Category: Basics

Resources by Conor HeffernanMay 26, 20176:19 pm

The (Somewhat Complete) History of the Deadlift!

Having previously looked at the history of the squat, bench press and even the smith machine, it seemed about time that we did a history of the deadlift. We’ve been putting this one off for quite a while, even looking at the Romanian Deadlift en lieu of the actual thing.

The stumbling block in approaching the history of the deadlift is the amount of smoke and mirrors surrounding one of the most popular exercises in the Iron Game. Someone writes something in a training book or blog and suddenly it becomes part of the popular lore. Actual research is a lot harder to come by. Nevertheless, it’s clear that deadlifts and variations on the deadlift have been around since time began. Man and woman kind has seemingly always displayed an insatiable desire to pick heavy things up from the ground.

For the sake of my sanity and timekeeping however, we’ll begin in with the eighteenth-century when a variation of the deadlift, of heavy lifting, briefly took England by storm.

Fitness To Improve Health – What You Need To Do

There is a lot of talk in the press right now about the difference between leading an active lifestyle and actively exercising for fitness. The benefits of both these approaches are enormous, especially if you have a desk job. But can either be effective in improving your health? Generally speaking, if your health needs improvement, then increasing your activity might help. Is there more to it than that though?

Nutrition by Conor HeffernanMay 24, 20171:08 pm

Guest Post: 5 Reasons Why You’re Not Losing That Stubborn Belly Weight

Jogging for hours and doing hundreds of sit-ups a day should make you totally ripped, but what if your belly weight is still there? The reason why you can’t get rid of that stubborn fat are numerous and connected to your age, lifestyle, diet and stress level, so you need to identify your biggest opponents and learn how to defeat them. Here are five reasons why you’re not losing belly weight and what you can do about it.

Resources by Conor HeffernanMay 22, 201712:48 pm

Guest Post: How to Stay Fit After 50

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The old saying goes that you are as old as you feel. This is most definitely true in spirit, but when it comes to your body – your actual age starts creeping up on you pretty fast. After your 50^th birthday, the changes become more rapid and a lot harsher. This is exactly the reason to get ahead of the curve and start paying proper attention to what you eat and how you treat your body. Start scheduling regular checkups and once you make an exercise plan stick to it no matter what.

Nutrition by Conor HeffernanMay 11, 20178:24 am

Guest Post: How to Pack on Muscle and Lose Fat with Minimal Effort

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Our latest post comes from the wonderful and talented Samantha Olivier from Ripped.me. We’re delighted to have Samantha featured on the site again and know you’ll enjoy her latest piece.

There are about 600 muscles in the human body, making up between a third and a half of its total bodyweight. They help us move, hold us up, and help bind us together. The way we treat them determines whether they’ll grow or wither, so they need our constant attention. How to build muscle and lose fat at the same time, you may wonder? With the right combination of exercise, nutrition, and sleep.

Basics by Conor HeffernanJan 30, 20172:40 pm

Cool Tools To Help You Track Your Fitness

Photo: Pixabay

If you have embarked on a healthy 2017, you will no doubt be trying to improve your fitness as well as your health. As improving fitness is a very long and winding road to go down, you will need something to help you document this journey. It’s a good idea to track your fitness for various levels. Firstly, it will help you stay motivated, as it can show you just how far you have come. But mainly, you need to track your fitness so that you can make sure that all your workouts and routines are working as they should be. So how exactly do you keep on track? Here are some tools that can help you track everything.

Training by Conor HeffernanJan 9, 20172:29 pm

The History of American Powerlifting

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Perhaps the most popular form of training for modern gym goers, powerlifting is nevertheless a relatively recent phenomena. Indeed, while bodybuilding and Olympic Weightlifting date to the start of the twentieth-century, it was not until the 1960s that the art of lifting incredibly heavy things was formally recognised.

Today’s article thus looks at the birth of American powerlifting, from it’s humble beginnings, past it’s first competitions and into the age of international contests. A story of strength, politics and fun.

Resources by Conor HeffernanDec 19, 20164:34 pm

Staying Safe As A Cyclist On The Road

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It’s not secret that the roads we use are incredibly dangerous. This danger increases significantly when you sit yourself on a bike. You don’t have protection from impacts, and you don’t have the power to escape accidents. Especially inner city, cyclists have to deal with near-misses on a regular basis. Thankfully, accidents are lessening as drivers become more aware.

Resources by Conor HeffernanDec 4, 20168:03 am

Arthur Jones on the Squat

One of the more colourful figures to operate in the world of bodybuilding in the last few decades of the twentieth-century was Arthur Jones. Creator of the Nautilus machine and proponent of high intensity training, Jones’ […]

Resources by Conor HeffernanNov 2, 201612:57 pm

The History of the Front Squat

Having briefly discussed the history of the back squat some time ago, efforts were made over the past few days to create a similar account for the front squat. Sadly, perhaps owing to the popularity of its older brother, histories of the front squat are virtually non-existent as many writers seem to take its existence as a simple fact.

Nevertheless it is clear that all exercises are created at some point in history and with this in mind, I went trawling through old Physical Culture magazines and a selection of secondary books on the topic.