Strength

Maximize Your Workout: The Power of Supersets

So I really like super sets. A pretty much use them in all of the workouts that I create for doing more kind of metabolic conditioning or kind of strength-based building. We might superset like three or four exercises together before taking a rest. If we're doing more strength and kind of power work will probably super set an explosive with a strength move or a strength move with an explosive move. So I always super said it's a good way to kind of get more out of your training, whether you're doing a push and a pull to give Arrest while you're working the other or if you're trying to achieve some kind of other goal, but you supersets all the time, love them. You can even do like a strength and Mobility superset, if you're doing more region type stuff. So always use supersets, no matter what type of training phase warning.

Supersets are a great way to get more out of your training and can be used for any kind of training phase whether it be strength, power, metabolic conditioning, or mobility.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/uul9zslg88zgbjrcaz3y.vtt

I really like supersets and incorporate them into the workouts I create. Whether it's for metabolic conditioning or strength-building, I often superset three or four exercises before taking a rest. For strength and power work, I may pair an explosive move with a strength move or vice versa. Supersets are a great way to maximize training efficiency by allowing you to work one muscle group while giving another a brief rest. I use supersets all the time and love their versatility. You can even combine strength and mobility exercises in a superset, especially for functional training. So, no matter the training phase, I always incorporate supersets into my workouts.

Would you recommend using the leg press machine, or are there better alternatives?

Leg Press Machine: Good Alternative, but Not the Best for Leg Strength

I want to preface this answer by saying all exercises are good if they're done for the right reason. So if we know why you're losing a leg press machine, it's great. It's a good alternative for taking pressure, off your spine and pretend to giving your body and your nervous system, a little bit of a break. If you work with athletes that are in a long season 2. Good way to build leg strength, without putting too much stress on your spine or lower back your entire system. So like presses are good. A really good in the rehab setting, they're good if you're trying to achieve something specific with a range of motion or with your patellar, your BMO or if you're doing different causes. So the very good. I wouldn't use it as your main leg strength movement, but if you have some things going on and that's what you need to do, then, yes, it's a very good option. But I do believe that squatting, deadlifting single leg work doing lunges step-ups, that kind of thing. Is more effective a little more athletic, you kind of get more out of your whole body when you have to organize and manage the weight, if it's in front of you or on your back or wherever it may be, so I like other Alternatives better. If I can deadlift, if I can squat, if I can reverse lunge, if I can do things on my feet, holding weights, kettlebell racking front rack back. Rex lots of other options just to be a little more athletic and engage my whole system as opposed to doing a lie. Aggressive. But again, leg presses are very good if you're doing them for the right reasons, but for myself and my ethics of my clients, I don't use them unless I need to

Leg presses are a good exercise for specific reasons in certain settings, such as rehab or taking pressure off of your spine. However, other exercises such as squats, deadlifts, lunges, and step-ups are more effective and athletic. Unless you need to do leg presses for a specific reason, it is better to use other alternatives.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/xqhsuk37bfvccfktw0ah.vtt

I want to emphasize that all exercises can be beneficial if done for the right reasons. When it comes to the leg press machine, it can be a good alternative for taking pressure off your spine and giving your body and nervous system a break. It's particularly useful in long sports seasons or for building leg strength without excessive stress on the spine or lower back.

The leg press machine is also effective in rehabilitation settings, especially when targeting specific ranges of motion or addressing issues with the patellar or BMO. So, it can be a valuable option in those cases.

However, I wouldn't recommend relying solely on the leg press machine as your main leg strength movement. Exercises like squats, deadlifts, single-leg work, lunges, and step-ups tend to be more effective and athletic. These exercises engage your entire body and require you to manage and organize the weight in different positions, such as in front of you or on your back. I personally prefer these alternatives as they provide a more comprehensive workout.

Ultimately, the effectiveness of the leg press machine depends on your specific goals and needs. While it can be a good option for certain situations, I generally prefer other exercises that engage the whole body.

How often do you train barefoot in the weight room?

Optimizing Workouts: Training Barefoot 2-3 Times a Week for Better Results

I try to train Barefoot in the weight room at least two, or three times a week, especially during lower body workouts. So a few days a week, the only thing that I have to be careful of personally, is what I do like split squats or movements where reverse lunges, where my back foot is, putting my big toe. I like a 90 degree of flexion. Sometimes aggravates my toe a little bit, so if I'm doing deadlifts or Ian's or squats or things, where I'm not getting my back. Big toe into aggressive of a position. I definitely have it all Barefoot but what I'm doing moves like that at least keep shoes on my non-working like the one that's in the back, but I like to do Barefoot as much as possible especially in my lower body days so I'd say two or three days a week, but then some days I'll mix in balance or core stability, type stuff where I'm doing Barefoot things. And every day when I do my warmup, I guess I do it barefoot Foot when I have the time and the ability. So I try to do Barefoot as much as I can, but definitely two or three times a week doing my leg workouts or my balance and stability training.

I try to train Barefoot in the weight room at least two or three times a week, especially during lower body workouts. I'm careful not to put my big toe into an aggressive position when doing exercises like split squats, so I keep my shoes on for those. On other days, I do balance and stability training Barefoot. Every day, I warm up barefoot if I have the time and ability.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/gpwav20ck3rpekf8bupp.vtt

I aim to train barefoot in the weight room at least two or three times a week, particularly during lower body workouts. However, I need to be cautious when performing exercises like split squats or reverse lunges that put pressure on my back foot's big toe, as it can cause some discomfort. For movements like deadlifts, squats, or lunges where my back foot is not in an aggressive position, I prefer to train barefoot. On non-working days, I keep shoes on my non-working foot. Additionally, I incorporate barefoot exercises for balance and core stability training. During my warm-up, I try to go barefoot whenever possible. Overall, I aim for barefoot training as much as I can, typically two or three times a week during leg workouts or balance and stability training.

What was your summer lifting program like during college?

Crafting My Own Summer Lifting Program in College

Hey, Jack. My summer lifting program while I was in college, was probably little different than most. I went to a small Division, 1 school and I played baseball and we didn't have a strength coach. When I was, there are school, didn't have football. So we didn't really have anyone to drive the strength and conditioning to the athletes. So that's kind of where I got my start. As a strength coach putting together. My own programs. I'm in college, and I would just draw on my high school experience or from other friends of mine that had Ads or or people, they knew that we're strength coaches and different colleges or different pro teams. So, I was lucky to kind of pick their brains a little bit, but I would start off with basically three days a week lifting in June, and we'd also play summer baseball to. So we'd have games most nights, but I would do three days a lift and two or three days or running to start, and then I would gradually bump that up to four days of lifting, three or four days of running. And then five days is Some kind of movement lifting as July and August went on. I would take a little break right before going back to college just to make sure I was kind of peaking for a few days but I kind of designed it where it was 3 days in June for 25 days in July and then five days basically on of running and lifting a week in August. And then just a little bit of time to kind of recover before, going back to school, in case we had any testing Or whatever our coaches were going to put us through to make sure we were in shape, to see how fast we were, or to see how much stronger we got. But I didn't have a strength coach in college. So I kind of put my own stuff together and there's probably a lot of things I would do different now knowing what, I know, compared to 10, 15 years ago. But that's kind of how I structured my summer lifting during college.

I designed a 3-day lifting program in June, which gradually increased to 4 days in July and 5 days in August. I would also do 2-3 days of running. Then I would take a few days off before returning to school for testing.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/gwtgi3d562hj5e9rmf9l.vtt

During my college years, my summer lifting program was a bit different from most. I attended a small Division 1 school for baseball, and we didn't have a dedicated strength coach. This meant that I had to take charge of my own strength and conditioning program. I drew on my high school experience and sought advice from friends who were strength coaches at other colleges or professional teams.

In June, I started with three days of lifting per week, along with two or three days of running. Since we also had summer baseball games most nights, it was a busy schedule. As the summer progressed, I gradually increased the frequency of lifting to four days a week and added three or four days of running. By July and August, I was doing five days of lifting and running each week.

Before heading back to college, I would take a short break to ensure I was peaking for a few days. This allowed me to recover and be prepared for any testing or conditioning that our coaches would put us through to assess our fitness levels and progress.

While I didn't have a dedicated strength coach during college, I put together my own program based on my experiences and advice from others. Looking back, there are probably things I would do differently now with the knowledge I have gained over the years. However, that's how I structured my summer lifting program during college.

What’s your opinion on using lighter weights to “tone” your muscles? My trainer doesn’t believe in it.

Maximize muscle tone: The debate between heavy and light weights

So I understand both sides of the toning debate when it comes to weight training and heavier weight or lighter weight. But I don't think your muscle is really. No, wait, they just no stimulus. So if you use lighter weight and you put them under longer times under tension, or if you still create a high training stimulus, using lighter weight, you have minimal rest, whatever it is you're doing, you're going to get town. Using lighter weights but you can also use heavier weights and still create good time under tension or however it is that you're training with that heavier weight and still get good results and get toned from it. So I understand it. But if long as you see it from a muscle under tension standpoint, I think that's where you're going to get your best results. So there are lots of good classes and workout methodologies out there that use lighter weights, that keep Your muscles under tension and some people feel better when they do that. But then you can also lift weights and lift heavier weights, and get similar results, or look at toned as well. So I get both sides, but it just kind of depends what works for you. And as long as you're keeping your muscles under tension and giving them an increased stimulus on different workout days. I think you're going to get good toned results.

I understand both sides of the toning debate when it comes to weight training and heavier or lighter weights. As long as you put your muscles under tension and create a good stimulus, you can get toned from it. It just depends on what works for you.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/upp5jamqm5lrpy3xu3l8.vtt

I understand the debate surrounding using lighter weights versus heavier weights for muscle toning. In my opinion, the key factor is providing a stimulus to the muscles. Whether you use lighter weights with longer time under tension or create a high training stimulus with minimal rest, you can achieve toning. Similarly, using heavier weights while maintaining good time under tension can also lead to positive results and muscle toning.

Different workout methodologies and classes exist that utilize lighter weights to keep muscles under tension, and some individuals find success with this approach. On the other hand, lifting heavier weights can also yield similar toning results. Ultimately, it depends on what works best for you and your body.

As long as you keep your muscles under tension and provide them with an increased stimulus during your workouts, you can expect to see good toning results.

Should you do a full stretch routine before or after weight training?

Maximize Your Workout: Dynamic Stretches Before, Static Stretches After

So I would keep your stretching routines to after your weight training or at the end of the day or when you get home from the school or your workout or whatever it is or right. Before you go to bed to do more slower, static stretches to work on range of motion. But before workouts or before you go in the weight room or before a practice you can do lots of dynamic stretches, you can do activations to get everything working and firing and Open up ranges in motion, turn muscles on throughout those ranges of motion. So I would say before your workouts before your weight training be more active and dynamic and you can still stretch what make sure you're turning things on. As you're stretching, being more active with your stretching and then save your static. Stretching, your more longer holding stretches for when you're done with your weight training session,

Before workouts or before you go into the weight room, do more dynamic stretches and activations to get everything working and firing. After your weight training session, do more static stretches for longer holds to work on range of motion.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/gaonrvyxcuoonzcujal6.vtt

It is recommended to save your full stretch routine for after weight training or at the end of the day. Before workouts or weight training sessions, focus on dynamic stretches and activations to warm up your body and open up ranges of motion. These dynamic stretches help activate and engage muscles throughout their full range of motion. Be active and dynamic with your stretching before workouts, ensuring that you are turning things on as you stretch.

Save your static stretches, which involve holding stretches for longer periods, for after your weight training session. This allows your muscles to relax and recover after the workout. You can also incorporate slower, static stretches into your routine at the end of the day or before bed to work on improving your overall range of motion.

In summary, be more active and dynamic with your stretching before weight training, and save static stretches for after your workout or at the end of the day.

Neither AnyQuestion nor its Experts provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment or otherwise provide professional healthcare services.

Physician disclaimer

Matt Eiden answers your Strength questions. See all the advice Matt Eiden has and get answers to your own Strength questions.

Follow me on AnyQuestion

Matt Eiden is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and Registered Strength and Conditioning Coach (RSCC) with 14 years of experience. He was a strength coach for the Washington Nationals from 2009 to 2022. He is also Functional Range Conditioning (FRC) certified. After graduating from St. Mary's with a BS degree in Sports Management in 2008, he played two professional seasons of independent baseball before joining the Nationals as an intern in 2009. In 2016, he was promoted to Head MLB Strength and Conditioning Coach. During the off-season, he resides in Hilton Head, SC with his wife, Ashley. His hobbies include golf, basketball, reading, and spending time with his wife and family. Matt believes that moving well is essential and coaches must be able to connect with athletes to help them work toward the greater goals of the player and team.