Weight Training: Gain Muscle As Fast As Possible -

Gain Muscle As Fast As Possible

Weight Training:

In a quest to be cutting-edge, personal trainers have devised many new exercises using various equipment. These include things like balance board push-ups and Bosu ball bench presses. I think nearly all of these movements are ineffective if you are trying to increase strength and gain muscle size. Over and over again the classic exercises defeat the new exercises. There are various reasons for this, which we won't get into in this article, but if you need evidence then simply observe the strength levels of those who train with these exercises.
The point is that even though these new exercises are ineffective, they have caught-on in some training centers simply because they are different. This isn't so terrible in itself, but many of these new exercises seem to have removed the classic exercises from the gym altogether. One such old-school exercise is the overhead press. Now, the overhead press has always been somewhat of an endangered animal due to the overwhelming popularity of the bench press, but now it is nearly extinct in most gyms. So it's time for a reintroduction to this classic strength builder.
As mentioned, the bench press is by far the most popular variation of the press, likely due to its activation of the pecs. However, if you have become too bench press oriented in your programming you have likely seen a plateau in your strength and size gains. One of the best ways to get your bench press moving again is to increase your strength in the overhead press. By focusing on the overhead press the deltoids, triceps, and traps will all get stronger and bigger, which will translate to a bigger bench press. I highly recommend that most trainees skip the bench press entirely for at least 2 months out of the year to focus on the overhead press. Do not worry about your bench press strength, it will be much better when you return to it.
There are a variety of ways that overhead presses can be done. The first obvious choice is whether to use dumbbells or a barbell. You can then choose to be seated or standing. For now we are going to focus on the standing barbell variations as these will typically give you the most bang for your buck.
Standing Front Overhead Press
This is the classic version of the overhead press, with the barbell in front of the body at the clavicles. The bar is pressed overhead until the arms are straight. The finished position is with the bar directly over the head, even with the ears.
Standing Behind-the-Neck Overhead Press
This variation is the same as the Front Overhead Press, except that the bar starts resting on the traps, just as you would for an Olympic back squat. From this position the bar is pressed overhead and then returned to the upper back.
Standing Bradford Press
The Bradford Press is a combination of the Front and Behind-the-Neck Presses. The starting position is the same as the Front Press. From this position the bar is pressed to a position just above the head and then brought down onto the upper back. From the upper back the bar is pressed as in the Behind-the-Neck Press, but only to a level slightly above the head and then brought back to the front of the body. This is one repetition.
Push Press
The Push Press is a variation on the Front and Behind-the-Neck Presses, although it is usually performed with the bar in front of the head as in the Front Press. From this position the motion of the arms is the same as in the Front Press. The only difference is that the movement is initiated with a slight bend in the knees followed by an explosive extension of the knees. This brings the leg muscles into play which will allow you to use more weight.
Incorporate one or more of these overhead pressing variations in your workout program instead of the bench press. If you do I know you will be pleased with the strength and muscle gains you experience.