Thursday, 17 January 2013

10 Ways Technology Can Help Get Your Ready for Your Big Audition


No matter how experienced an actor is, the auditioning process can be a nail-biting experience for anyone. Luckily there are tools that can make the audition easier from start to finish.
Nailing the Audition
The key to nailing an audition is confidence. Confidence isn’t always the easiest to find, though. Auditions are stressful and unpredictable. The best way for an actor to ease that tension is to go into the audition room feeling prepared and ready to show off their stuff.
Going in Prepared
Any actor wants to make a good impression on the auditioners and outshine the other people going out for the role. Luckily, there are lots of resources to give an actor the extra boost they need. Here are ten ways that an actor can use technology to get ready for an audition and blow the competition out of the water:
1      The first step to nailing an audition is to find the right one. Casting is as much about looks as it is about skill, and if an actor looks like the character it will be easier for auditioners to imagine them in the role. Websites like NYCastings are a great resource for finding auditions in the area. Choosing an audition for a role that the actor can fill gives them a good chance of auditioning with the confidence that they could be cast in the role.
2      Using electronic calendars on a phone or computer can give reminders about auditions and keep an actor’s schedule straight. Being on time is extremely important in theatre, and anyone who has been through rehearsals knows how crucial it is to keep their schedule straight and arrive to meetings on time (or early).
3      Many auditions require actors to come in with a monologue, or two contrasting monologues. Finding the right monologue can be tough, but online search engines make the hunt easier. Picking a monologue that shows off an actor’s strengths is key to giving a good audition.
4      Watching Youtube videos of other actors can offer direction if an actor is struggling with how to deliver a certain line of their monologue or inspire new ways to think about the character.
5      There are endless websites that offer auditioning tips and stories. Some of that advice can be really helpful, and some of it is pretty useless. Actors will find that auditioning tips are worth listening to, but should be taken with a grain of salt, since all auditioners and directors are different and there’s no way to know exactly what to expect at an audition.
6      Along with auditioning tips, there is some general etiquette for auditions that is important to know. Actors who haven’t had much experience auditioning should consider everything from what they should wear to their audition (something that’s professional but easy to move in) to how to walk in and introduce themselves.
7      Practice! The only way for an actor to be confident going into an audition is to know their material inside and out, forward and backward. Auditions are stressful and it’s easy to forget everything if it’s not ingrained into an actor’s mind and muscles. Sometimes it can help an actor to record themselves practicing and play it back to see what they can improve on.
8      Actors shouldn’t hesitate to email a director or auditioner if they have any questions. It will give them a chance to introduce themselves and make a first impression.
9      Before an audition, it helps to know what the play or musical is about. Reading synopsis, or the script, will not only tell the actor what the character they’re auditioning for is like, but how that character interacts with the other characters in the story.
10   If one audition doesn’t work out, an actor shouldn’t be too discouraged. There are always more auditions to hunt for online. The right one will come along with enough dedication and persistence.
With these tools, anyone can go into an audition feeling prepared and ready to show the auditioners what they’re able to deliver.

The Gangnam Phenomenon


Whether you like it or not, the “Gangnam Style” song by South Korean pop artist PSY has invaded and in fact created an influence on the world in ways perhaps no one could ever imagine. Since its release on July 15, 2012, the world has never been the same again. It has created a sensation that went far beyond music and yes, even world peace. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon was quoted saying the song is a “force for world peace.” Imagine that impact for a song, or for anything for that matter.
Hitting 790 million views on Youtube as of November 22, 2012, Gangnam Style is recorded as the website’s most watched K-pop video and the second most watched video ever. Gives a whole new meaning to the word viral. It has become so notoriously popular that world-famous celebrities like MC Hammer, Ellen de Generes, and no less than the Material Girl Madonna felt they had to join in the pandemonium. Private and government organizations, businessmen and yes, even world political leaders have jumped and danced to the seemingly addictive and hypnotic signature moves of the phenomenal song. And when the famous “Oppa Gangnam Style!” starts playing, anyone, anywhere in the world just seems to have to get up and dance to the fun and playful beat.
A Guinness record, music awards, parodies, political influence, and a global impact that has simply exceeded anyone’s expectations, the “Gangnam Style” by PSY is one that will go down in history. In fact, it already has, no matter how long or short the phenomenon will last.

Things You Probably Didn’t Know About New Year


Whether you’re back to work, school or still on vacation, you’re most probably still on a holiday hangover, literally and figuratively. And while you’re still at it, that is, feeling the holiday spirit, in one way or the other, here are some fun and interesting facts about New Year that are most likely still unknown to you until now.
  • 40% of 18-25 year olds say they’ve passed out before midnight on a New Year’s Eve.
  • 1 in 8 number of 18-25 year olds say they’ve broken up with someone on New Year’s Eve.
  • 59.5% of single adults say they’d rather have a kiss on New Year’s Eve than a new laptop computer.
  • If the first person to visit you on New Year’s Eve was a tall and dark-haired man, this was especially lucky.
  • On New Year’s Eve, about 75% of American parties are with 20 people or less.
  • $3,200: The cost per person to get a direct view of the ball drop at the Marriott Marquis’ “The Ultimate New Year’s Eve Times Square Party.”
  • 127 decibels is the sound of a vuvuzela (plastic horn about 65 centimeters or 2 feet long which produces a loud, monotone note), fireworks top out at 150 decibels: You can expect both in Times Square on New Year’s Eve.
  • 45 degrees is the angle at which you should hold a Champagne bottle before popping on Christmas or New Year’s Day; 50 mph is the top speed of a cork leaving a Champagne bottle.
  • Celebrating New Year on January 1 is purely arbitrary, as neither it has agricultural nor astronomical significance. Many countries still celebrate it in spring, the season of rebirth of new crops.
  • New Year is still observed as the Feast of Christ’s Circumcision by some denominations.

100 Weird Laws From Around the World

People do strange things, therefore weird laws are written to help straighten them out. Some of these bizarre laws almost seem like urban myths or too ridiculous to be real, yet odd as they are, they were created for a reason. Some of these laws date back several hundred years and were never changed or eliminated and make very little sense in today’s world, but nonetheless these weird laws found all around world do exist.


1. In Oklahoma, you can be arrested for making ugly faces at a dog.
2. In Salt Lake County, Utah, it’s illegal to walk down the street carrying a violin in a paper bag.
3. In San Francisco, it’s illegal to pile horse manure more than six feet high on a street corner.
4. In Devon, Texas, it is against the law to make furniture while you are nude.
5. In Bozeman, Montana, a law prohibits all sexual activity from the front yard of a home after sundown.
6. In California it is illegal for a vehicle without a driver to exceed 60 miles per hour. (that would be one clever trick)
7. In Florida men seen publicly in any kind of strapless gown can be fined.
8. In South Carolina it is legal to beat your wife on the court house steps on Sundays.
9. In Tennessee, you are breaking the law if you drive while sleeping. (perhaps they could benefit from one of these strange gadgets)

10. In New York, the penalty for jumping off a building is: Death.
11. In Danville, Pennsylvania, all fire hydrants must be checked one hour before all fires.
12. In Connersville, Wisconsin, during sexual intercourse, it is against the law for a man to fire his gun whilst the woman in having an orgasm.
13. In Pennsylvania, it’s against the law to tie a dollar bill on a string on the ground and pull it away when someone tries to pick it up.
14. In New York City, it’s illegal for a restaurant to call a sandwich a “corned beef sandwich” if it’s made with white bread and mayonnaise.
15. In San Francisco, California it is unlawful to use used underwear to wipe off cars in a car wash.
16. In France, it is against the law to sell an “E.T” doll. They have a law forbidding the sale of dolls that do not have human faces.

17. In Louisiana, biting someone with your natural teeth is considered “simple assault,” but biting someone with your dentures is “aggravated assault.”
18. In the state of Washington, it is illegal to have sex with a virgin under any circumstances. (Including the wedding night.)
19. In Switzerland, it is illegal for a man to relieve himself while standing up after 10pm.
20. In Florida, it is illegal to fart in a public place after 6 P.M. on Thursdays.
21. In Massachusetts, it is illegal to go to bed without first having a bath. (However, another law prohibits bathing on Sunday)
22. In Jidda, Saudi Arabia, women were banned from using hotel swimming pools in 1979.
23. In Samoa, it’s a crime to forget your own wife’s birthday.
24. In Alabama, prison guards are forbidden from referring to their spouses as “the old ball-n-chain.”
25. In London, England it is illegal for a City cab to carry rabid dogs or corpses.
26. In England, it is illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament.
27. In England, it is an act of treason to place a postage stamp bearing the Queen upside down.
28. In Los Angeles, CA it’s illegal for a waiter to tell a customer “I’m really an actor.”
29. In Indiana, it’s against the law to dress ‘Barbie’ in ‘Ken’s’ clothes.

30. In Sedona, Ariz., it’s illegal to lie about your astrological sign.
31. In Texas, it’s illegal to threaten somebody with an UNLOADED gun.
32. In Australia, it’s illegal to name any animal you plan to eat.
33. In Cannes, France, it’s illegal to wear a Jerry Lewis mask.
34. In New Jersey, answering a traffic cop who asks “Do you know why I pulled you over?” by saying,“If you don’t know, I’m not going to tell you” is an automatic $300 fine.
35. In York, it is legal to kill a Scotsman within the ancient city boundary, but only if he is carrying a bow and arrow.
36. In London, it is illegal to flag down a taxi if you have the plague.
37. In Kentucky, it’s illegal to paint your lawn red.
38. In Portugal, it’s against the law to pee in the ocean.

39. In South Carolina unmarried women are not allowed to buy edible panties.
40. In Italy, anyone considered “obese” is forbidden from wearing polyester.
41. In Montana, it’s illegal to tear a phone book in half.
42. In California, anyone caught selling a “smoothie” that has lumps is breaking the law.
43. In Michigan, it is illegal to chain an alligator to a fire hydrant.
44. In Arkansas, it’s illegal for a woman getting married for the second time to wear a white wedding gown.
45. In Victoria. Australia after mid day on Sunday, it’s illegal to wear pink hot pants.
46. In Connecticut, night watchmen are forbidden from drinking decaf coffee while working.
47. In Kentucky, carrying ice cream cones in your pocket is illegal.
48. In International Falls, Minnesota, you can be fined if you let your dog chase a cat up a telegraph pole.
49. In Iowa, after 5 minutes of kissing you’re breaking the law.
50. In Illinois, giving a lighted cigar to a pet is illegal.

51. In the USA- 24 states say that if your husband is impotent its grounds for a divorce. (Go Viagra!)
52. In Miami, Florida, imitating animals is illegal.
53. In Oxford, Ohio, a woman undressing in front of a picture of a man is breaking the law.
54. In Baltimore, Maryland, taking a lion to the cinema is illegal.
55. In Washington, pretending to have wealthy parents is illegal.
56. In Texas, if you are going to commit a crime, you legally have to give 24 hours notice to the police.
57. In South Dakota, It is illegal to lie down and fall asleep in a cheese factory.
58. In Maryland, Randy Newman’s song ‘Short people’ is still banned on the radio.
59. In St. Louis, Missouri, if a woman is in her night clothes, it is illegal for a fireman to rescue her.
60. In Victoria, Australia, you need a licensed electrician to change a light bulb.
61. In France, it’s illegal to name a pig Napoleon.

62. In Indonesia, the punishment for masturbation is death by decapitation.
63. In San Salvador, drunk drivers can be sentenced to death by firing squad.
64. In Bahrain, male doctors only legally examine a woman’s genitals through a mirror.
65. In Providence, Rhode Island, selling tooth paste and a tooth brush to the same customer on a Sunday is illegal.
66. In Alexandria, Minneapolis, it is illegal for a man to have sexual intercourse with a woman with sardines on his breath.
67. In Singapore chewing gum is illegal.
68. In Arizona, hunting camels is against the law.
69. In North Carolina, it is illegal to swear in front of dead people.
70. In Florida having sexual intercourse with a porcupine is illegal. (ouch… wtf)

71. In Burma it is against the law to access the Internet. Anyone doing so faces prison.
72. In Iowa, it is illegal for horses to eat fire hydrant.
73. In Vermont, a woman must get written permission from her husband to wear false teeth.
75. In Los Angeles, it is illegal to bathe two babies in the same tub at the same time.
76. In Oklahoma, it is against the law to have a sleeping donkey in your bathtub after 7 PM.
77. In Israel, you could be prosecuted for picking your nose on Sunday.
78. In Sweden it is illegal to use the services of a prostitute. Prostitution is legal though.
79. In Thailand, it is illegal to leave your house without your underwear on.
80. In California, it is illegal to keep a child from playing in puddles of water.
81. In Oklahoma, it is illegal to molest an automobile.

82. In Germany, it is illegal to stop on an autobahn (expressway). It is also illegal to run out of gas on an autobahn.
83. In Turkey, it is illegal for a man above 80 yrs to become a pilot.
84. In Chicago, it is illegal for anyone to eat in a place that is on fire.
85. In Pennsylvania, it is illegal to sleep on top of a refrigerator outdoors.
86. In Eureka, Nevada, it is illegal for men with mustaches to kiss women.
87. In Ohio, it is against state law to get a fish drunk.
88. In Miami, Florida, it is illegal to skateboard in a police station.
89. In Florida, unmarried women who parachute on Sundays can be jailed.
90. In Texas, it is illegal for one to shoot a buffalo from the second story of a hotel.
91. In Boulder, Colorado, it is illegal to kill a bird within the city limit.
92. In Alabama, it is illegal for a driver to be blindfolded while driving a vehicle.

93. In Ames, Iowa, it is illegal for men to have three sips of beer while they are in bed with their wives.
94. In Chico, California, the law states that anybody who detonates a nuclear device within the city limits is liable to a fine of $500.
95. In Tremonton, Utah, it is illegal for a woman to have sex with a man while riding in an ambulance.
96. In British Columbia, it is illegal to kill a Sasquatch or Bigfoot if one is ever found.
97. In Lebanon, If a man is caught having sex with a male animal then the penalty is death- sex with a female animal is ok (o_O)
98. In Minnesota, it is against the law to hang male and female underwear together on the same washing line.
99. In Texas, It is illegal to sell one’s own eye.
100. In Kentucky, it is illegal to carry a concealed weapon more than six-feet long.

HOW TO TAKE OVER AS A SMALL BUSINESS


How to takeover as a small business

You’re a small business. The key word is small. Your competitors probably have more people, money and resources. That doesn’t mean you can’t win. Small isn’t always a bad thing — there are a few things that you can do that big companies can’t do. Things that can help you win.

Be quicker
Big companies are filled with bureaucracy. It takes meetings, reports and presentations just to do anything. Your business doesn’t need to be that way. By having fewer people to convince, you can move quicker, much quicker, than your competition. This will allow you get to markets that your competitors can’t get to first. It will allow you to be more nimble and adjust to your customers’ needs.
Get personal
Something tends to get lost when a huge company tries to effectively handle customers. This shouldn’t be your downfall. Being smaller means that you can give more attention to your customers. Get to know their names, their habits, their preferences. Getting to know your customers is going to let you know how to serve them better.
Take risks
The bigger you are, the harder it tends to be to take risks. With more people you’re responsible for (more employees, maybe even shareholders), the risk of failing becomes much higher than it is when you’re small. It doesn’t mean that you, as a small business, have nothing to lose — of course you do. But what it means is that you can probably afford to take more risks than a larger company. In their eyes, the status quo is probably fine. But for you, you’ll need to do something different to break the mold.

Being a small business isn’t something that should worry you. It’s something that should excite you. You’re given an opportunity to do things that a lot of (bigger) companies won’t do. That’s how you’ll win: not in spite of the fact that you’re small, but because of it.

Setting business goals for 2013


Setting business goals for 2013

While everyone else is setting goals to get to the gym and to read more, you should be setting goals for your business. Without proper goals, you’re just going to be moving along aimlessly, without a distinct direction that you’re trying to work toward. When trying to plan out your 2013 goals, you should be thinking of it like this:

Where do you want (or need) to be in 5 years? Think about that, then work backwards.

What does your business need to do in the next year to get you on track for that five year goal? What do you need to do in the next six months? The next three?
Thinking about your goals this way will let you do a couple things:
1) It will let you think long term. You need to have some major goal that you’re working toward to keep everyone focused. Maybe your goal is to reach $1 million in sales. Perhaps it’s to open up a second location. It doesn’t matter, as long as it’s realistic (but still big) and is concrete.
2) By thinking five years out, but also having short term goals, it will make it more manageable. Saying that you want to reach $1 million in sales in five years is very vague. But if you know how many customers that means you need to get this year, then next year and the following years, you can begin to see the path to get to that goal.

Regardless of the business, you need to have goals. Ideally, they shouldn’t be like most people’s personal goals for the new year—where their plan of working out every day is forgotten after the third week of January because they felt like they were coming down with a cold. Do whatever you need to do to hold yourself accountable—post them on the wall, schedule update meetings—whatever you need to do to ensure that you’re staying on track, or at the very least trying to stay on track. Goals don’t mean much if you don’t try to follow them.

Strength Training vs. Muscle Building for the Beginning Lifter


Introduction

The goal of the Muscle & Strength strength building guide is to provide you with all the tools you need to build strength as quickly as possible. You will learn about popular strength building workout structures and exercises, how to improve your bench press, squat and deadlift form, and how to maximize your nutrition and supplementation to reach your goals.

Strength Training vs. Muscle Building for the Beginning Lifter

During the initial stages of training, there is very little difference between working out to build strength and working out to build muscle. Both goals will require a substantial addition of strength for key compound exercises such as the bench press, squats, overhead presses and rows, as well as the addition of muscle.
While experienced lifters will need to place much of their focus on lower rep training (1-5 reps per set), trainees who are just beginning their journey and looking to build strength should focus on the use of 5-10 rep sets for most compound exercises.

Definitions and Common Terms

The following is a list of common terms found in most strength building articles and workouts, along with definitions.
  • Intensity – Intensity is often viewed in the context of “high intensity training.” For strength training intensity mean the percentage of your one rep max (1RM) that you are working with for a given exercise.
  • Volume – Volume can constitute the number of sets per workout, the number of reps for a specific exercise at a given weight, or the total reps multiplied by the weight used.
  • Periodization – Periodization involves the cycling of intensity and/or training volume through specific cycles to allow for improved recovery and continual gains.
  • Overtraining – Overtraining can involve taxing a muscle, the central nervous system or joints and ligaments beyond their ability to effectively recover.
  • Deload – A planned period of rest or lighter training to allow the symptoms of fatigue or overtraining to rescind while maintaining your current strength levels.
  • Max Effort (ME) – Max effort refers to heavy (intense) training days in which a trainee works up to a 5, 3 or one rep max for a specific movement. ME days can be considered maximal load training days.
  • Dynamic Effort (DE) – Dynamic effort training days place the focus on speed work, or performing an exercise with an approximate 50-60% of 1RM for fast/powerful repetitions. Dynamic effort sets are often single reps for the deadlift, 3 reps for bench press, and 2 for squats. DE days can be considered maximal speed training days.
  • Repeitition Effort (RE) – Repetition effort training days focus on the use of higher rep sets, generally in the 6 to 12 rep range. Each set is push near, or to failure. RE days can be considered maximal force training days.
  • Assistance Exercises – The function of assistance exercises is to target weaknesses and build up/strengthen key muscle groups so that the body as a unit is as strong as possible.

Natural Strength Standards and Expectations

The following strength standards were developed from definitions in “Practicial Programming” by Lon Kilgore, Mark Rippetoe and Glenn Pendlay. Five primary lifts are featured:
Squat
Squat Strength Standards For Men
WeightUntrainedBeginnerIntermediateAdvancedElite
11478144174240320
12384155190259346
13291168205278369
148101188230313410
165110204250342445
181119220269367479
198125232285387504
220132244301409532
242137255311423551
275141261319435567
319144267326445580
320+147272332454593
Bench Press
Bench Press Strength Standards For Men
WeightUntrainedBeginnerIntermediateAdvancedElite
11484107130179222
12391116142194242
13298125153208260
148109140172234291
165119152187255319
181128164201275343
198135173213289362
220142183225306381
242149190232316395
275153196239325407
319156199244333416
320+159204248340425
Deadlift
Deadlift Strength Standards For Men
WeightUntrainedBeginnerIntermediateAdvancedElite
11497179204299387
123105194222320414
132113209239342438
148126234269380482
165137254293411518
181148274315438548
198156289333457567
220164305351479586
242172318363490596
275176326373499602
319180333381506608
320+183340388512617
Overhead Press
Overhead Press Strength Standards For Men
WeightUntrainedBeginnerIntermediateAdvancedElite
114537290107129
123577898116141
1326184105125151
1486994119140169
16575102129153186
18181110138164218
19885116146173234
22089122155183255
24293127159189264
27596131164194272
31998133167199278
320+100136171203284
Power Clean
Power Clean Strength Standards For Men
WeightUntrainedBeginnerIntermediateAdvancedElite
11456103125173207
12360112137186224
13265121148200239
14873135166225266
16579147180246288
18185158194264310
19890167205279327
22095176217294345
24299183224305357
275102188230313367
319104192235320376
320+106196239327384

Strength Training Basics

Defining Your Goals

Before you pick a program and set up a solid eating plan, it’s important to define your goals. Take a minute to think about your long term goals, and write them down. Try to make goals realistic but challenging. A 400 pound bench press might be possible in 5 years, but it certainly can’t be achieved in 6 months by 99.99% of the population.
Once you have defined your long term goals, it’s time to think about short term goals. No small step is too insignificant. Think about where you want to be in a month, 6 months and a year.
And remember, the key to reaching any goal lies in maximizing your effort. Never waste a single set. Strong bodies are built “one extra rep at a time”, using small but consistent steps.

The 7 Primary Natural Strength Movements

If you are looking to build strength, the best place to start is by analyzing what the human body does well. We are built to perform certain movements and lifts with ease, utilizing multiple muscle groups and maximum leverage.
The 7 primary natural strength movements and lifts that the human body performs well are:
  • Horizontal Push – Pressing/pushing a weight away from the torso. An example of a horizontal push movement is the bench press.
  • Horizontal Pull – Pulling/rowing a weight towards the torso. An example of a horizontal pull movement is the bent over barbell row.
  • Vertical Push – Pushing/pressing a weight overhead, away from the body. An example of a vertical push movement is the military press.
  • Vertical Pull – Pulling a weight towards the torso from overhead. An example of a vertical pull movement is the pull up or lat pull down.
  • Squat – Bending at the hips and knees while keeping a semi-upright torso, as if reaching for something on the ground before you. An example of a squat movement is the barbell squat.
  • Lift From Ground – Lifting an object off the ground from a position of maximal leverage (bent knees and hips). An example of this movement is the barbell deadlift.
  • Carry – Holding an object in one or both hands and walking and/or running. An example of a carry if a yolk or farmer’s walk.
There are many other movements the human body does well, such as jumping and shrugging, but most of these movements are derivations of the above 7 movements. What this means is that if you improve your strength on most or all of the 7 primary movements, your body will be able to perform nearly any task with power.

The Primary Strength Building Exercises

Most strength building workouts are very similar and nature, and comprised of a core group of several lifts. These lifts are all variations of the 7 primary natural movements.
  • Squat and front squat.
  • Bench press and close grip bench press.
  • Military press and push press.
  • Deadlift and Romanian deadlift.
  • Barbell and dumbbell rows.
  • Power cleans and Olympic lift variations.
There are also several other exercises that can be very beneficial to the novice trainee looking to rapidly build strength:
  • Pull ups (palms away from body, wider grip)
  • Chin ups (palms facing the body, narrow grip)
  • Dips
  • Planks
  • Weighted abdominal exercises such weighted sit ups and cable crossovers
  • Glute/ham raise
  • Good mornings
  • Side bends
  • Farmer’s walk
It should be noted that this is not a comprehensive list. For a complete list of quality exercises, please check out the “assistance exercise listing” that appears later in this article.

The Fastest Way for a Novice to Build Strength

It’s not uncommon for novice (beginning) lifters to fall into the trap of looking for a magic strength building workout or training system. Here’s what you need to remember: there is no magic system. The key to making rapid, consistent progress comes from following these essential rules:
  • Stay Persistent – Stop making excuses and missing workouts. If you want to improve your strength you need to make it to the gym week in and week out.
  • Stay Basic – Stay with a basic program. Simplicity works well. Training evolution, or complexity, is something you will need in the future – but not now. Get strong on the basics. Most popular strength building systems feature a minimalistic structure using the same effective strength building movements.
  • Don’t Undereat – To maximize your efforts in the gym you must also make sure you are eating properly. Undereating, or eating too much junk food, can greater inhibit progress.
  • Make a Plan – You can’t enter the gym without a goal. Plan and know when and how you will add weight to the bar. A strength building training system requires a progression plan. No workout should be random, or without a specific goal.

The Big 4 Lifts – Plus 1

At the core of most strength building programs are the barbell squat, deadlift, overhead press and bench press. The power clean is also widely used.
The squat, deadlift and power clean are considered posterior chain movements. A posterior chain exercise works nearly every muscle in the  back of the body, from head to toe, including the back, glutes, hips, hamstrings and more. Squats and deadlifts are considered the king of all strength building movements.
Overhead and flat bench pressing are push movements. Pushing exercises work (to varying degrees) the shoulders, chest, back and arms. A properly structured strength building approach will achieve to strike some semblance of balance between flat bench and overhead pressing so that shoulder girdle health can be maintained.

Do I Need a Belt?

Is a lifting belt needed? This is a popular, and often heated debate. While there are valid points on both sides of the argument, most experienced lifters choose to perform heavy work with the use of a lifting belt.
Here are some pros and cons to wearing a lifting belt:
  • Pro - A lifting belt can help support your spine.
  • Pro - A lifting belt allows many experienced strength athletes to squat and deadlift more weight, maximizing training sessions.
  • Pro - A lifting belt can provide confidence.
  • Con – A lifting belt can cause slight changes to your lifting form. When first using a belt, don’t rush into using it with heavy weight. Work on your form with a belt using lighter weight first.
  • Con – A lifting belt that is cinched too tightly may restrict blood flow and/or cause change sin blood pressure.

The Role of the Central Nervous System

While it is the role of muscle tissue to move or lift heavy weight, the central nervous system (CNS) also plays a vital role in the process. The CNS acts in many ways like a power source – as it is awakened you will start to recruit more and more muscle fibers into play.
This is one of the reasons why a proper warmup protocol is required before heavy training. If you attempt to lift a heavy weight before “waking up the CNS”, you will be trying to move this iron using fewer muscle fibers. The result will be a great strain on the joints and connective tissue, and a greater chance of injury.
The power of the CNS can be tested following any heavy training session. After your heavy work is completed, try dropping the weight on the bar by 25% and performing a set. This set will feel unbelievably light, simply because your central nervous system is fully engaged, recruiting maximal amounts of muscle tissue.