tony Gentilcore with another exercise you really should be doing, especially you, computer monkey!

Mike Robertson follows up the neutral spine and neck series with the final part on the neutral wrist

Rachel Guy with an excellent post (actually partly from a client of hers) which is incredibly inspiring.

Got a sore shoulder? Eric Cressey can help!

Harold Gibbons on posture

Ben Bruno gives some great ideas for awesome training music.

Jason Ferruggia on functional hypertrophy

Dean Somerset with a 3 part series on deadlifts with disc herniations. Part 1, part 2 and part 3.

Bret Contreras gets random

Tony Gentilcore on his top 3 metabolic conditioning protocols for those with knee pain

Chad Waterbury on strengthening your core and loosening your hamstrings

Dean Somerset on T-Nation, with how to train with a bad back

Tim Henriques with the plan for a bigger bench

Dean Somerset on shredding for a wedding.

Enjoy...

The linkz - 9th May 2011

What a week its been. Unfortunately I didn't get a second post up last week because I was busy getting engaged! Thats right, I asked my lovely girlfriend to become my lovely wife. (She said "yes" btw!) As we were away on a romantic short break, if I'd gotten the laptop out to do a blog post, it would probably have been my last!

So, without any further ado... I present the linkz, May 9th 2011...

Mike Robertson on coaching the neutral spine and the neutral neck.

Awesome 3 part article from Eric Cressey on deadlift variations, part 1, part 2 and part 3.

A slightly older post (April 9th) from Alli McKee on the importance of nutrition.

Ben Brunos breakfast of champions (I have something similar with oats... very tasty)

Kevin Neeld on training programme design for small groups

Tony Gentilcore shakes us up with the best ever protein shake! (I think I might try spinach in my next one...)

Jen Comas with box squats and cookie dough...

Nick Grantham on foam rolling basics

Dean Somerset shows a great hip mobilisation exercise

T-nations TC on why most bodybuilders look like crap

John Meadows and Dave Tate show how to work your chest.

Dean Somerset on volume v intensity for endurance training

Angelique Kronebusch asks are you just fooling yourself when it comes to your nutrition

Zach Moore follows up his post last week on Glute Ham Raises with this on GHR regressions

That'll do for now, so go get reading! And while you are at it, you should get over to Strengthcoach.com to sign up and get an amazing amount of fantastic info for all of about $10 a month. I have found it awesome so far, doing so much reading its scary!

You can also contact me on Twitter and the Facebook!

The Linkz - 2nd May 2011

Here we are in May! Third of the year is done, so everyone is a third (at least) of the way to their goals. Right? Right?
Here are a few links I've found interesting, informative and injoyable... (couldnt think of another "i" word)!
Anyways, a dirty dozen for your enjoyment...

Mike Robertson with a great post on T-Nation regarding training frequency.

Tom Furman on T-nation on altered leverage for bigger gains

Jen Comas Keck with 2 great recipes (which I've tried,  and they are soooo good)

Molly Galbraith with her 4th part of her tips on How to look good naked

Dave Tate on the relentless pursuit

Dave Tates global meathead research project - I think we will all know at least some of these...

The Glute Guy Bret Contreras all about attitude

Alwyn Cosgrove on the journey

Mike Robertsons 2 Rs of core training

Zach Moore with some random thoughts and a couple of great books to check out

Tony Gentilcore on tackling the source of your dampness,

Tony Gentilcore again, doing the bus driver, you should too!