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Viewing Category: Building Strength
How to Avoid Butt Amnesia and Get Buns of Steel
by Shin Ohtake on Thursday, July 15, 2010 • 10 Comments
Gluteus Maximus…it’s got a powerful ring to it, doesn’t it? Sounds like it could even be a name of a Spartan warrior. Well it’s not a name of a warrior…it’s actually the scientific name for your butt. But it’s actually quite fitting when you figure the important role your butt plays in your body, as well as for athletic performance. Speed, quickness, and power all hinge on your ability to utilize and maximize your glutes. The more you’re able to use it the better you’ll be…for just about every sport. The fastest, quickest and most powerful athletes are all able to harness the power of their glutes. Learning to use your butt can really help boost your athletic performance.
(Note: If you’re having trouble viewing this video, please try watching it directly on my YouTube channel and see if that helps)
How To Get Ripped Abs Without Crunches (Video)
by Shin Ohtake on Thursday, June 17, 2010 • 34 Comments
Traditional ab exercises like sit ups and crunches are not the best way to get you ripped abs. In fact, if you’ve read any of my past articles regarding ab/core exercises, you know that I don’t like anything that involves excessive movement of the spine.
Your spine is strongest at it’s neutral position, which is a natural “s” curve. And since your spine houses your spinal cord, it would make sense to have it in a position that can provide maximum support at all times. This is why excessive flexion, extension and rotation is not recommended, since it compromises your spine’s ability to protect your spinal nervous system.
So, how do you work your abs?
(Note: If you’re having trouble viewing this video, please try watching it directly on my YouTube channel and see if that helps)
Are Your Shoes Causing You Injuries?
by Shin Ohtake on Thursday, February 11, 2010 • 24 Comments
Every few months all of the major footwear companies come out with their latest and greatest running shoes. Some even have built-in computers that help you keep track of how much you ran!
Nowadays every possible technology you can think of is being implemented into the shoes…heck with all of the money being spent on R&D, you’d think they’d be able to make shoes with wings so you can fly!
Unfortunately, most of the new technologies are more about hype and marketing gimmick then anything that’s actually useful or beneficial.
In fact, the latest research done on runners wearing the latest technologically advanced shoes, is that it actually puts more stress on your leg joints including your hips, knees and ankles than walking in a pair of high heels! Can you imagine that?
The truth is you don’t need to get caught up in the hype and pay hundreds of dollars for a pair of athletic shoes that may look nice, but can actually harm you. There’s a much better solution that’ll save you a lot of money while improving your athletic performance and keep you injury free. Check out the full story below.
Forget Everything You’ve Heard About Muscle!
by Shin Ohtake on Thursday, October 15, 2009 • 30 Comments
The fitness community has always been obsessed about muscle and how it makes us lean, fit, and strong, but there’s a group of researchers that argue that our focus has been on the wrong part of the anatomy, especially when it comes to maximizing your fitness potential while staying injury free.
The Freshman, The Deadlift, and Dead Man’s Hill
by Shin Ohtake on Tuesday, August 11, 2009 • 16 Comments
One of the most misunderstood exercises (other than the squat) has got to be the deadlift. Maybe it’s the name. Anything with the word “dead” in it can’t be a good thing—especially when it comes to exercises, right? I remember back when I just started high school, in one of my first PE class, we had to run this cross country course. But this wasn’t just a regular run-of-the-mill cross country run. No siree. A few days prior to the run, we had heard several horror stories and in particular about the dreaded “Dead Man’s Hill”, which was to come at the end of the run. We were told about how the hill got it’s name—apparently a star athlete with immense talent and speed tried to run up the hill, ignoring warnings from his coaches and teammates to take the hill slowly and cautiously because of it’s shear steepness. As the story goes, the boy never made it to the top. His body was found three quarters of the way up the hill, he apparently passed out and died from exhaustion. Now, at the age of thirteen, I really didn’t know what to think or believe. As I got ready to run what may be the last run I’ll ever do, the thought of Dead Man’s Hill weighed heavily on my mind…
Achy Knees & Ankles Got You Down? This Exercise Can Help…
by Shin Ohtake on Tuesday, August 04, 2009 • 27 Comments
Have you ever suffered from aches and pains in your knees and ankles…perhaps after a long run or a vigorous workout? If you have, you’re definitely not alone - and no, you don’t have to be over the hill to suffer from aches and pains! Achy joints can occur in anyone, but not to worry…I’ll show you a simple exercise that you can do that’ll help strengthen and protect your joints, so you can stop popping ibuprofen like candy.
Are You Cheating Your Muscles (and Results!) By Doing This?
by Shin Ohtake on Monday, June 29, 2009 • 28 Comments
If there’s one major mistake I see people making at the gym that’s costing them their results it’s this: Most people (especially men, but women aren’t exempt from this either!) tend to load up on the weights, but don’t move through the exercises’ full range of motion. Sure, you might feel stronger by packing on a few more plates, but if you’re stopping a few inches shy of completing each move, you’re cheating your muscles—and that’s going to cost you better results.
How “Muscle Confusion” Whips You Into Shape Faster
by Shin Ohtake on Monday, April 27, 2009 • 39 Comments
You may have heard of the term “muscle confusion” as of late. Though it’s the latest buzz phrase in the fitness industry, the concept has been around for a while. The goal is to “confuse” your muscles so you can avoid plateaus and keep getting results. Here’s how it works:
