Dr. Yessis Sports Training Blog

Most golf instructors will correctly tell you to bend over from the hips when assuming your stance. Even exercise trainers correctly advise their clients to bend from the hips when doing exercises such as the squat, good morning and dead lift. It is usually taken for granted that you know how to do this. Read more… »

Much good information has been written about strength training programs for beginners. Brought out very clearly is that beginners should start off slowly and gradually increase the intensity of their training programs. Beginners are also advised to use good form when doing strength exercises.

In reality, however, very few beginners are placed on programs in which they adhere to these recommendations. The main reasons for this is the popularity and overuse of the 3×10 RM or 3×8-12 RM (repetitions maximum) routines and the use of exercise machines. Doing a 3×10 RM routine does not allow for fully working all the major muscles and the exercise machines force you to do the exercise as prescribed by the machine. There is very little technique learning involved and balance is ignored. Read more… »

The present trend in bodybuilding and in many sports is to increase the amount of weight being handled. As a result, the number of repetitions have been dropping drastically and average anywhere from 5-8 RM (repetitions maximum) with up to 3-5 or more sets. The role of high repetitions has for the most part, been ignored.

But doing high numbers of repetitions play a very important role not only for your development but also to help prevent injury to your joints. The Russians found this out many years ago and as a result, often do very high repetitions in the range of 50 to 100 in the training of bodybuilders weightlifters and athletes. Read more… »

Split routines are becoming more popular not only in bodybuilding but in the fitness and athletic fields. In general, a split routine indicates that you work one area of the body on one day and a different area of the body on another day. For example, upper body—Monday and Thursday, lower body—Tuesday and Friday, with a day off in between (Wednesday) for rest, technique, or cardio work.

In some cases split routines can be used to indicate different body part training as for example an arm and a chest exercise or an arm and a leg exercise on one day and different body parts on other days. In such cases there is more time in between repeating the same body part training since only two body parts are usually covered in one training session. Read more… »

To fully understand the shock method it is first necessary to know if you are dealing with bodybuilding and powerlifting or athletics. The shock method in bodybuilding and powerlifting means a change in workout conditions. In sports (athletics), however, the shock method is used to develop greater explosive power and its application is very different from that seen in bodybuilding and powerlifting.

In bodybuilding and powerlifting the shock method refers to a change, most often a dramatic change in your workout routine. For example, if you have been using a constant weight in a particular exercise, increase the weight appreciably and concurrently decrease the number of repetitions. Doing so creates a dramatic change on the nervous system and thus a “shock.”

Note, however, that some authors use the shock method only to indicate a change in routine. But any change, if it is not significant, should not be referred to as the shock method. For example, making gradual increases in the amount of weight you use in your workouts will lead to greater gain but is not an example of shock. Read more… »