EFL Blog

We are busy down at EFL today putting together our new squat rack from EliteFTS. It’ll be a nice addition and the last piece of large equipment to go in. I’m also busy digging into some just published research so look for a review of that in a few days.

For now please have a look at a couple of articles I wrote that just went live online.

The first is from a relatively new website owned by the Portland Tribune company dedicated to health issues and particular challenges for those living in a rainy, cool climate and a challenging economy.

My first article answers some common questions about what works best for fat loss, which is by far the most common issue in Portland (good food, even better beer, and rain).

Fat Loss Facts

The second article is from Men’s Health UK.

Raise the bar

It may be central to many men’s toughest workout sessions but, outside of squats,deadlifts and bench presses, barbells are rarely used to their full potential.

Avoid wasting valuable gym time waiting for exercise machines by upgrading your workout with these three essential barbell moves from personal trainer Chris Bathke.

1. Front-loaded reverse lunge

Muscles worked Quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, core

Sets and reps Start with two sets of eight reps on each leg, and work up to two sets of ten over a few weeks.

How to do it Begin holding the barbell in a front squat position, with the bar resting across the front of your shoulders (you can cross your arms with palms facing towards you, or use anOlympic grip with palms facing away and upwards).

Next, step back with one leg into a lunge position and drop your hips until your knee brushes the floor. Then, drive down through your front heel to return explosively to the start position.

This move ain’t easy: you’ll need to use less weight than usual when holding the barbell in a front position, but this will help you maintain better form. “You won’t be able to cheat and lean forward, minimising risk to your back while forcing your anterior core to work harder to keep you upright,” says Bathke. “If you are doing this exercise correctly you’ll probably hate it. And me.” Good luck.

2. Push press

Muscles worked Just about everything, especially the hips, triceps, chest, and shoulders.

Sets and reps Start with two sets of five reps for a few weeks before moving up to three sets of five. This is not a movement to be done with high reps, but low reps with maximum power and speed.

How to do it Stand with the barbell in the front of you at collar bone height, with an overhand shoulder-width grip. Initiate the lift with a slight bend of your hips and knees, as if beginning a squat. Then, drive up with your legs as quickly as you can. Be careful to move your face out of the way of the bar’s path and, as the bar passes your chin, start driving hard from your shoulders and arms to lock the weight out overhead.

Bring the bar back down to the start position under control, reset your leg and shoulder position. Repeat. “The goal is to not allow your hips to move, or your body to twist, while lifting,” says Bathke.

3. Barbell rollout

Muscles worked Abdominals, triceps, lats, serrati

Sets and reps Start with two sets of as many reps as you can execute with strict form, and gradually try to increase your PB by one rep per week.

How to do it Attach round weight plates to the bar – a 10kg plate on each side works well, advises Bathke. Begin by kneeling on the floor with the barbell on the ground in front of you. Grab the bar with a shoulder-width overhand grip and, while keeping your arms straight, roll it as far as you can in front of you while maintaining a straight back.

If you feel any strain in your back then simply shorten the movement a fraction. To complete the movement, reverse the process back to the start position. “As you get stronger, try to roll the barbell a little further out in front of you, which will tax your core even further,” says Bathke.