Some Athletes Should (At Some Point) Play 2 Sports

Yeah, I believe this. 

Training multiple sports at the same time really does not get enough credit, especially in adolescent/teen/youth sport. I'll have you know that I love specificity, but it is hard to deny the multitude of benefits an athlete gets from training different stuff than their main sport. 

 What are some of these benefits?

1. Early Skill Acquisition

2. Mental Preparation

3. Physical peaking: This is the main benefit I see from training multiple sports. Some athletes do not peak for their sport until post puberty, and some into their late 20s. This is more common in sports where physical development is very important, like weightlifting or rugby. This is less applicable to higher skill sports like cricket or soccer. By training multiple sports before you peak as an athlete, you keep more eggs in your basket and also build a bigger base.

Notice I said you should 'train' multiple sports. Not compete in multiple sports at the same time. That would be hard (though not impossible, but hard).

So what are my recommendations? I think training 2 sports at once is possible. To some extent, all my athletes train 2 sports at once. My rugby players train both rugby and S&C, same with soccer and cricket players. As a weightlifter, I also train for BJJ. 

~ Prem

Accessories SHOULD NOT Be Heavy

I find people go really, unnecessarily heavy with their accessory work. This is common amongst both strength athletes and sport athletes. I hypothesis this is due to a misconception that using higher weights in accessories will directly transfer to higher weights in the main lifts. To some extent, this is true, but is highly overplayed.

The reality is that number-chasing on accessory exercises is counter-productive. One, you risk yourself injury, which is bad. Two, you get less bank for your buck.

The first point goes without saying. Use more weight with shitty technique, get injured. I've heard of people getting injured whilst doing fucking dumbbell skull crushers. I can understand getting injured on a back squat or heavy deadlift, but a skullcrusher? Pathetic.

Second. Quality over quantity. Many top powerlifters will use weights that normies would consider 'light' because they are getting the MOST out of the weight! They are going through a full range of motion, using higher reps, pausing, and using a slightly slower eccentric. I've had some of the fattest pumps of my life whilst using relatively light weights.

Moral of the story: If you are doing an accessory exercise that is NOT your main lift that you compete in, don't start number chasing just because you want to look cool or feel like you're doing something. It is always better to use slightly lower weights and focus on quality.

ALL HAIL THE UNITED CREATES

Strength & Conditioning For Cricket

Here is a basic guide on how I would go about strength and conditioning for cricket.

Firstly, I would have someone do S&C work 3x a week, whilst training for cricket 3x a week, with a cricket match 1x a week (most clubs operate similarly to this). Cricket really isn't a sport that depends largely on strength or conditioning (unlike rugby, for example), so I would have a cricket player spend more of their week training the actual sport rather than in the weight room.

Secondly, exercise selection. I like olympic lifts and I like unweighted jumps. I would probably include power or hang versions of the olympic lifts for cricket players since teaching the full clean/snatch is probably not worth it for the specific sport (this applies to most sports). Also, I really wouldn't spend too much time working on plyometrics for a cricket player. I would much rather allocate training economy to strengthening the shoulders, core and hips since these areas are common injury points. Plyometrics would be more valuable for field sport athletes, basketball or volleyball players.

So I would probably stick to the back squat, power clean, strict press and romanian deadlift for the majority of the strength work. For conditioning, this is very simple. For cricket, bowling run-ups and runs are all around 20m long. So acceleration work of 20-40m done once a week is plenty for conditioning when paired with some low intensity steady state work.

 Here is a sample program for 3x a week S&C training:

	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3
1	Power Clean - 5 x 3 @ 60% of max clean	Strict Press - 4 x 12 @ 40% of max strict press	Behind The Neck Push Press - 6 x 6 @ 85% of strict press max
2	Back Squat - 4 x 10 @ 55% of max squat	Romanian Deadlift - 4 x 8 @ 45% of max deadlift	Power Clean - 5 x 3 @ 70%
3	Bench Press - 5 x 8 @ 65% of max bench press	Barbell Row - 6 x 6 @ 40% BW	Back Squat - 5 x 8 @ 60%
4	Weighted Chinup - 4 x 4 with 5% BW	Lu Raise - 5 x 10 with 5% BW per hand	Tricep Extension - 4 x 12 @ 10% BW
5	Hanging Leg Raise - 4 x 10 BW	Superman Plank - 4 x 30 secs BW	Barbell Curl - 6 x 10 with empty barbell
6	20m Sprint - 7 total sprints, 2 mins rest between sprints	30 mins stationary bike - Zone 2	30 mins stationary bike - Zone 2

Notes:

• The sets and reps here are just a guide that you could use for the first week of your training; I may release a full program later
• Bench press can be replaced with floor press, another good option
• Back squats should be done to full depth
• Some work like the chinups and rows are programmed as a percentage of your bodyweight (BW)
• Sprints should be done on a field/track with cleats/spikes on
• the 30 mins cardio should be done at a relatively easy pace for at least 25 mins to work on aerobic capacity. I chose stationary bike here since it is less stressful on the knees

~ Prem

Training While Sick

I just contracted the common cold. It made me wonder how many people train whilst they are sick. Here are some general tips to maintain progress whilst you are sick.

DISCLAIMER: I am not a medical professional. This is NOT medical advice. If you have any symptoms that extend beyond the common cold, consult a medical professional.

1. Don't train. This is a pretty big mistake people make. Just don't train when you are sick. It'll take longer to fully recover and the quality of the session will not be high anyways. Just take a few days off: it's fine not to train during those days.

2. Recover. A large portion of sickness comes from stress and/or sleep deficiency. My No. 1 tip for anyone recovering from sickness is just to sleep. Plus, taking paracetamol and drinking lots of water also helps.

3. Load management. Whilst coming back to training after the sickness becomes to disappear, it's fine to skip accessories. Reducing the number of sets you do could also be a good idea.

TLDR: Don't train when sick, just sleep/

~ Prem

Stoicism and Training

Stoicism is incredibly valuable for training for athletics. The core principles of stoicism include disconnection from emotion and the acceptance that life is difficult and problems will always rear their heads, but that ultimately the individual can triumph. In a sense, it takes an objective approach into accomplishing tasks, and also physical training.

The essence of physical training is that you never win. Training is mundane, and at the elite level, you are constantly feeling aches, getting injured, and having suboptimal training sessions. Stoicism provides a way to approach these tasks, even when they seem boring or hard.

The times where I have stayed most consistent with my diet, mobility, and sleep as been when I've taken an almost disconnected approach to training. Disconnected from emotions or how I feel on any specific day. I recognized I had responsibilities, and shit had to be done, so I did it. Some may call it harsh, but they're not breaking records anytime soon. I believe all elite athletes (if not, most), use the philosophy of stoicism in some way or another as part of their lifestyle.

TLDR: Don't think, just do. That is the only way to stay consistent.

~ Prem

Is hypertrophy work necessary for weightlifting?

Nah. It can be helpful, and I often program hypertrophy work, but not a lot of it. Just to keep a baseline level of muscle. Most olympic weightlifters are only jacked because they are on unholy amounts of PEDs. Olympic weightlifting is not a sport akin to muscle growth (unlike powerlifting, for example), and very few weightlifters focus a lot on hypertrophy work.

~ Prem

Reworking My Warmups and Rehab work!

So I was going to change my warmup and rehab protocols because of new problems I would like to address. So I thought I would take you through the process of redesigning your supplemental work.

Firstly, here is my new warmup:

1. Steady State Cardio: 5 mins max, stationary bike: I used to do cardio as a warmup on the treadmill, only to later realize this likely contributed to the knee pain I have in my right knee (likely patellar). So I switched over to the stationary bike. The stationary bike is also really good for specifically warming up the quads, which is necessary for any weightlifter.

2. Foam Rolling: I've always done foam rolling, and I stand by the fact that it is an easy way to get in some soft tissue work and boost recovery a bit.

3. Leg Extension isometric: I hold my leg at a 45 degree isometric on the leg extension with some moderate weight for at least 45 seconds (several studies support this, including this study). This is to address my knee pain and warm up the quads and knees as well. I used to do isometric lunge holds, but I find these just more convenient and effective. 

4. Front Rack stretch: This is basically when I hold a barbell in the front rack position and flex and extend my upper back (the first exercise in this video). Good for warming up the wrists and the front rack position, as well as the T spine and lats.

5. Lu Raise complex: I hold some light plates out for an isometric and then perform some Lu raises with lighter weights. These warmup the shoulders for the overhead position. I used to do facepulls here, but my rotator cuff has become less of an issue now. Now, I prefer to focus on a strong overhead position with strong scapula. 

6. 3rd world squat: 2-3 mins with some weight: I sit in the bottom of a 3rd world squat for 2-3 mins. I've said this before a lot, but this is just a super specific way to warmup for weightlifting. I put the barbell on my knees for extra resistance. I've always done these as well, and I recommend them to every strength athlete.

Next, here is my revised rehab protocol that I do separately from my workouts at the end of the day:

1. Couch Stretch: I've moved these from my workouts into the rehab slot. I find that when I put these as a warmup, I do not spend enough time in the stretch. To actually make this stretch effective on the hip flexors, you have to sit in it for around 2 minutes or more.

2. Pancakes: This is to address my adductor mobility. I used to do a ton of mobility stretches for the glutes and hamstrings, but I've removed them since my mobility in these areas is already good. My adductors, on the other hand, have always been (and still are) constantly tight.

3. Single Leg Touchdown: Hands down, these are the single best exercise for knee rehab. I felt a difference after a few weeks of doing these on my right knee.

4. Lat Stretch: I do the second set of stretches presented in this  video. I started doing these to help my overhead position in the bottom of the snatch, which requires to hand to go behind the ears (ie. a large degree of lat mobility).

5. Overhead walks: I do these with a relatively heavier dumbbell to get stronger shoulders and to reinforce my overhead position. I also want to keep my elbow healthy as I have had some minor elbow issues in the past.

6. 3rd world squat (bodyweight) - 5 mins total: I do these for squat mobility. I used to do them banded, with a band around my knees. However, this really fatigued by adductors in about 1 minute, which meant I skipped the other 4 minutes of this movement. This movement needs to be done for a longer period of time to actually be effected, so I ditched the band and just do these bodyweight now.

~ Prem

Training Is Mundane

Training is mundane. Training is boring. Workouts are typically the same in structure, and if you do them long enough, they do tend to get boring. However, this is normal, and this is required. Anyone who became successful at any sport did it by working really, really hard at the basics. Every good weightlifter got good at weightlifting by doing the snatch, the clean and jerk, the squat, the pull, and some press. Any they did this day, after day, after day. That is what is required to be the best.

Learn to enjoy mundane-ness. Enjoy the work. Enjoy sleeping consistently, doing your mobility work, getting your meals in, no matter how boring. That is the only way you get through boring training.

~ Prem

No, Bosu Balls Are Not Effective

Bosu balls are not useful for any purpose. Whether that be 'stability training' or rehab work. 

First of all, specificity is king. If your sport requires 'stability', then the best way you can train is is just by playing your sport more. When surfers want to be more stable surfing, they train by surfing more. Sports are not played on bosu balls. Sports are played on fields, or in the water, or on ice. It would be much better off to allocate time and resources to training your actual sport rather than wasting time on a bosu ball.

Secondly, I have never heard of ANY rehabilitation work that requires a bosu ball. I've reviewed material from Dr Aaron Horschig, Dr Stephane Gregory and Dr Stuart McGill, and I have never seen ant of them use a bosu ball in practice. Even for knee stability issues (like caving in the squat etc.), these can often be screened by doing pistol squats, hip tests and jumps. Rehabing the knees can also be done with basic exercises like tibialis squats, knee extensions, lunge isometrics, 3rd world squats etc.

Finally, I would like to make a point on credentials. Just because someone has a Masters or a PhD does NOT mean they are even moderately intelligent. Joel Seedman and Mike Israetel both have PhDs and are still retards and not highly respected in the serious strength community. Keep this in mind.

~ Prem

Straps for Weightlifting

There are several straps that one can use for weightlifting. Today I have presented types of straps and which ones I think are the best to use. These are in order from best to worst (in my opinion):

1. ZKC/WBCM straps

   

These straps are superior for two reasons. First, they are quick release, meaning that they will instantly drop the barbell once your hand stops actively gripping. This reduces the risk for injury when ditching the bar. Secondly, these are typically more durable than other olympic weightlifting straps (these are usually made of cotton).

2. Hookgrip/Ironmind Nylon Straps

Although nylon tends to be durable, I find the grip a bit worse on these than on cotton straps. These are still quite popular, since they can also be made DIY. These are also quick release straps, and are also a solid option.

3. Nylon Webbing

These are reserved for more advanced weightlifters. Although they are durable, they require some level of skill to use correctly. As a result, you only see these being used rarely by a handful of advanced lifters. I would not recommend these for most people; the above two options work equally well.

4. Lasso Figure 6 Style Straps:

DO NOT use these for weightlifting. The reason is that these are NOT quick release, meaning sometimes when you have to ditch the bar (specifically ditch the bar back in the snatch), the straps will not let go immediately, which could lead to serious injury. Literally this morning, I almost had the bar crash onto my back when I ditched a snatch using these straps. These straps work for pulls and deadlift, but not olympic lifts. Using any of the other straps is better.

~ Prem

Zone 2 Cardio For Strength Athletes

Strength athletes almost always have poor cardiovascular conditioning and VO2 max. This isn't a problem for other athletes like field sports players or track runners since this population already gets plenty of aerobic work from their sport. Strength athletes spend most of their time using the anaerobic system, and having a poorly developed aerobic system can effect recovery capability both between sets and between sessions. 

All strength sport athletes (mainly powerlifters and weightlifters) should do some dedicated zone 2 cardio at least twice a week. These should be done for AT LEAST 20 MINS, as this is the minimum time required to work aerobic capacity. I personally do zone 2 work for 25-30 mins, although you could do it up to 1 hr. I would do a maximum of 6 of these sessions a week.

In each of these sessions, you should be working at Zone 2 specifically. There are two ways to measure if you are in zone 2. First, subtract your age from 220. If your heartrate is between 60 and 70 percent of this new number during the session, then you are working in Zone 2. Another way coaches cue zone 2 is "work as hard as you can whilst still breathing through your nose". If you cannot breath through your nose during the workout, you are not working in Zone 2, but higher. 

This is a short and time effective way to facilitate strength gains. I like to do these on my rest days, and I find that's when people have free time to get this type of work done.

~ Prem

Jumps And Sprints Are Useless For Weightlifting

Just because elite athletes do something, it does not mean that you should. People often see elite weightlifters training jumps (ie. chinese team) or sprints (ie. soviets), and think that this is somehow useful for the sport. It isn't.

The reality is that olympic weightlifting is a fragile and highly specialized endeavor. Anything that isn't easy zone 2 cardio or some mobility work WILL impact performance in weightlifting. This includes jumps and sprints.

Firstly, jumps are not comparable to weightlifting. Jumps are to weightlifting like sprinting is to swimming: completely unrelated. If you theoretically wanted to add jumps/plyometrics to a weightlifting program, they would need to be done for high volume at the start of the session where you are the freshest. You can see how this is a problem: you will be fatigued from all the jumping volume before you even start weightlifting! Plus, some jump variations like depth jumps are actually very stressful on the joints even if they are not weighted, which again impacts weightlifting performance.

Secondly, sprints. Sprints are even worse than jumping as far as impact on weightlifting. Max effort sprints are tough to recover from. They have a particularly high injury risk at both the ankle and the knee joint, especially if sprinting on flat terrain. They also contribute more to the interference effect. So stay away from sprinting as well.

A common argument for including jumps and sprints in a weightlifting program is that they help with 'power production'. Sure, to some extent. But this does not translate to weightlifting. Firstly, weightlifting is technical, and training technique whilst being the most fresh and recovered is high priority. Secondly, power production for weightlifting is trained sufficiently with pulls and the competition lifts.

There are only a handful of cases I would prescribe jumps or sprints to a weightlifter. If the weightlifter is a beginner or a youth athlete or obese, I may add some jumps and hill sprints as GPP training for a couple of weeks every training block. If the athlete is a hobbyist, then I may also add these jumps and sprints. 

But I would not advise anyone who takes weightlifting seriously to include jumps/sprints into the program. That time should be allocated to other, more productive work.

~ Prem

Training Frequency For Weightlifting

People often say the best training frequency for weightlifting is 6x a week. This is blatantly wrong.

For most people, who aren't national/international level lifters, training 4x a week for weightlifting is optimal. This comes both from anecdotal experience as well as the experience of the lads at Sika Strength, who have coached literal thousands of weightlifters. 

The main proponent of 5-6x/week training is Clarence Kennedy. In my opinion, Clarence Kennedy is disconnected from how the average weightlifters responds to training. Clarence is a genetic phenom who is on steroids, and who also does not have the best programming knowledge (I've seen his programs, both powerlifting and weightlifting). Although high frequency training is certainly beneficial for weightlifting, people often do not consider how high injury risk is in weightlifting. It is not uncommon for even hobbyist lifters to have constant knee, shoulder and back pain. Plus, 4x a week of the lifts and their variations is plenty frequency.

The reality is that only truly advanced lifters (ie. national level of above) should be considering training more than 4x per week of weightlifting. Plus, if you are this advanced, you will likely already be working with a coach who can help you train up to 7 or more days a week since they can manage your fatigue better.

Here is my go-to weightlifting split for anyone who is not yet a national or above level lifter (including myself):

Day 1: Weightlifting

Day 2: Weightlifting (+ back squats)

Day 3: Rest

Day 4: Weightlifting (+ back squats)

Day 5: Bodybuilding(Optional) - mostly/all upper body, relatively light

Day 6: Weightlifting (+ front squats)

Day 7: Rest

Squats are followed by rest days or by bodybuilding days since squatting sessions are typically quite intense for weightlifters. The bodybuilding day is an optional day you can do if you care about upper body hypertrophy. It probably won't benefit your weightlifting at all, but it can help you not look like a marathon runner. However, this bodybuilding day should be kept RELATIVELY LIGHT ie. don't max out bench press, overhead presses and barbell rows, you still have a weightlifting session the next day! I typically recommend most people do some shoulder, back, tricep and bicep, and core work on the bodybuilding day.

I would not train 6x or more per week as a sub-national level weightlifter.

~ Prem

Do Not Combine Programs

I always see intermediate lifters or athletes attempting to combine programs. This includes trying bodybuilding and weightlifter, or lifting and running, or bodybuilding with some other sport.

This type of training is theoretically possible. However, combining two, separate, stand-alone programs into one and doing them both is a stupid idea. A stand-alone program (either one made by me, or any other reputable coach) is most likely made to be run in isolation. This means that it is designed assuming that you are not doing any other training. If you do decide to do any other training, it will impact progress on a stand-alone program. A stand-alone program as very specific percentages, reps and periodization that can be impossible to follow if you are fatigued from training elsewhere.

The best way to train for multiple goals is NOT to combine two programs, but to have one program that accounts for two training goals. For example, when I train sprinters, I include both track training and weight room training. However, I program the weight room training differently than compared to a weightlifter since I need to consider fatigue from actual sprinting.

Plus, I always recommend my athletes to train for one goal. Just one. Training for two or more goals will not let you master any of them. 

~ Prem

Periodization ONLY WORKS for Weightlifters and Track Athletes!

Periodisation is basically the planned manipulation of training variables are the training cycle of an athlete progresses. In layman's terms, periodisation is just the concept of training differently in the off season/before competition compared to training during the on-season/competition period.

Periodization only works for weightlifters/powerlifters and track athletes (sprinters, mid or long distance runners). Periodisation was a concept first propagated by Tudor Bumpa, who was researching methods of strength and conditioning in soviet athletes. The reason periodisation only works for weightlifters and track athletes is two fold. Firstly, there is a large link between their strength and conditioning training and their sport. Strength and conditioning training for weightlifting has a MASSIVE correlation to how that weightlifter performs in competition (obviously). Also, the strength and conditioning work of sprinters also impacts how they perform on the track to a large extent. However, the same cannot be said about other athletes, like basketball or tennis players. For these athletes, skill is a much larger component in how they perform than just their strength of conditioning levels, so periodisation becomes less relevant. Secondly, periodisation builds up the training intensity as competition gets closer. As a result, it only works for athletes who compete on a single day/week. Athletes who compete in multiple weeks (ie. a game season in basketball) cannot simply peak for performance on one day, and so periodisation doesn't work.

This is why I only provide programs for weightlifters, track athletes, or for strength and conditoning!

~ Prem

Don't Use Free Programs (IRONIC)

Yes, this is very ironic coming from me, but don't use free programs, particularly ones you find on the internet! Why?

If a program is free, it is an indication that it is dogshit. If the program was good, and took actual time an effort to create, their would certainly be a price for it. Also, almost all of the free programs you see on the internet are cookie cutter, meaning they are very general programs that are not specific to the individual. They do not ask for you weight, height, experience, or injuries. Although these programs may provide you with some progress, they lose value in the long term or for the serious athlete.

Yes, I do produce free programs. And I do have people who run these programs. But here's the catch: my programs are intended to teach rather than get people to high levels of competition. And secondly, my free programs actually did take me a long time and a ton of effort to write. However, these programs are still very cookie cutter, and I would advise everyone reading this post to save up LITERALLY JUST A FEW DOLLARS to either purchase my programs on the Patreon, or buy my 1 on 1 coaching. If you don't want to buy programs from me, you can buy them from other reputable sources like Catalyst Athletics or Sika Strength (though these are more expensive than mine!). 

I put a lot of emphasis on producing free stuff for everyone to learn and use. But in a world run by money, this isn't entirely practical for myself or this business. Even if you choose not to buy my coaching (which is fine), just don't rely on free programs for long term progress.

~ Prem

Don't lift in front of a mirror

Lifting in front of a mirror will get you too accustomed to using the mirror as a way to fix technical errors in your lifts. Do this long enough and you will lose body awareness and will find it difficult to lift without a mirror in front of you. This is an easy problem to fix in most people's training: just turn around away from the mirror when you lift!

~ Prem

Utilizing Both Mobility And Prehab/Rehab Protocols!

Yes, warmups and mobility are important. I've said in the past that you can skip them if you're restricted on time, but if you take training seriously, you should do them. Here's how you can integrate both effective warmups and rehab/prehab working into your day to day life!

Firstly, do your mobility work as your warmup for your training sessions! This works as mobility work increases joint ROM whilst also increasing body temperature if done in a circuit style. I hear people say they do their mobility right after their workouts. I think that's pretty stupid, since 9/10 people will skip post-workout stretching since they are already tired and just want to leave. Here is a basic starter mobility routine that works for anyone who olympic lifts:

1. Barbell Front Rack Wrist Stretch

2. Cable Lat Stretch

3. Banded Dislocates

4. Quad Nordics

5. Side Splits

6. Deep bodyweight squat for 3-5 mins

Secondly, rehab and prehab work should be done separate to your workout entirely. Putting rehab work as part of the workout itself tends to decrease the amount of effort put towards it. Therefore, I think that by separating the rehab work to be done later in the day apart from training, athletes focus on it more, thus making the rehab work more effective. Obviously, if your rehab work is for just one joint, you could probably just do it with your workout. But for someone like me or other more advanced lifters who have multiple pains, rehab work can actually take up to 20 minutes, so it is better if done separately from training. 

Here is my rehab protocol. I have never had any serious injuries, but my main problem areas are my shoulders/rotator cuffs and knees, which are frequently fatigued:

1. Side Plank

2. Overhead Walks

3. Band Facepulls

4. Tibialis Raise

5. Banded Side Walks

6. Soft Tissue Work (Foam Rolling, mainly the T spine)

Note: If you do not have equipment at home to do your rehab, and do not want to travel to the gym twice in one day, then add your rehab to your warmups.

These are all the additional protocols an athlete requires. 

~ Prem

Top Assistance Work For The Non-Novice Olympic Weightlifter

Here are some of my favorite (and thus, the best) accessories for olympic weightlifting. These should only be used once you pass the early novice phase of olympic lifting (ie. you can lift the bar + some respectable weights with decent technique consistently in the full snatch and full clean & jerk). Novices should not focus on assistance work and should spend 100% of their time perfecting snatch and clean & jerk technique. Please note these assistance exercises are SEPARATE from strength exercises, and so will not include pulls, squats and overhead work. I will discus these strength lifts in another post.

Upper Body Assistance Work

1. Weighted Dips: Better than bench press as it takes the shoulder through a greater range of motion. Great for having a decent chest as well as strong triceps for the jerk and overhead positions. I like to treat these like a main lift with percentage based programming.

2. Lu Raises/Facepulls: Both great options for shoulder health. The facepull focuses more on the rotator cuff, whereas the Lu raise develops the side delts and the overhead position. I alternate each every week since they are both so good.

3. Weighted Chinups: Great general developmental tool for the lats and biceps, which are not hit adequately by the olympic lifts. 

4. Barbell Rows: Helps keep the bar close in the snatch and clean, also develops resilience in the lower back.

5. Hanging Leg Raises: Core work helps lifters brace in the snatch and the clean and the jerk. People online claim they train core every session, but I think that's pretty stupid. I train core heavy and hard 1-2x per week and find that more effective for both skill acquisition and muscle growth. I believe this approach is more effective than training core half-arse every session.

Lower Body Assistance Work

1. Back Extensions: Simply the best exercise for lower back strength. Better with a barbell on your back.

2. Split Squats: These provide a stimulus to the quads different from the olympic lifts and squats since these are unilateral. These also develop the glute and hip muscles well. My favourite variation are bulgarian split squats.

3. Leg Curls: Train the hamstrings in the shortened positions. Hamstrings are important to train both for injury prevention and since they are not hit hard by the main lifts, squats, and even pulls!

4. Jump squats/Depth jumps: I start my cycle with 6 weeks of weighted jump squats with 10-20% of my backs quat 1RM, and then peak with 3 weeks of depth jumps. These help specifically with extension and force development in the jerk. 

5. Maybe Calf Raises/Hip Adduction: I personally do calf raises just 1x a week since I train for sprinting as well. However, calf work probably doesn't help with weightlifting specifically, unless you have terrible ankle mobility. Hip adductions are good bodybuilding exercise which target the large adductors, but these are likely trained adequately by doing squats anyways. Do these if you like, but they are not as important as the others on this list.

~ Prem

The Supertotal Is A Really Dumb Idea (For Competitors)

I made programs in the past which aim to get someone better at numerous objectives. For example, my Megatotal program aims to get someone good at powerlifting, weightlifting, and strongman all in one program (basically general strength). On the same line, the Supertotal describes training for both powerlifting and weightlifting.  

When I put out these hybrid programs, the target audience is really recreational lifters. In my Megatotal program, I do not accept lifters to actually go compete in powerlifting, weightlifting AND strongman. These hybrid programs are just for enthusiast who like variety and novelty in their training. 

The reality is, using these hybrid programs as an actual COMPETITOR is really fucking stupid. Chasing two goals in one strength program SEVERELY limits your progress in each individual endeavor. ie. training for the Supertotal will severely limit your progress in weightlifting AND powerlifting, compared to if you trained each sport individually. You won't have enough room in the program to train the weightlifting movements hard, AND you won't have enough room to train the powerlifts hard. Basically, you will be shit at both sports. Of course, you can still make progress, but it will be painstakingly slow and inefficient progress. 

So my suggestion for anyone who wants to train the Supertotal (or any hybrid strength program) is to just choose one endeavor and work hard on it. 

PS: When you see people online who have a big Supertotal, they are most definitely on steroids. I made this post assuming you are not on steroids. 

~ Prem

Basic Injury Prevention Exercises

3 great exercises I program for basically everyone regardless of sport are the following:

1. Facepulls

2. Calf Raises

3. Leg Curls

4. Full ROM High Bar Back Squats

Here's the rationale:

Facepulls strengthen the rotator cuffs. 9/10 problems areas for the upper body are always the shoulders. This applies largely to olympic lifters, powerlifters, pitchers, throwers and cricket players. The facepull is a great 2-in-1 exercise where the external rotators are strengthened, providing less injury risk, whilst also growing some strong and large rear delts. I like doing facepulls on a cable, preferably on the seated row. 4 sets of 15 reps once per week is good.

Calf raises are a must for sprinters, jumpers, weightlifters, and any sport that requires running of any intensity. Calf raises strengthen the calves, which are the largest muscle surrounding the ankle joint. Obviously, the ankles are a huge problem area for sprinters and basketball players, but having strong and mobile ankles also helps in the squat. I like seated calf raises the most since they are performed with a bent knee, which makes it a bit more specific to squat mobility whilst also building bigger calve muscles. 4 sets of 15-20 reps done with full range of motion 1x per week is good.

Leg curls. I have met numerous people who have experienced hamstring tears, and I can't help but think that doing leg curls largely decreases the risk of ever experiencing such hamstring related injuries. My favourite leg curls are the seated leg curl and the nordic leg curl. The Nordic is a much more advanced movement, and I plan to make a blog post on how to progress it properly. But the seated leg curl is also a fantastic option. The key here is to really slow down the negative, as this will have more transfer so far as decreasing running-related hamstring tears (yes, the research supports this: https://journals.lww.com/nsca-scj/FullText/2020/06000/Hamstring_Strain_Injuries__Incidence,_Mechanisms,.5.aspx). Do leg curls for 4 sets of 5-12 reps with a slow negative once, maybe twice, a week.

Finally, deep, full range-of-motion back squats. This one's a no brainer. Getting the knee to move through its full range of motion is the no. 1 way of decreasing the risk of an ACL tear, which is a devastating and potentially career-ending injury. Don't do fucking half reps. Squat full ROM 2x a week.

~ Prem

Powerlifting Is Not A Real Sport

Powerlifting ain't a sport son. I used to be a powerlifting bro, but now I've changed.

I guess powerlifting is kinda a sport. But its a shit one. It's basically just olympic weightlifting, but worse. Saying powerlifting is a sport is like saying table tennis is a sport. Table tennis took regular tennis, and just made it more shit. Weightlifter are powerlifters who actually possess skill, athleticism, mobility, power and strength, and powerlifters are just fatties.

Get over it. Accept the truth. Start weightlifting. Use one of my programs. 

Just made this post since I saw some dumb powerlifters on Youtube. Gee they fucking piss me off. 

~ Prem

Always Leave Room To Scale

A concept I learnt from business is that you should always leave room for your company to scale. It is much better off the start small, and grow as your client base grows. I think the same can be applied to training.

It is always better to do less. Then, when you run into plateaus or cannot progress, you have available room to add in more work/volume to address issues. For example, when I first teach people the olympic lifts, I usually have them lift 4x a week. Then, when they get better and require more work to progress, I move them to 5x a week, and advanced lifters lift 6x a week. When I program accessories, I get people to do 1 accessory exercise per session. Once they have reaped all the benefit they can from that 1 exercise, we add 2, and slowly we may add 3. This is crucial as work capacity and the body's ability to progress will be significantly hindered if you go in 100% from the start. That's why we have beginner, intermediate and advanced programs in the first place; each program adds the least amount of work to still progress.

TLDR: Less is more. Give yourself room to add more volume into your training in the future as you get more advanced. Your future self will thank you.

~ Prem

My Technical Model For Weightlifting - Kazakhstan

People talk about technical models alot. A technical model is just the technique type that you use. Of course, technique errors are more or less universal, but when it comes to olympic weightlifting, you have some guys who emphasis aggression and a fast turnover, or some who emphasis extension with a more controlled turnover. 

My technical model for olympic weightlifting has always come from the Kazakh team. The Kazakhstani model is generally characterized by dynamics starts, a surplus of leg strength, quick lifts and a hybrid strength/speed dip and drive for the jerk. The quintessential example of this is Ilya Ilyin, the best lifter to ever exist on planet Earth

This model gets a lot of shit from the Team China fanboys. This model is based largely on the Soviet technical model, which is also very good. However, Kazakh lifters do tend to be more aggressive when lifting and less technical. But the reality is that this model is far better than those of the Americans, and especially the Chinese. The Bulgarian, South Korean and German models are honestly not bad, but lack the quicker lifting style of the Kazakhs.

~ Prem

An Intermediate Weightlifting Program Part 1 - Structuring The Session

I made a post with a beginner weightlifting program in the past (link), but this program was certainly not optimal for intermediates. So this in this new series of posts, I will create an intermediate olympic weightlifting program.

Firstly, this program is going to have several differences to the beginner program. Namely, these are:

1. Increase in frequency: In this program, the full lifts (full snatch and full clean and jerk) will each be trained 3x a week, with variations of both lifts done 2x a week each. 
2. Emphasis on strength work: In this program, I will give more attention to proper programming of squats, deadlifts and overhead/push presses.
3. Percentage based programming for the olympic lifts: I used autoregulation for the beginner program since beginners would not know their maxes for the lifts. But intermediates should, so percentages of 1RM can now be used for programming.

In this post, I just want to talk about structuring the workout. Here is how I generally structure weightlifting workouts:

Snatch/Snatch Variation
Clean & Jerk/Clean & Jerk Variation
Strength Exercise 1 (squat/push press/pull)
Strength Exercise 2 (deadlift/strict press/bench press/row)
2 Accessories/Bodybuilding work

So workouts should start with snatches and then go to clean and jerks. Pretty fucking self explanatory, snatches are technically harder than cleans, so they go first. I usually do full cleans 2-3 times a week, and do full snatches 3 times a week. 

Then we move onto strength work. I like to split my workouts into upper body focus or lower body focus in order to manage recovery (ie. a lower body workout would follow an upper body workout). On upper body sessions, I usually do pulls/presses are my first strength exercise. For pulls, I would either do snatch or clean pull at 90-110% of my snatch/clean and jerk max. Althought, for these pulls you could also do snatch grip high pulls, muscle snatches etc. For presses, I would ether do 3-5 sets of 3-5 reps on the push press, or do some heavy strict press (top set + back offs). For lower body sessions, I would do a squat followed by another pull, this time a bit heavier. So I would either front squat/back squat, and then do a clean/snatch/conventional deadlift or maybe a stiff-legged deadlift. 

Then the accessories. On upper body sessions, accessories would be work for the lats (chinups + barbell rows), shoulders (lu raises, rear delt flyes), some chest work (bench press, db bench), triceps and biceps. For lower body accessories, I would usually stick to hamstring, low back and core work since the quads are targeted pretty hard with the Olympic lifts, pulls and squats done prior. So on lower body sessions I would do leg raises, leg curls, back extensions, and some adductor work. 

So that's the basic structure of each workout. In the next post, I will go over the microcycle with sets and reps.

~ Prem

Training 2x A Week Is Not Enough

Training twice a week for any sport-related goal simply is not enough work to see any meaningful progress! I often have clients try to create a program where they only train 2x a week, and that puts me in a very tough position. The reality is that for every sport that I have decent knowledge about (think weightlifting, track and field, field sports, climbing, MMA), training 2x a week will BARELY make any progress, and will usually only maintain fitness levels. I always urge clients to try to add in a 3rd session, which makes a huge difference and can actually lead to significant long term progress. Of course, if there is literally nothing you can do, training twice a week is enough. But I would much rather you have shorter sessions more frequently throughout the week.

Edit: Also, for ever sport I can virtually think of, the best training frequency is around 4-6x a week, usually towards the higher end if you actually want to compete at a higher level. 3x a week works if you are juggling multiple sports or if you are a hobbyist. But 2x a week will lead to bare bones progress, and you really should aim to get at least 3x a week in. This also applies for more physically demanding sports, like sprinting or climbing.

~ Prem

Off Your Phone: Stay Locked In

People complain to me that their workouts take too long. I ask them if they scroll on their phone between sets. The answer is almost always yes.

Stay off your phone. Even if it is between sets, your phone will make you rest longer than you need. Just put the phone down and visualize your cues for the next set. I am not saying to workout in complete silence; you can listen to music to stay locked in. But spending too much time scrolling on Instagram, Youtube or Spotify can and will extend your rest periods to the point where your body is slightly colder when you start the next set. 

If you want to learn how to train like this, look at any old Bulgarian weightlifting training video. You will always see lifters either discussing the lifts, sitting patiently, or pacing backwards and forwards in anticipation for the next lift. This is a good way to both reduce total training time and to make training a bit more effective. I only use my phone to check my program and to check the time, and I just play my Spotify playlist in the background.

This same idea applies to life in general as well. You will find yourself saving a lot more time if you just say off your phone.

~ Prem

Mobility Development Tools vs. Mobility Tests

Just some thoughts on improving mobility:

Improving mobility means that you do mobility developmental tools, NOT mobility tests. What is a mobility test? A mobility test is something like a back bridge, a palms-to-floor, or a Apley scratch test. These can also be consider flexibility tools. The difference between mobility tools and flexibility tools is that mobility is the ability to control your joints through end ranges of motion, whereas flexibility is the lengthening of muscles for a stretch. 

Often I see people use flexibility tools like the ones I listed above to increase their mobility. For example, some people will palms to floor for 30 secs to improve hamstring mobility for the deadlift. This is not optimal. To develop mobility that transfers over to training/sport, you need to be doing mostly dynamic mobility developmental tools where your body is moving in and out of positions constantly. For example, some of my favourites are seated pancakes, where you spread your legs as far and possible and continuously reach forward. This is a mobility development tool that can help for both the squat and deadlift.

I have provided a list of good mobility developmental tools in this post.

~ Prem

On Improving Technique

I think technique obsession is generally a good thing. No lift is going to be technically complete (especially the heavy ones), but it is good to try to constantly find faults in technique and work to improve them. Here are some things I use to improve my technique for sports:

Firstly, film yourself. I don't care if it looks awkward or if others stare at you. Just film yourself normally. Watching yourself lift from an outside perspective will help you identify faults much more easily. This work for sports like sprinting and swimming as well.

Secondly, find someone online who has the same leverages as you. Lifting technique is not going to be the same amongst everyone. This is because different people have different body proportions and so lift differently based on the technique that gives them the best leverages. Finding someone online who has similar body proportions to you can give you an idea on how you should lift.

Thirdly, watching top athletes. Although top athletes may lift based on their unique leverages, there are always some things you can learn from watching top athletes' raw training footage.

Fourth, standardizing technique during warmups and throughout the training cycle. Whilst you warmup, you should still lift like you would on a maximal top set. No warmup rep should be wasted; treat every rep as an opportunity to practice technique. The same goes for doing volume work. When doing volume work, you should still focus hard on every rep and aim to do every rep with textbook perfect form. This will drill the motor pattern of the movement, which ensures better technique when maxing out.

Finally, linking to the previous tip, have a set of cues written down. For example, some cues I like for the deadlift are "pack the lats back towards your pockets" and "brace your stomach outwards" and "stick your butt out" (yes that works). I have all of these written down in my training journal so that before I start deadlifting, I run through these cues in my head and during the set. Find cues that work for you and stick to them.

-Prem

Make Do With What You Have

I saw a video of Andrew Tate mentioning the 2 types of fight gyms. On one hand, you have the exclusive, high membership clubs that produce no fighters since they hand out black belts like there candy. And on the other, you have the dingy, shitty gym that produces real fighters but makes no money since people get hurt.

I resonate with this a lot. I currently train at a commercial gym, and I always see lifters with knee sleeves, a belt, and weightlifting shoes who cannot squat 100kgs to full depth! Of course, everyone has the right to do this and I have no problem what you do with your money, but I want to remind you that having cheap gear does not make you a bad lifter. And having expensive gear doesn't make you a good one.

I saw a video of Clarence Kennedy making weightlifting straps by cutting and taping some Everlast boxing wraps. Although this is some cheap and faulty equipment, that guy still snatches more than 99% of olympic lifters at the time. I did the same. I used a knife to cut my old boxing wraps and made olympic lifting straps. There were no straps near me in Australia, and the cheapest Hookgrip ones were 40 fucking dollars. To tape my fingers, I used medical tape I found in an old medical kit. I stole my parents' knee sleeves (lol) that they use for warmth and used them to protect my shins during olympic lifts and deadlifts. And I used to use cheap, 20 dollar flat soled shoes to deadlift in. Point is, you can become a very good lifter using cheap gear. So if you are in a tough financial situation or unemployed like me, do not be discouraged, be resourceful, and push through to become the best you can be!

P.S. Lifting gear really is too expensive these days. 400 dollars for a fucking SBD belt? Fuck off. I would rather be resourceful and have slightly worse equipment then blow all my money on a fucking belt. 

~ Prem

Rotating Exercises Is Overrated

I often hear people claim that rotating weight room exercises or rotating drills on the field or the court is an integral part of every athlete's program. I disagree with this. Rotating exercises/drills should only act as a minor complement to your training. This is because in order to see the true, true benefits of doing a certain drill or a motion, you have to work hard on it for a prolonged period of time! When you try out a new drill or exercise, it takes 3 weeks at a minimum to just get decently skillful at the movement itself, and upwards of 10 weeks for noticeable adaptation (no study to cite, from personal experience). Therefore, exercises should be rotated only after a prolonged period of hard and purposeful training.

The main culprits who advocate rotating exercises/drills constantly are the conjugate fanboys. For those of you unaware, 'conjugate' is a training system first developed by powerlifting coach Louie Simmons and is characterized by frequently rotating main movements in order to prevent adaptation. The reason conjugate doesn't work for most people is that conjugate was made for enhanced lifters (athletes who use PEDs). Natural lifters take longer to adapt to the same stimulus. Plain and simple.

I do not thing rotating exercises is completely worthless. At the end of each 10 week training block, I may switch out 1-3 exercises/drills if I feel they are going stale or if I just don't enjoy them or see their benefit even after 10 whole weeks. However, I will very, very rarely rotate main motions (think squats, flying sprints etc.). Usually, I only rotate accessory exercises. But most of my clients go block after block with the exact same training program and continue to make great gains. But the idea that you need to rotate exercises every 3,4,5 or 6 weeks is completely overplayed and not very valuable.

As a final note, if you do rotate exercises, please do not do it in the middle of a training block. Rotating exercises at that time may create side-effects that will impact the rest of the training of the block, and may impact the PRs you set at the end. So rotate exercises at the start of a new training block!

-Prem

Optimal Training Frequency For Olympic Weightlifting

Here are some tips in programming olympic lifting for various athletes:

1. Olympic Weightlifters:

The optimal frequency for olympic lifting ranges from 4-6x a week for most regional/state/national athletes who are not insane or on drugs. Of course, those who compete at the olympics/internationally and those who are on copious amounts of steroids can and will train more than this.

4x a week should be reserved for older (above ~35 yrs of age) masters lifters or the recreational hobbyist who still wants a decent total. However, it probably won't be enough for anyone who wants to compete seriously. For more serious, younger, and natural lifters, 5-6x will probably be better. I prefer 5x a week, and I just make each of these workouts harder be increasing volume on main lifts and accessories. You could also train 6x a week, but then each individual session would need to be shorter and with less volume (~ 1.5hrs if you are snatching and cleaning every session).

2. Non-weightlifting athletes:

Team sport athletes and non-weightlifting athletes should do an easier version of the olympic lifts 2-3x a week. This easier variation will usually be a power clean due to it being very easy to learn and overload as soon as possible. Doing the lifts any less than 2x a week will reduce technical proficiency, and going any higher than 3x a week will take away valuable time that this athlete could be using to play their actual sport.

~ Prem

Clarification: Training 2x a day should be a last case scenario

I made a post in the past regarding training twice a day (link here). In that post, I argued most average people and athletes can train 2x a day given they don't train like idiots. And I stand by this. If you are pursing an athletic endeavor at a high level, you probably will need to train twice a day, at least on a few days of the week. 

However, this DOES NOT MEAN that you train 2x a day because high level athletes are. Training 2x a day should only be done if you CANNOT FIT your training into 1 session per day. In this sense, it is a last case scenario. I find that for most younger athletes and amateur athletes, training 2x a day is not needed for them to beat their competition. Training 2x a day only become a consideration when you get to those higher levels of athletic competition.

So for all amateurs, I would say stick to training once a day. The reality is that 2x a day training really takes away from recovery and performance, and should be reserved to those who are athletes as their full time job. You are much better off training once a day, and dedicating all your energy into that one session and making it as hard and productive as possible. Basically, train smarter, not harder. More is not always better.

Here are some sample 1x a day splits for athletes in various sports:

eg. Cricket player:

Day 1: Cricket Practice

Day 2: Weights + Conditioning

Day 3:Cricket Practice

Day 4: Weights + Conditioning

Day 5: Cricket Game

Day 6: Cricket Practice

Day 7: Weights + Conditioning

eg. Combat athlete:

Day 1: Combat drills

Day 2: Weights

Day 3: Sparring

Day 4: Weights

Day 5: Combat Drills

Day 6: Weights

Day 7: Sparring

eg. Olympic Weightlifter:

Day 1: Weightlifting

Day 2: Weightlifting

Day 3: Weightlifting

Day 4: Track session w/ sprint, plyos and throws

Day 5: Weightlifting

Day 6: Weightlifting

Day 7: Track session w/ sprint, plyos and throws

~ Prem

Daily Mobility Routine (PLEASE DO NOT COPY)

This is a post regarding my mobility routine that I perform daily. I think doing mobility is a must (yes, a must, not negotiable) for every athlete.

Before I give you my routine and some general tips, I really want to emphasize that you SHOULD NOT copy this routine. Why? Because this routine was made specifically for ME. I have tight wrists, a history of lower back pain, and very immobile adductors. However, someone else may have light lats and a tight T spine, so their mobility routine will look different from mine. So I beg that you read this entire post in order to gain mobility specific to you.

Here's my routine and an explanation on why I do what I do:

1. Band Over and Outs: I do these for shoulder mobility for the squat. That's basically it. I think this is one movement basically everyone can benefit from.
2. Planks: I do 2-3 minutes of front planks daily. This is just because anecdotally I find that doing planks every day helps with lower back pain and bracing better during training. Alec Enkiri made a video about this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ysagAtrjb8
3. Quadruped Elbow to Ceiling: Good for rotational T spine mobility. I do it to help my bench press arch.
4. Dynamic V Sit: One of the best mobility exercises in existence. Great for hamstring and lower back mobility.
5. Shinbox to Pigeon Stretch: The shinbox is good for hip mobility, and the pigeon stretch gives a good stretch on those glutes. I do not have a problem with glute mobility, but I may as well get in that extra stretch if I am already doing shinboxes.
6. Wrist Wall Stretch: I put my wrist on the wall and lean onto them, getting a good stretch. I only do these for front rack mobility, which I tend to struggle with.
7. Cossack Squats: Great developmental tool for adductor mobility. If you can do these well, then progress to the side splits.
8. Deep 3rd World Squat: A classic. Sitting in the bottom of a squat for 5 minutes daily does wonders as far as squat, hip, knee and ankle mobility is concerned.

So that's the entire routine. It takes maybe 10 minutes total. I prefer shorter routines that you will do daily rather than complex and longer routines that you do once or twice a week. Doing these very consistently is very important for progress.

To end this post off, here are my favorite mobility exercises per body part:

• Lats: Dead hangs, thoracic extensions
• Shoulders: Band over and outs
• Wrist: Wall/ground wrist stretch
• Triceps/elbows: High rep triceps pushdowns and banded overhead triceps stretch
• Hip Flexors: Couch stretch, first baseman stretch
• Knees: Deep 3rd World Squat
• Ankles: Standing calf raise, seated calf raise, tibialis raise
• Glutes: Pigeon stretch
• Hamstrings: Dynamic V Sit, back extensions
• Lower Back: Foam Rolling, Dynamic V Sit
• Adductors: Side splits, Cossack squat
• Pecs: Pec dec, pec flies
• T Spine: Foam rolling, quadruped elbow to ceiling, cat-camels

Choose the movements that you need and work hard on them consistently and you will see improvements in your sport performance!

~ Prem 

How To Prepare For Early Morning Training

I am an advocate for training 2x a day for some athletes. This means that sometimes, we will have to train early in the morning (before 10am). I myself train in the morning almost every day. However, it is well accepted in the athletic community that training in the evening is superior for performance than training early in the morning. So here are some tips to prepare well for a morning workout:

1. Cortisol - Get in morning sunlight

When you wake up, your cortisol spikes and then decreases throughout the day. Cortisol is a steroid hormone that can lead to muscle fatigue. So in order to counteract this spike in cortisol, go outside and get some morning sunlight into your face. Even if you don't have much of a sun where you live, just getting in that morning air will help. This also helps regulate your circadian rhythm.

2. Eat more carbs (reduced plasma glucose levels, cortisol) in your pre-workout meal

Another way to decrease cortisol and bring it to baseline levels is to eat carbs, so include some carbohydrates in your pre-workout meal. Eating carbs also reduced plasma glucose levels, which essentially means a lower blood sugar level.

3. Melatonin spike - Coffee/Caffeine Pills

When you wake up, your melatonin levels also spike. Melatonin is a hormone that regulates sleep, and it's why you feel groggy and sleepy even after you wake up. The best way to counteract this is with caffeine. This can either come from caffeine pills or from black coffee, but I prefer pills for the convenience. I specify black coffee sine it is the only real way of drinking coffee (there should not be so many fucking coffee types anyways). However, make sure your periodically cycle on and off of caffeine so that you do not get caffeine tolerance.

4. Warm-up

Like, physically warm up. Before you start training, you should be sweating! I like warming a hoodie during warm-ups. Warm-up by doing some light aerobic exercise and then some dynamic stretching for a total of 10, maybe 15, minutes. I have posted a good general warm-up here.

5. Hydration

Just drink multiple cups of water before you train. When you wake up, you've just spent 8 hrs of sleeping without any water, so you will have to offset that by drinking a considerable amount of water in the morning. Salting your pre-workout meal and your intra-workout drink can help with electrolyte consumption as well.

~ Prem

Functionality vs. Aesthestics

There has been a debate around lifting technique recently. Should lifters lift with aesthetic technique that reduces weight, or with a not-so aesthetic technique but with heavier weights. I think it is far better for a lifter who is aiming to maximize strength to lift with heavier weights and with somewhat shittier technique.

This draws on to a wider debate: is aesthetic or functionality lift more important when it comes to sport technique. This is a post made by Squat University:

This is a fucking trash take. A 150lb difference in weight is completely negated due to the slightest breakdown in technique. And this isn't even a training lift, this is a max lift. People like Squat University will sacrifice their strength in the name of 'aesthetics', but for anyone who's goal is to actually get stronger, they will  have to understand that no max out attempt will be textbook perfect. Heck, even training lifts won't look perfect. Of course, lifters should aim to be technically proficient as much as possible, but this obsession with aesthetic technique is simply sacrificing strength.

So stop trying to make your technique good and focus on getting the fucking job done. Functionality wins.

~ Prem

Specialisation vs. The Jack Of All Trades: Which One Is Better?

I see many athletes attempting to juggle between being really good at 2 sports (and sometimes even more). This raises the question: is it better to train for many sports, or should an athlete specialize in one? 

In my opinion, an athlete should be doing a bit of both. I certainly believe that if an athlete wants to become world class at any sport, they NEED to specialize to a large degree. There are athletes out there who train day-in and day-out, working their ass off and dedicating all their time to a single sport. And in order to beat this kind of competition, you will need to do the same. 

In saying this, I think all athletes should be pretty good at operating physically. What do I mean by this? Well, all athletes should be good at moving their body in a way non-specific to their sport. A good example of this is a powerlifter. A powerlifter will not see any noticeable gain from doing an hour of cardio a week. Plus, cardio is pretty non-specific to powerlifting. However, in my opinion, if you are an athlete, you should be able to move like one. So even if cardio isn't specific to the sport of powerlifting, I would get powerlifters to perform cardio pretty consistently, just so they move and feel like an athlete.

Similarly, I would always tell a soccer player to lift weights and perform mobility on a consistent basis. Although these things are not specific to the sport of soccer, they contribute to some extent, even if that extent is very minor.

So if you get one thing out of this post, it is that you should aim to master your sport, and you should aim to get pretty good at the trades which benefit your sport, even if they benefit your sport to only a small extent. Of course, these recommendations are only if you want to be word-class at your sport. This is also the reason I tell more amateur athletes to play a variety of sports instead of specializing early into their career. When one is so new to training, they will receive benefits to their sport just by playing other sports and doing other physical training!

~ Prem

A Simple Powerlifting Program

Powerlifting programs these days are butchered. In the name of novelty, coaches try creating new, unique programs in order to appeal to a newbie audience, and end up making a shitty program that is suboptimal and not worth a penny.

In order to combat this, I have decided to provide a free powerlifting progression for intermediate/beginner athletes. If you are an advanced athlete, please do not waste your time on this progression and find a coach online (possibly me, or someone else) to train you individually. 

Here is the basic progression (all percentages are in terms of 1RM for that lift):

 

Week	Secondary Bench Press	Primary Bench Press	Bench Press Variation	Primary Squat	Squat Variation	Primary Deadlift	Deadlift Variation
Week 1	4 x 3 RIR @ 61%	4 x 3 RIR @ 63%	4 x 10 @ 2 RIR	4 x 3 RIR @ 60%	4 x 8 @ 2 RIR	4 x 3 RIR @ 60%	4 x 8 @ 2 RIR
Weeks 2	4 x 3 RIR @ 65%	4 x 3 RIR @ 67%	4 x 10 @ 2 RIR	4 x 3 RIR @ 65%	4 x 8 @ 2 RIR	4 x 3 RIR @ 65%	4 x 8 @ 2 RIR
Week 3	4 x 3 RIR @ 69%	4 x 3 RIR @ 71%	4 x 10 @ 2 RIR	4 x 3 RIR @ 70%	4 x 8 @ 2 RIR	4 x 3 RIR @ 70%	4 x 8 @ 2 RIR
Week 4	4 x 3 RIR @ 73%	4 x 3 RIR @ 75%	4 x 10 @ 2 RIR	4 x 3 RIR @ 75%	4 x 8 @ 2 RIR	4 x 3 RIR @ 75%	4 x 8 @ 2 RIR
Week 5	Ramp to single @ 81% 3 x 2 RIR @ 71%	Ramp to single @ 83% 3 x 2 RIR @ 73%	4 x 8 @ 2 RIR	Ramp to single @ 83% 3 x 2 RIR @ 73%	4 x 6 @ 2 RIR	Ramp to single @ 83% 3 x 2 RIR @ 73%	4 x 6 @ 2 RIR
Week 6	Ramp to single @ 84% 3 x 2 RIR @ 74%	Ramp to single @ 86% 3 x 2 RIR @ 76%	4 x 8 @ 2 RIR	Ramp to single @ 86% 3 x 2 RIR @ 76%	4 x 6 @ 2 RIR	Ramp to single @ 86% 3 x 2 RIR @ 76%	4 x 6 @ 2 RIR
Week 7	Ramp to single @ 87% 3 x 2 RIR @ 77%	Ramp to single @ 89% 3 x 2 RIR @ 79%	4 x 8 @ 2 RIR	Ramp to single @ 89% 3 x 2 RIR @ 79%	4 x 6 @ 2 RIR	Ramp to single @ 89% 3 x 2 RIR @ 79%	4 x 6 @ 2 RIR
Week 8	Ramp to single @ 90% 3 x 2 RIR @ 80%	Ramp to single @ 92% 3 x 2 RIR @ 82%	4 x 6 @ 2 RIR	Ramp to single @ 92% 3 x 2 RIR @ 82%	4 x 4 @ 2 RIR	Ramp to single @ 92% 3 x 2 RIR @ 82%	4 x 4 @ 2 RIR
Week 9	Ramp to single @ 93% 3 x 2 RIR @ 83%	Ramp to single @ 95% 3 x 2 RIR @ 85%	4 x 6 @ 2 RIR	Ramp to single @ 95% 3 x 2 RIR @ 85%	4 x 4 @ 2 RIR	Ramp to single @ 95% 3 x 2 RIR @ 85%	4 x 4 @ 2 RIR

Week 10	3 x 3 @ 65% for active recovery	Max out	-	Max out	-	Max out	-

Let me go through this.

We start each cycle at around 60% of our 1RM. We start the cycle with 4 weeks of 'hypertrophy'/high rep range work. Then the last 6 weeks are composed of strength work. Week 10 is a max out week. RIR means reps in reserve, and I use RIR instead of RPE when it comes to powerlifting programming where reps are more consistent and concrete. Weeks 1-4 use straight sets, whereas weeks 5-10 use top set and back downs.

The secondary bench press variation should be either a larsen press, a 3 count paused bench, or a spoto press. 3 count paused bench works for people who suck at pausing. Spoto press works for lifters who sink in their bench press, whereas larsen press is a great developmental tool that I think can work for everyone.

The secondary squat for most people would be either the front squat or the SSB squat, taken to full depth. Even if you are primarily a low bar squatter, doing deeper range of motion squats goes very far in building strength through relevant ranges of motion. The secondary deadlift should either be an RDL or a stiff legged deadlift if you are a conventional puller. I like using RDLs to teach people how to hip hinge correctly, but I often get all lifter to graduate to using SLDLs since the deadstop is more relevant to the conventional deadlift. If you are a sumo deadlift, I would either SLDL or conventional deadlift as my secondary variation.

Keep in mind that during weeks 8-10 inclusive, accessory work should slowly taper. Ideally, you should not be doing too much accessory volume on week 9. Week 10 should have very little accessories, or no  accessories at all. Week 10 is the peak week as well. When you maxout on this week, make sure you secure the PR! What this means is that your first PR should be just slightly above your old PR. For example, if I lift in a gym that has 1.25kg plates, my first PR attempt should be 2.5kgs above my last pr attempt. When I hit this lift, I can then add more weight to try get even heavier PRs.

If you like this program and enjoy these posts, please consider buying me a coffee!

~ Prem

Starting Strongman

Strongman is a good strength sport. To some degree, it is a combination of both weightlifting and powerlifting, but adds on an aspect of brute/dummy strength (as Alec Enkiri puts it) into competition. Here is a quick and easy guide on how to get started training strongman.

Before you start

I would gain at least 1 year of solid general strength training experience before I start specializing in any strength sport. This applies for powerlifting, weightlifting and strongman equally. In order to really gain the benefits of strongman movements and optimise technique, you need 1-2 years of just learning how to lift weights, dialing in your diet and prioritising sleep. Visit this page for a list of my free programs. 

Structuring the training week

You will need access to strongman equipment for strongman training. If you train in a strongman gym, this is no problem. However, if you train at a home gym or a commercial gym, you may not have access to this equipment. So for you, I would recommend one day a week where you go into a strongman gym and use the equipment for event work. The rest of the days you train at a commercial gym.

Train 4-5 times a day. If you are only doing events on a single day, then train 5 days a week with 4 days at a regular gym and one day of events. If you have access to strongman equipment everyday, you can train 4 days a week. An upper-lower type split can never go wrong. 

Example schedule:

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Friday	Saturday
Event day	Presses and upper body	Squats, deadlifts and lower body	Presses and upper body	Squats, deadlifts and lower body

Adding movements

The core movements for strongman are as follows:

• Squats (both front squats and high bar back squats), 2x a week
• Deadlifts (conventional), 1x a week with a variation 1x a week
• Overhead Press, 2x a week
• Push Press, 1x a week
• Log Press/Viper Press, 1x a week
• High Pulls, 2x a week
• Farmer's Walks/Yoke Walk, alternate between these every other week
• Stone Load, 1-2x a week
• Sandbag Load, 1-2x a week

These movements should ALWAYS be in a strongman program, year round. Some other secondary strongman movements that may need to be trained based on competition events include:

• Power Throws
• Heavy holds of various grips
• Tire Flips
• Sled Drags/Pushes

Periodization

For periodising strongman training, I like having 3 phases:

Phase 0: This is your base strength program. It involves the basic movements like squats, deadlifts, some bench press and overhead presses, as well as strongman movements that you really suck at. This is what you will run when you are not preparing for a strongman competition.

Phase 1: You start this phase when you begin training for a strongman competition. You start workouts with regular strength work, and you do your specific events for strongman at the end. The goal here with the strongman events is to work with light weights but build good technique and mechanical efficiency. This phase should last about 4 weeks. Keep in mind that the events you train should be the events that you compete in at your upcoming competition!

Phase 2: As you get closer to your competition, swap the strongman events to be at the front of your workouts. That way you can now build strength on those movements. Scale down the volume on accessories as you get closer to the competition. 

So that's a quick introduction to strongman training! I may upload a strongman program in the future.

~ Prem

How to train twice a day

Two a day training is good. Good for who? Good for athletes. Good for people who really enjoy training. Good for people who like fitness. Not good for extremely busy people, but most people are not extremely busy. 

Why 2 workouts a day? For athletes, it undoubtedly leads to better progress given proper programming. Athletes should train their sport, but they should also train weights, and sometimes track. But limiting training for only once a day makes this nearly impossible. Two-a-days allow athletes to develop more wholistically. But the reality is that the the professional level, most athletes already train 2x a day, so this isn't really too surprising.

Two a days could be good for average trainees as well. Often trainees skip cardio after hitting a long workout with weights. A simple way to fix this is to do weights in the morning, then go to work, and then do cardio after. Or swap the order based on your schedule. The reality is most people are not that busy that they can't implement some extra cardio to add 10 years to their life (not a scientific claim, but has considerable weight). Lifting weights is good. Cardio is good. So why not do them both in the same program? Of course, this can and will impact your performance in both endeavors, but average trainees should not be hyper obsessed with their performance anyways. 

Here's some tips for training twice a day:

1. A quick power nap of 30mins can help with recovery between sessions. But do not nap for over an hour. This will impact your circadian rhythm
2. Make sure you stay hydrated. 1mL of water per calorie expended is a good general guideline per day.
3. Do your two a day workouts on weekends, since this will limit stress and slightly improve recovery
4. Make sure you actually recover. Do not do anything too intense between your two workouts, if you want to optimize performance
5. Salt your food. Sweating reduces electrolytes, and adding salt to your food can replace these electrolytes for a cheap cost

~ Prem

I Disagree With Minimalist Training

Minimalist style training just doesn't work.

I often hear Youtube coaches claim that athletes should only do 3-4 exercises per session in order to increase the quality of work on those 3-4 motions. Others claim that athletes who spend more than X hours in the gym are wasting their time, and some say doing more than Y exercises means the athletes are not training hard. I disagree with this minimalist training philosophy.

Firstly, I understand what coaches mean when they say doing less exercises is more. And to some extent, I agree. I see people spending 3 hrs in the gym and think, wow, that is pretty unnecessary. However, I disagree with the claim that doing a handful (4-5) exercises per session is really optimal for most people. This is because training in such a way does not allow for enough accessory volume in the program, which both decreases the athlete's rate of progress and leaves athletes more susceptible to injuries. In the pursuit of quick and easy minimalist workouts, coaches often exclude calf work, arm work and various accessories. This is incredibly detrimental, as this type of work is still extremely important in an athlete's full development.

Secondly, I disagree with the idea that having more exercises in your workout means you are not training hard. This is false since the amount of stimulus provided by a lift does not scale linearly. For example, if an athlete is doing a big compound lift like a squat or snatch, then they will allocate more energy and mental resources into that lift. However, if they are doing an accessory like calf raises or leg curls, they can get an adequate stimulus without busting their ass off like they did on the squats or snatches. Therefore, an athlete can still train hard when they are on exercise 6 or 7 in a 2hr long session!

Also, skipping out on additional work just hinders progress. I have trained many blocks where my bench press would not go up simply because I was not doing enough chest work. And I have had periods of poor sprinting performance because I wasn't training my plyos and my calves as well as they should have been trained. Plus, almost all of the greatest strength athletes of all time have built their bases doing tons of hypertrophy work for large volumes and lighter weights. Bigger muscles = stronger muscles. So why would you sacrifice on bigger muscles in the name of 'minimalism'?

Minimalist workouts should only be used by those who are on a huge time crunch, or those who are trying to dissipate fatigue during something like a deload week. Apart from this minority, I usually advise that all trainees can do up to 7 exercises per session. This varies on a case by case basis, but this number of motions is what I have found to be productive and possible for most. Your workouts really shouldn't take more than 2 hrs even with these exercises, since the last few accessory exercises should be done in a quick manner. But if you train for something like strongman or weightlifting, later-block workouts can take up to 2.5hrs. Anything more than this is likely overkill. 

~ Prem

Training For The Megatotal (Part 2)

After some review, this is part 2 of the Megatotal training program series!

For those unaware, the Megatotal is a training program that aims to maximise performance in Strongman, Powerlifting and Olympic Weightlifting. How is this any different to a general strength program? Well, this program involves peaking for all the major lifts, possibly prior to competition. That's basically it. You could say this program is very similar to a general strength program, and I think that's a good thing. This program is more for strength athletes at the start of their careers who do not want to specialise, or people like me who enjoy competing in all 3 major strength sports.

So let's get into the program. I made some changes from the last post as far as structuring workouts is concerned. Although I do think that the recommendations on that post are solid, I added some changes that makes it even better. Let's go through each day.

Here's every workout of the week:

Day 1	Day 2	Day 3 (followed by rest day)	Day 4	Day 5 (followed by rest day)
Full Snatch	Seated Calf Raise	Bench Press	Unloaded Hurdle Jumps/Depth Jumps	Standing Calf Raise
Full Clean & Jerk	Weighted Situp	Strict OHP	Full Snatch	Hanging Leg Raise
Bench Press	Snatch Balance	Farmer's Walk/Yoke Walk (alternate every week)	Strict OHP	Full Clean & Jerk
Log Press/Push Press/Seated OHP	Hang Clean (Knee) + Jerk	Atlas Stone Load	Larsen Press	Loaded Hinge
Weighted Chinup/Pullup	High Bar Squat	Barbell Row	Weighted Chinup/Pullup	Front Squat
DB Bench Press	SLDL	Weighted Dip	Strict Curl	Conventional Deadlift
Seal Row	Walking Lunge	Lat Pulldown	Skullcrusher	Back Extensions
Tricep Pressdown	Seated Leg Curl	Lu Raise	Facepull	Hip Adduction

So, let's run through each day.

Day 1: We start with the full version of the olympic lifts. This is a lighter session for the olympic lifts. Then we move onto our secondary bench press work. Then we do some vertical press for strongman. Preferably this is a log press or a push press, or you can add some seated strict overhead press work as well. Then we finish off the session with some accessories. The DB bench press should be paused in the bottom position, and you should use a neutral grip on the dumbbells for max range of motion. These workouts seem really long in length (8 motions each), but in reality the accessory exercises at the end of the sessions shouldn't really take too long. You shouldn't be resting too long, and you should instead aim to train like a bodybuilder and just pack on muscle.

Day 2: I start all lower body days with calf raises and some core work (in this case, the weighted situp). I do one set of core and calves before olympic lifts, two sets of calves and a set of core before squats, and then a set of core before deadlifts. This day also has variations of the olympic lifts which allows you to focus on technical issues. Then we do ATG high bar squats, then SLDLs as a deadlift variation. Then we end with a unilateral quad accessory and a leg curl variation.

Day 3: This day is right after the lower body session on Day 2, and so this session is mostly upper body. I also added all the core strongman lifts (loaded carriess and heavy loads) onto this day. The reason I add strongman on this day is simply because there is no room on the other days, and I can't do the strongman lifts on Day 1 or 4 since it will really affect olympic lifting performance. This day is the main bench pressing day, with secondary strict OHPs. The accessories for today are barbell rows, dips, lat pulldowns, and lu raises.

Day 4: We start off this day with approach hurdle jumps to depth jumps. I added jumps to this program for 2 reasons: it provides an explosive novel stimulus which could be valuable to strongman, and also because I believe jumps can genuinly develop triple extension for weightlifting. Also, who doesn't want to jump high? If you don't want to do the jumps, you can replace them with some accessories, but I personally don't want to be a fat slob. Then we hit the full snatch. This day only has heavy snatches which allows the athlete to dedicate all their energy onto this one lift. Then we hit heavy OHPs and a bench press variation (in this case, pause larsen presses), and then we finish up with accessories.

Day 5: The same rules apply here concerning calf and abs work before olympic lifts, squats and deadlifts. We also do heavy clean and jerks on this day. Then we do front squats as a secondary squat variation, and then we do our primary deadlifts. 'Loaded Hinges' are loaded exercises involving a hip hinge. This is a broad category, and can include heavy kettlebell swings, loaded jumps or power throws. Then we finish the day with back extensions for the hamstrings and hip adductions for the adductors, which in my opinion are a totally underrated muscle that many athletes forget to train.

So there's the weekly schedule. In the next post, I will go over the periodisation!

~ Prem