K E L S O ' S SHRUG BOOK
by PAUL KELSO
FOREWORD
BRINGING IT UP TO DATE
" W h e n is Kelso's shrug b o o k gonna be available?" People were asking the question, and I k n o w a title w h e n I see one. But w h y do we need a book, you ask? Every weight trainer k n o w s h o w to shrug, right? Don't bet on it. I've b e e n teaching and writing about my training ideas for o v e r three decades, but for readers c o m i n g across t h e m for the first time, h e r e is what you are going to get: I'll take you through a c o u p l e dozen different ways to shrug and h o w to u s e these variations to strengthen the s h o u l d e r girdle and to i m p r o v e your physique, c o m p e t i t i v e lifts, and stages within lifts. " N e w " shrugs are included that I h a v e not published before. All the shrug information from my previous articles and b o o k s is surveyed and presented, plus n e w chapters and d e v e l o p m e n t s , ideas from others, and s o m e revisions in my thinking. P h o t o s illustrating the exercises are included with each chapter. Rather than professionally produced photos with a high-priced model I h a v e c h o s e n pics of trainees, friends, and lifters w h o volunteered their shots. Real people. T h i s is not a scientific treatise and I h a v e tried to keep the explanations simple. T h e next paragraph is about as high-toned as I get: R a t h e r than s o m e k i n d o f m a g i c a l s i n g l e e x e r c i s e , " K e l s o " s h r u g s are the a p p l i c a t i o n of a p r i n c i p l e of t r a i n i n g for the s h o u l d e r g i r d l e and u p p e r torso b a s e d on the n a t u r a l a d d u c t i o n a n d retraction o f the s c a p u l a e (the s h r u g g i n g m o t i o n ) a n d the m a n y r a n g e s of m o v e m e n t p o s s i b l e . S o u n d s c o m p l i c a t e d ? Actually, it's easy o n c e you get the h a n g of it. T h e "shrug principle" is applied h e r e to a n u m b e r of exercise m o v e m e n t s and m u s cle groups, specifically for strength training, c o m p e t i t i v e lifting, and b o d y b u i l d i n g . T h e y m a y be used for any n u m b e r of purposes. E v e r y o n e w h o has given the m e t h o d s a fair trial in the past k n o w s they work, although results do vary from person to person. 3
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An entire chapter is devoted to " s h r u g s " for i m p r o v i n g the bench press and another for the other competitive lifts. Specific techniques are presented for strengthening the "lateral arch" in the b e n c h press. Perhaps I am best k n o w n as a powerlifting writer, but m a n y "shrug" exercises in this b o o k also have b o d y b u i l d i n g applications n e w to most readers. T h e b o o k is rounded out with training info for "trap b a r s " and other such bars n o w on the m a r k e t that feature parallel and other grip capability, and an e x p a n d e d section on ribcage expansion and weight gain. It isn't really accurate to talk about a " K e l s o " shrug in the s a m e way as a " H a c k " lift, a " Z e r c h e r " squat, or a " H i s e " shrug. T h o s e lifts are individual and n a m e d for m e n w h o either invented the m o v e m e n t s or b e c a m e so proficient in their use that the lift is still identified with them. I simply e x p e r i m e n t e d with and wrote about shrugs of all kinds. I c a m e up with m a n y of the shrug m o v e m e n t s in this b o o k on my own, only to discover later that s o m e o n e else had beat me to them long before. If my n a m e has b e c o m e attached to any m o v e m e n t s in this b o o k it's b e c a u s e I keep hollering about h o w well they w o r k and attempting to get the w o r d out. A n y time over the years I thought I had cornered every possible type of "shrug," s o m e b o d y would c o m e up with a n e w o n e or I'd discover a variation in an article by an old timer in a seventy-five-year-old m a g a z i n e . For that reason, I h a v e greatly expanded my former writings. Also, a few w o r k o u t p r o g r a m s for using the shrugs and other techniques in y o u r regular training will be found in the appendix. H o w I got h o o k e d on shrug variations is traced in the first chapter. I h a v e included s o m e history and the n a m e s of m a n y p e o p l e w h o e x p e r i m e n t e d with or used shrugs over the years. I wish all iron g a m e writers would take this approach for three reasons: 1) because iron g a m e history is fascinating, 2) to protect n e w trainees from misinformation, and 3) to give credit w h e r e it is due. M o r e than half a dozen variations of the "trap bar," with their o w n patented features and trademarked names, are n o w on the market. T h e basics in chapter five work fine with any of them. To avoid confusion, I will refer in this b o o k to all such bars as "trap b a r s " generically, while giving credit to Al Gerard for the n a m e and the device k n o w n as the Gerard Trap Bar that started the parallel grip deadlift craze. (In fact, patents for such bars w e r e applied for before the Gerard model c a m e along, but the earlier versions were never widely produced or never caught on with trainees and died out.) I do not r e c o m m e n d o n e bar over another, as that is a c h o i c e for the trainee. T h e r e is a dispute about w h y — o r h o w well—the ribcage e n h a n c e m e n t ideas w o r k as presented in chapter six. T h e nay-sayers insist that no one m u c h over twenty three years old can expect any c h a n g e s in b o n e structure, specifically ribcage expansion, b e c a u s e the bones b e c o m e "set" around that age. Actually, this type of training is not really about bones, but I'll present a r g u m e n t s from both sides.
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The Kelso Shrug Course and The Bone Structure and Growth Course were fully copyrighted in 1 9 8 1 . The Kelso Shrug System b o o k ( n o w out of print) was c o m p i l e d after I c a m e to J a p a n in 1989, and published by M i d d l e Coast in 1993. Iron M i n d Enterprises, Inc., published another of my books, Powerlifting Basics: Texas-Style, in 1996. I n o w teach English at a J a p a n e s e university. I live north of Tokyo and m a r r i e d S u m i k o in 1997. S h e was Tochigi state powerlifting c h a m p at 56 kg t w o years running, and ranked fifth in J a p a n in her M a s t e r s age group. I'm still training at age sixty-five. I remain active in the g a m e , having sent b a c k close to forty articles and m e e t reports from Asia to m a g a z i n e s like Powerlifting USA, Hardgainer, and Iron Man, including coverage of five Asian powerlifting c h a m p i o n s h i p s , two IPF Worlds and the 2001 World G a m e s . I have written over eighty weights-related articles, all told since 1984. S e e the list of articles related to this b o o k in the appendix. I've h a d a heckuva time during my fifty years in the iron g a m e . It has carried me across the United States, to Thailand, the Philippines, Taiwan, Korea, and all over J a p a n . I h a v e m a d e wonderful friends w h e r e v e r I have flung d o w n my g y m bag. But best of all is still the occasional letter from a trainee w h o writes to tell me of his or her success with my methods. I look forward to hearing from all of you or reading in o n e of the m a g s of y o u r great day in competition.
Paul Kelso, April 2 0 0 2 U t s u n o m i y a City, J a p a n
TABLE OF CONTENTS
C h a p t e r O n e : A S h r u g g e r ' s Education
9
Background of the author and how the shrug variations came to be compiled. The "Lat Shrug" (or "Kelso" Shrug) and how to do it —bent over or on incline.
C h a p t e r Two: S h r u g Variation
19
The Bench Shrug, Shrug Dip, Standing, Overhead, Cable Crossover, Spring Set, Wide Grip, Hise Breathing Shrug, Sternum Shrug, Negatives, etc.
C h a p t e r Three: Shrug Training for the B e n c h Press
31
The "Lateral Arch" and gaining power and stability in the shoulder girdle for competition benching. Holds, crossover machine and chinning-style shrugs.
C h a p t e r Four: S h r u g Variations for O t h e r C o m p e t i t i v e Lifts
41
Chapter Five: Training With "Trap B a r s " and the Like
Backgrounds and Suggested courses.
training
for
general
growth
49
and
competition
powerlifting.
Chapter Six: R i b c a g e Expansion and Overall G r o w t h
63
Specific exercises for expanding the ribcage and stimulating growth. Controversies about this method and heel height in squatting examined.
T h e Shrug L a w s
81
A p p e n d i x O n e : C o u r s e s Using the Techniques in this B o o k
83
A p p e n d i x Two: Related Publications by the A u t h o r
87
Glossary
91
CHAPTER ONE
A SHRUGGER'S EDUCATION
O
ver the last two d e c a d e s y o u m a y h a v e seen articles I've written for the m a g a z i n e s about " K e l s o S h r u g s . " S o m e t i m e s they are m e n t i o n e d on w e i g h t - g a m e Internet forums. T h o s e w h o h a v e seriously practiced these techniques report success. B u t for m a n y the question remains: W h a t the heck is a K e l s o Shrug and w h o or w h a t is a K e l s o ?
In the first place, the Kelso Shrug is not a single exotic exercise, but rather a training principle based on the natural adduction and retraction of the scapulae (the shrugging motion) and the various ranges of movement of the entire shoulder girdle. These natural m o v e m e n t s m a y be applied with resistance for different purposes using a w i d e variety of e q u i p m e n t . I k n o w that's a jawbreaker, so I'm going to explain it as we go along. I applied this natural range of m o v e m e n t of the scapulae and shoulder girdle to a n u m b e r of exercises, lifts, and stages within lifts, and tried my ideas out on every piece of g y m e q u i p m e n t I could find. I found that by varying angles of attack, h a n d spacing, and grips, contractions in different m u s c l e g r o u p s could be directed and concentrated. T h e second part of the question is easy to answer. I've b e e n h a n g i n g around weight r o o m s since the early 1950s as a trainee, competitor, coach, and correspondent. I am not a famous champion, just one of the millions of guys w h o loves weight sports. At age sixteen, I was very slender, h a d a n a r r o w chest measuring 38 inches, weighed 154 pounds, and stood 5 ' 1 0 " . W h e n I went in the A r m y three years later, I weighed 196 p o u n d s at 6 ' 1 " , so I was doing s o m e t h i n g right. (I eventually topped out at 6 ' 2 " and 2 2 6 in shape). My training consisted of the " O l y m p i c " lifts, high-rep squat programs, and wrestling workouts. Powerlifting didn't get going until the mid-60s. In 1954-55 I was lucky to train with future national h e a v y w e i g h t weightlifting c h a m p i o n Sid H e n r y ( w h o had been a year or two ahead of me in high school) and Bill and L i n w o o d Gilliland, perennial Texas c h a m p i o n s . On the pro wrestling side, I p o u n d e d the mat with R a y Gunkel, h u g e H u g h " T e x " M c K e n z i e , and character actor 9
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Tarzan M i k e Lane, w h o played the P r i m o C a n e r a role opposite H u m p h r e y Bogart in the B u d d Schulberg m o v i e " T h e H a r d e r T h e y Fall." T h e s e m e n were light-years ahead of me in strength and ability but possessed a quality that has been shunted aside by the c o m m e r c i a l i s m that n o w infests our g a m e . T h e y felt they had an obligation to help the n e w kids on their way up. T h e y received little but personal satisfaction from doing so. I'm not the only "old t i m e r " w h o laments the passing of the tradition of giving s o m e t h i n g back. I wrote the shrug system b o o k in 1 9 9 1 - 9 2 . 1 was 54 at the time, w e i g h e d 2 2 0 , did not h a v e a b e e r gut and my m u s c l e s had not turned to fat. Today I am 65, weigh around 2 3 0 w h e n m o r e or less in shape, and still train as often as I can. My chest m e a s u r e m e n t varies around 4 8 - 5 0 " d e p e n d i n g on my weight. I actually gained ten p o u n d s of m u s c l e in my m i d d l e fifties. D o n ' t let a n y o n e tell y o u that can't be done. O v e r the years I h a v e been a soldier, a folksinger, a seller of fishing tackle, a n e w s p a p e r m a n , a teacher, and a historian. N o n e of that put an inch on my arm. W h o I am is easy to answer. W h a t the K e l s o shrug principle is requires a little m o r e explanation.
A n y o n e w h o has been weight training for any length of time soon learns w h a t a "shrug" is. It is standing upright with a bar or d u m b b e l l s h a n g i n g at a r m s ' length and trying to touch the ears with the shoulders. W h a t is not widely k n o w n is that there are d o z e n s of possible variations for a variety of purposes. I k n o w it might s e e m p r e s u m p t u o u s to n a m e a training principle after oneself, but it d o e s have to be identifiable. W h e n I began e x p e r i m e n t i n g with shrug styles in the early sixties (I offered the original Kelso Shrug Course back in 1981), I had never seen m o s t of the m o v e m e n t s I included published a n y w h e r e previously, except for the standing shrug and the Hise shrug. This doesn't m e a n no o n e else ever thought of them, they w e r e just never gathered together and codified into a system by a fanatic s h r u g g e r like myself. In fact, Flex m a g a z i n e ran an article in 1986, u n d e r the n a m e of first Mr. O l y m p i a Larry Scott, suggesting that s o m e of the shrug variations I had advocated in an earlier Iron Man piece had been practiced by famous n a m e s long dead. T h a t didn't surprise me at all. In 1987, the publication's sister m a g a z i n e ran an article by b o d y b u i l d i n g writer Bill D o b b i n s , w h o claimed scapular retractions for the lats, and lower and m i d d l e traps had occurred to him while using a seated rowing m a c h i n e . N e v e r mind that these m o v e m e n t s likely had been around longer than the fifty years the publisher claimed to have been training c h a m p i o n s . S i n c e I began writing on the subject, other n a m e s for the exercises h a v e appeared, w h i c h do not bother me at all, such as "rearward shrugs," "incline shrugs," "serratus shrugs," and more. Even "Dr. S q u a t " Fred Hatfield has said that in years past he invented and wrote about the exercise I call the Lat Shrug. I first wrote about it in 1968.
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I am willing to bet it was around long before that, but haven't found it a n y w h e r e in the literature, and believe me, I've tried. W h o invented what w h e n is pretty m u c h irrelevant. W h a t does surprise m e — a n d bothers m e — i s that these techniques and m o v e m e n t s were not better k n o w n long ago and are not in m o r e general use today. T h e y are as obvious to me as the d u m b b e l l curl. In this book you will meet a n u m b e r of m e n w h o h a v e used different types of shrugs for different reasons. I'm sure m a n y of these shrugs go b a c k to the b e g i n n i n g s of m o d e r n physical culture in the nineteenth century. Little is really n e w in weight training. Heck, there is a 2,000-year old mosaic wall mural in a lava-buried spa in Pompeii, Italy, s h o w i n g a g u y in a short skirt using dumbbells!
I was tall, lanky, and big-boned as a kid, with a hollow b e t w e e n my shoulder blades big e n o u g h to hide a football in. I did p o w e r cleans and bent over rows for a c o u p l e of years and developed s o m e lats and upper traps, as well as a pretty good pull for O l y m p i c style lifts, but I still had protruding scapulae and a k n o b b y b a c k b o n e between. O n e day I rather carelessly bent over to m o v e a bar out of my way, and sort of heaved it or shrugged it aside. I felt a sharp response in my lower traps. T h e n I picked up the bar in a bent over r o w i n g stance and " s h r u g g e d " it again. S a m e response. I spent the rest of that w o r k o u t doing bent over shrugs with overhand, underhand, and varied w i d e and narrow hand spacing. I felt a different m u s c l e response with each c h a n g e of grip. I didn't shout "Eureka!" or feel like I had just found the Holy Grail, but I k n e w I was on to something. T h e h o l l o w between my shoulder blades is long since gone. I discovered over the years that I could utilize the shrug principle in any position that I could get my u p p e r b o d y into, and even developed s o m e negative applications as well. Let's get started. Please refer to the glossary ( A p p e n d i x III) if unfamiliar with any of the terms used.
PAUL KELSO
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Lat Shrug or "Kelso" Shrug, bent over: Original 1981 drawing, showing possible directions of retraction.
LAT S H R U G I've read in the m a g s over the years about c h a m p i o n s w h o practice four to six exercises four to five sets apiece during a back workout. The problem is that the smaller assisting muscle groups tend to give out before the large muscles you're trying to reach. Don't believe it? T h e next time you do bent over rows, k e e p going on the last set until you can't do o n e m o r e repetition without cheating or getting help from your training partner. Then, without changing position or putting the bar down, start doing the "shrug" m o v e m e n t I call the Lat Shrug. You'll be able to do four or five or m o r e reps before y o u r lats and traps go on strike. H e r e we go. Take y o u r position for bent over rowing. Select a weight you can handle for 8-10 reps. Lift the weight from the floor and get a full stretch. Now, without bending your arms, shrug (retract your scapulae) so that the bar rises toward the lower part of your sternum or lower pecs. C o n c e n t r a t e the contraction on a point between y o u r shoulder blades, not up toward your ears, and preferably even d o w n farther w h e r e your lower traps insert. T h e contraction is focused back and down. (Keeping the shoulder blades down and back aids the deadlift.) L o w e r the bar to stretch and repeat. U s i n g a fairly close, u n d e r h a n d grip will strongly affect the lats as well as the trap area and bring the terres and r h o m b o i d s into play.
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BOOK
That last is the style that has b e c o m e k n o w n to m a n y as a " K e l s o Shrug," rightly or not. In fact, I h a v e called this m o v e m e n t the Lat Shrug in m o s t m a g a z i n e articles I've written, although it works not only the lats but m a n y muscles in the u p p e r back. I first told Peary R a d e r at Iron Man m a g a z i n e about my shrug ideas in 1967, and he discussed them in his "Reader's R o u n d u p " c o l u m n . Here's Peary writing in Vol. 2 8 , No. 1, of the O c t o b e r - N o v e m b e r , 1968, Iron Man, p a g e 42. Paul Kelso sends a new exercise which he says is great for developing the muscles in the upper back across the scapulae or shoulder blades. Here is the way it is performed. Take a bar loaded to about 70 or 80% of your rowing motion poundage and then assume the bent over rowing position, but instead of bending the arms you only shrug the shoulders upward and then roll them slightly backward and finish the movement with an arching of the back. This can become a strenuous exercise if you're not used to it. One variation is to use a close grip with knuckles up; another is with the under grip which affects the rhomboid area; still another is to do a full rotating motion. Paul says that by doing this in combination with rowing, alternating sets as in super setting, it pumps him up so fast that a high number of sets is not possible for him.... Paul says this really did the job in thickening his back, an area often neglected by bodybuilders. T h e s e m o v e s described at that time are slightly different than the m o v e m e n t I laid out above, but they all work. Adding that back arch at the end of each rep is a killer, as is super-setting the rows and shrugs, but it m a k e s the exercise m o r e intense. An o v e r h a n d grip will give y o u a m o r e general trap and upper b a c k r e s p o n s e with the e m p h a s i s on the m i d d l e trap area; the u n d e r h a n d grip is m o r e for lower traps and lats. F o r greater stability and isolation, perform the m o v e m e n t with any style grip on a high-rowing bench, incline bench, or seated rowing m a c h i n e . T h i s will take the legs and lower back out of the m o v e m e n t and allow the u p p e r back to do the work. Try the knuckles-up style on an incline bench set at a 45-degree angle or lower. Varying the angle of incline calls different m u s c l e s into play, as does c h a n g i n g the focus and direction of the contraction. U s i n g a w i d e grip can help y o u n g trainees structurally on d o w n the stretch. A n d yes, you can use d u m b b e l l s with great results, especially on an incline b e n c h . E x p e r i m e n t on various pieces of e q u i p m e n t at the g y m . You can principle to just about any exercise or piece of e q u i p m e n t calling for F o r instance, sitting on the floor and leaning way forward toward a shrugging back toward the lower lat insertions is excellent, as is using
apply the shrug use of the a r m s low pulley and a seated rowing
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m a c h i n e while leaning forward or back. You can also use an overhead m a c h i n e leaning back or forward. T h e T-bar rowing m a c h i n e (a favorite shrugging tool of legendary bench presser B i g J i m W i l l i a m s in the ' 7 0 s ) , cable pulleys (overhead or seated), as well as any n u m b e r of m a c h i n e s , including the cable-crossover apparatus, can be used. Just stand between them and shrug straight in. T h e lower setting develops the upper areas m o r e while the u p p e r setting affects the m i d d l e and lower portions. Crossover cable shrugs will also help b o d y b u i l d e r s train w i d e in addition to aiding them in getting the scapulae to semi-dislocate for a greater lat spread or "flair," as the old timers insisted on spelling it. T h e s e m o v e m e n t s will not only develop the m u s c l e s targeted but bodybuilders will be happy to discover they provide fullness up the middle of the back, carve out the line of separation b e t w e e n the upper lat and the lower e d g e of the shoulder blade, and d e e p e n the line of the lat along the rib c a g e as seen from the front. N o w let's talk a little about sets and reps. One way to incorporate these variations into your regular routine is to add a set of shrugs after each of the different exercises you now perform: same grip, same position, no arm pull. You could also cut your total n u m b e r of sets d o w n and tack on two or three sets of " K e l s o " shrugs of y o u r choice. Super-setting a full range of m o t i o n r o w or pull with a shrug variation in the s a m e position is extremely intense and will result in quick congestion of the m u s c l e s targeted. Alternating o n e rep of full range of motion r o w i n g with a rep of Lat S h r u g will congest the muscles quickly and to the e d g e of excruciation. I find that three sets of shrugs after a general b a c k w o r k o u t is plenty. Repetition s c h e m e s are similar, as for any exercise, but s o m e powerlifters go as high as 5 x 15 with the standing shrug, believing that gives them the best result. A weight that allows only five reps or less per set restricts m o v e m e n t and m a y lead to injury. M a x i n g out with single rep shrugs has no purpose, but s o m e do it just for the challenge. At a West Coast b o d y b u i l d i n g s h o w I attended s o m e years ago, I w a s struck by the fact that out of the 80-odd entries there w e r e only six or eight e x a m p l e s of w h a t I call great b a c k s . T h e r e were m a y b e a d o z e n g u y s w h o appeared to have ever performed a p o w e r clean. I'm talking about that double c o l u m n of m u s c l e paralleling the spine from the tailbone to the back of the neck and that striking s w e e p of trapezius muscle from the back of the neck to the rear deltoid, plus visible lower trap d e v e l o p m e n t in midback. If you're in need of m o r e bulk and thickness, try the following routine: Power cleans Do 3-5 sets of 5 repetitions
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One hand dumbbell rows Do 2-3 sets of 8 repetitions Lat o r " K e l s o " S h r u g s , b e n t over, o r off a n i n c l i n e b e n c h Do 2-3 sets of 8 repetitions T h e b o t t o m line is that there is no sense in practicing shaping exercises and finishing routines until you h a v e s o m e m u s c l e to s h a p e or finish. The great thing about the various Kelso-style shrugs is that you can focus the concentration on any spot you wish to work because of the mobility of the scapulae and the angle of attack. It just takes a little practice. H e r e are a few tricks. T h o s e w h o follow pre-exhaustion techniques (see glossary) can use various shrugs before a b a c k exercise and fatigue the target muscles effectively. Stephen Wedan, a respected writer and illustrator for several m u s c l e magazines, and the cover artist of this book, reminded me of another approach years ago. Intensity can be increased by shrugging the scapulae into contraction and then continuing the bar m o v e m e n t with arm pull for three inches or so. This m e t h o d is c o m m o n l y used by Olympic-style lifters as a timed, sequential part of the pull. T h e technique could be used with almost any shrug m o v e m e n t in this book, except the B e n c h Shrug, Shrug Dips, or the Hise Shrug. We'll get to them later on. Furthermore, this technique has long been k n o w n to weight training as the s h r u g r o w and has been around at least since the 1930s. In 1989, I saw C h e s t e r O. Teegarden perform five reps of bent over shrug rows off balks (blocks) with 3 2 5 p o u n d s on several occasions, and he was 76 years old! (Chester was a national-class weightlifter in the 1930-40s and defeated the great J o h n G r i m e k in 1937 at the U S A Nationals.) Bill Starr and others have written of the p o w e r shrug: pulling from the floor or from pins in the rack and continuing the upward path of the bar by shrugging at the top without bending the a r m s . This is d o n e with either snatch or clean width grips and takes practice to learn the timing. It is in w i d e use a m o n g Olympic-style weightlifters. A variant would be to set the traps in the contracted position at the b e g i n n i n g of the lift and keep them there throughout, followed by a slow release to the starting position. With the s h r u g row, shrug first, then pull. Better look quick, however, as it appears to be o n e motion. T h i s technique of getting the shoulders back and set before pulling with the arms can be used with m o s t of the shrug variations possible. B u t b e c a u s e it is very intense, I'm going to go on record as stating that I think the trainee should first practice the straight-arms style for at least a m o n t h or two. (I discuss competitive lifting applications in m o r e detail in chapters three and four.)
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I'm warning everybody right n o w —the variations I'm advocating will work s o m e of your m u s c l e s and m u s c l e attachments from angles that have never experienced h e a v y loads. Start moderate, eight to ten rep loads until you have the feel of it. T h e n build up. Otherwise, you can expect s o m e serious soreness, especially with wide-grip or high-bench isolation. Poundages: I get a little s t e a m e d w h e n I'm in a g y m and see s o m e b o d y doing standing d u m b b e l l shrugs with a pair of 35s and rotating them around like a d o w a g e r working on her double chins. A trainee n e e d s to w o r k up to well over body weight to achieve any real gains. T h a t is hard to do with a rolling motion. T h e r e is nothing wrong with the old standby shrug or with using a rolling motion. T h e first w o r k s the upper traps primarily and the rest of the trapezius secondarily. T h e rolling m o t i o n can be effective as a general m o d e r a t e weight exercise if you only want to do one m o v e m e n t and to be non-specific, but specific movements work better. S o m e say the rolling m o t i o n can lead to injuries. I h a v e n e v e r had any p r o b l e m s with it, n o r has any o n e ever reported such to me personally, but I n o w consider the rolling m o t i o n pretty m u c h a waste of time. I am not an anatomist, but I understand that there are four different m u s c l e bunches that m a k e up the trapezius c o m p l e x . T h e variations in this b o o k allow these areas to be attacked specifically. As we go along, I'll refer to the sport of Weightlifting (which includes the Snatch and the C l e a n and Jerk) as " O l y m p i c " lifting b e c a u s e the general public often confuses weightlifting with weight training. M o s t O l y m p i c and p o w e r lifters are aware of the truly h u m o n g o u s weights that the top m e n train with in the shrug; h o w e v e r m a n y budding trainees and most y o u n g bodybuilders are not. Top O l y m p i c lifters are able to repshrug far m o r e than they can clean, w h e r e a s top powerlifters can do reps with weights m o s t of us c a n n o t even deadlift. M a n y can do sets and reps with m o r e than they can deadlift! F o r m e r Mr. Texas, Dr. Glen Bill W i l l i a m z (yes, it's spelled with a ' z ' ) , o n c e performed reps in the standing shrug with 8 0 0 p o u n d s at a b o d y w e i g h t of 220. T h a t is not a misprint. (It was d o n e in a p o w e r rack off pins.) Past powerlifting c h a m p i o n J o h n G a m b l e is reported to h a v e d o n e 7 8 0 p o u n d s x 18 reps using straps. So you trainees w h o are dinking around with upright rows, "face pulls," and close-grip pull d o w n s from overhead, trying to develop s o m e s h o w y little b u m p s , please give me and yourself a break! Put s o m e weight on the bar and try it my way. C o m p e t i t i v e lifters will find that the practice of the lean forward or face d o w n on an incline shrugs will greatly i m p r o v e their pull. By setting the bench at different angles corresponding to stages within the pull, a lifter can attack sticking points. Working off pins in the p o w e r rack is another great w a y to go. A l s o important to note is that the use of lifting straps will be of great aid with heavy shrugs. O K , you say, so w h a t are s o m e of the other variations? H o w are they performed? I'll sketch out a bunch in the next chapter.
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Incline DB Shrug: Model, Eigi Michibayashi, 75 kg powerlifting champ, Tochigi state, Japan.
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Incline Shrug on machine: Greg Leistner, strength coach of the new Houston Texans NFL team, performs "Kelsos " on a Kell t-bar row bench.
CHAPTER TWO
SHRUG VARIATIONS
The cover blurb says this book is for powerlifters, weightlifters, and bodybuilders. No exercise in these pages is meant to be limited to any of the three groups. The reader should check them all out and pick and c h o o s e the m o v e m e n t s that suit his purposes.
BENCH SHRUGS That's right, for the chest: No, I'm not crazy. If the shoulder girdle can m o v e o n e way u n d e r resistance, it can m o v e the other —in short, negative shrugs. Here's a great o n e for i m p r o v i n g the b e n c h press and toughening up the w h o l e u p p e r torso. Take your position for the b e n c h press. L o a d a weight you can b e n c h for 8-10 reps. H a v e your training partner h a n d you the weight and tell him to stay on the j o b . Now, with the bar at a r m s ' length, shrug (retract) y o u r shoulders back toward the b e n c h and s q u e e z e your scapulae together. K e e p y o u r a r m s straight at all times. T h e bar should have dropped a few inches w h e n you c r u n c h e d the shoulder blades together. R a i s e the bar up by spreading the scapulae apart and rolling the shoulders up and off the bench. Spread y o u r lats and use y o u r pecs to get y o u r front deltoids m o v ing in towards each other, a sort of a "lat s p r e a d " or "lat flair" with resistance. Yes, the old-timers spelled it that way: "flair," not "flare." T h e bar will rise several inches. Be very careful of the balance, as it can get tricky with the bar held at a r m s ' length. G e t off line and the bar could end up in y o u r lap! A l w a y s use a spotter for this m o v e m e n t or do it inside a p o w e r rack with the lower pins set just b e l o w the range of motion. Stuart M c R o b e r t , publisher of Hardgainer magazine, reports that a " S m i t h " m a c h i n e w o r k s well with this m o v e m e n t .
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I r e c o m m e n d against doing this m o v e m e n t while wearing a b e n c h shirt. T h e shirt m a y shift during p e r f o r m a n c e and the lifter m a y h a v e trouble getting the shoulders back into starting position for the next rep. Eventually you will be able to work up to h u g e weights for reps. I h a v e d o n e three reps or m o r e on a good day with m o r e than my best b e n c h press p o u n d a g e . S o m e m e n h a v e reported using 1 0 - 1 5 % a b o v e their best single bench. B u t please, w o r k the p o u n d a g e up over time as you do with any exercise. Do not use an exaggerated wide grip; you could flirt with shoulder injury or dislocation if you do. I used to call this m o v e m e n t the B e n c h Crunch, as the pecs are strongly contracted at the finish. In the early days of my tinkering I often did this m o v e m e n t with d u m b bells and found they allowed a greater range of m o v e m e n t and pectoral contraction than with a bar. However, using a bar allows m o r e weight to be used, and is m o r e specific to the competition lift. I c h a n g e d the n a m e of the m o v e m e n t , as it is very m u c h the opposite of the Lat Shrug. H a v i n g seen it purloined and referred to as the "Serratus S h r u g " in an article in Muscular Development the early 1990s, I w o u l d agree that it w o r k s the serratus as a side benefit. However, it is m o s t effective used with h e a v y weights to build a powerful shoulder girdle to support big lifts on the bench. M a n y of the kids on the college team I c o a c h e d j u m p e d their b e n c h presses up about twenty p o u n d s after a m o n t h or two on this exercise.
Picture shows retracted position of Bench Shrug with scapulae pinched together at "bottom.
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Full extension at "top" of the Bench Shrug. Model—Suguru Uetaki, 100 kg, Tochigi, Japan, state powerlifting champ. (By the way, the " L a t F l a i r " or semi-dislocation of the shoulders blades was a m u s cle control posing trick used in exhibition by the true old-timer set, and can be seen in their leopard skin leotard photos. F e w do it today. You could a r g u e that the word should be "flare" as in "spread," but the old spelling used "flair," referring to "style.")
THE SHRUG DIP If it's serratus you want, try this: w a r m up with a set of parallel bar dips. R e a s s u m e the starting position and lower the b o d y by allowing your shoulders to rise up toward y o u r ears. Don't bend y o u r arms w h e n lowering your body. Then, raise the b o d y by forcing the shoulders d o w n with pec, lat, lower trap, and serratus contraction. Again, use no arm m o v e m e n t . T h i s shrug dip, coupled with an old Vern W e a v e r (1963 Mr. A m e r i c a ) favorite—straight-arm pull d o w n s on the overhead lat m a c h i n e — w i l l give you s o m e serratus in a hurry. I had practiced and written about shrug dips for a n u m b e r of years w h e n o n e day I ran into Mister U n i v e r s e L a n c e D r e h e r at Bill W i l l i a m z ' g y m in Tyler, Texas, w h e r e L a n c e was giving a seminar. I described the shrug dip and L a n c e said he h a d learned it from B o b Gadja, former Mr. A m e r i c a , in C h i c a g o . B o b called t h e m M o n k e y Dips.
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H o w these m o v e m e n t s have remained largely u n k n o w n for so long is beyond me. I consider the shrug dip to be a fine b o d y b u i l d i n g exercise since it also carves out the serratus and lats with delineation. By the w a y it is the direct negative of the standing shrug with d u m b b e l l s or a "trap bar." Try shrug dips with a dipping belt with s o m e weight on it next time you're feeling masochistic. Leaning forward as if doing Gironda-style dips will put m o r e work on the pecs and c o m p l e m e n t the decline b e n c h press, while leaning back throws the e m p h a s i s on the terres and lats. You can get good results supporting your hands on one b e n c h or on b o x e s with your feet elevated as if doing triceps dips. Just don't use the arms. An u p s i d e d o w n bench shrug or decline effect can be had by " s h r u g g i n g " in the push-up position.
STANDING SHRUG: REGULAR STYLE T h i s is the old standby and the most basic, primarily intended to benefit the upper traps, and usually performed with a clean-width grip on a straight bar, dumbbells, "trap bar," or any of the variations of that bar n o w on the market. T h e bar is shrugged straight up and lowered u n d e r control without rolling the shoulders or pulling to the rear. Great effects can be had with w i d e hand spacing pulled up toward the ears or to the rear as if finishing a deadlift. Many, including multiple Mr. O l y m p i a winner L e e Haney, did or do the standing shrug with the bar held behind the back. H a n e y is reported to have used the shrug row technique, pulling two or three inches with the a r m s in the full contraction stage of the m o v e m e n t .
CHINNING BAR AND OVERHEAD SHRUGS T h e s e involve " s h r u g g i n g " d o w n the overhead lat bar with scapular action only, or attempting to raise the body with shoulder blade retraction and torso muscle contraction while h a n g i n g from a chinning bar. T h a t last is hard to get with. I r e c o m m e n d the trainee start with the overhead p u l l d o w n with a very light weight to get the feel of the m o v e m e n t . D o i n g these from a chinning bar is tough, although s o m e people work up to using a loaded weight belt while doing them. T h e late Charles A. " T h e r e is nothing n e w in weight training Smith, w h o k n e w e v e r y b o d y and everything in the iron-game and wrote for the Weider m a g a z i n e s for eight years in their early days, o n c e told me that these m o v e m e n t s were popular a m o n g the old M u s c l e Beach crowd, and also used by g y m n a s t s . (See chapter four about overhead shrugs with a bar. This would be a negative of the above, raising and lowering the bar with scapular and shoulder girdle m o v e m e n t . )
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CABLE CROSSOVER MACHINE SHRUGS I've found that doing lat p u l l d o w n s or r o w s "to the s i d e " on a cable crossover m a c h i n e is extremely g o o d for getting wide, carving out the smaller m u s c l e s of the upper back, and developing a " C h r i s t m a s tree" for b o d y b u i l d i n g purposes. Set the m a c h i n e on high pulley and stand or kneel in the middle, d e p e n d i n g on your height and the angle you want. U s i n g the arms, b e n d i n g the elbows, pull the h a n d l e s in toward the b o d y as if trying to touch your e l b o w s together behind the b a c k for several sets. Then, go shrug-style. Take a straight-arm stance and a s s u m e a "crucifix" position. A l l o w a full stretch out to each side until it feels like your shoulder blades are going to pop loose. T h e n shrug or rotate the scapulae together, trying to pinch them together in the center of y o u r b a c k . Do not bend the e l b o w s during the contraction or the return to the stretch. Do not use any forward or rear lateral motion. R e p e a t for reps and sets. A word of caution: start light! T h e s e " L a t F l a i r " shrugs, as I called them in a J a n u a r y 1 9 8 6 Iron Man article, will help b o d y b u i l d e r s and muscle-control practitioners achieve that semi-dislocation the old-timers demonstrated so amazingly. T h i s m o v e m e n t , and the spring set shrug below, can help in strengthening the "lateral arch" used by competition bench pressers. S e e chapter three. U s i n g the low pulley setting on the cable crossover m a c h i n e has other benefits; see wide grip shrugs below.
SPRING SET SHRUG This shrug is a negative of the above. R e m e m b e r that spring set exercise w h e r e you held the springs behind the back and pressed straight out to each side, rep after rep? D i g that old set out from the b o t t o m of the closet, put s o m e springs on it and stretch it out across the u p p e r back. Press it out to arm's length on each side and then spread the scapulae to force the h a n d s further out and then resist the tension while allowing the scapulae to c o m e together in the middle of y o u r back, without b e n d i n g the arms. Repeat. That's right, a "lat s p r e a d " with positive and negative resistance.
WIDE GRIP SHRUGS T h e s e m o v e m e n t s m a y be d o n e several w a y s and are performed with a wide, snatch grip on a straight, O l y m p i c , or p o w e r bar and other apparati. In the bent over
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position, the contraction is to the m i d d l e of the back. Standing, to the rear as in finishing a deadlift, works the entire trapezius, while up toward the ears is m o r e u p p e r trap with a strong involvement of the attachments high on the neck. All the w i d e grip m o v e ments aid in widening the shoulder girdle, especially in y o u n g e r people. F a c e d o w n on an incline bench set at any angle w o r k s well with the w i d e grip moves. Resting the forehead on b e n c h or table while in the bent over position will work, but it m a y stress the neck. W i d e grip w o r k may also be d o n e on the cable crossover m a c h i n e at either high or low setting or with a long bar on the lat m a c h i n e set at high or low. T h e r e is an odd result with w i d e grips: the direction of pull is not back or up as with a " c l e a n " width grip. T h e r e is a triangulation from the hands to the focal point of contraction. That causes the m u s c l e s to contract in a slightly different direction than usual. I h a v e never b e e n able to properly explain that in words. Try the w i d e grip. You'll feel w h a t I mean. Also, an odd result for me with the use of standing w i d e grip shrugs with a snatch grip on an O l y m p i c bar was the trap d e v e l o p m e n t I achieved. I never g r e w the blocky, ham-butt shaped l u m p s on either side of the neck so c o m m o n l y seen. I h a v e a long neck and the w i d e grip m o v e m e n t and angle of attack affected the trap attachments high on the sides of my neck so that I n o w h a v e a long slope from neck to shoulder, w h i c h in turn m a k e s me look wider. (There m a y be a scientific basis for this: m u s c l e fibers are believed to b e c o m e longer when stretched u n d e r stress, as it is thought that s a r c o m e r e s are a d d e d in series to the fibers.) W i d e grip shrugs also carved out delineation b e t w e e n my traps and my sternocleid o m a s t o i d as seen from the front and thickened the muscles high on the b a c k of my neck. Body-builders, take note. B a c k in the d o w n t o w n Dallas Y in 1 9 5 4 - 5 5 , we h a d old York sets with the w i d e ridged rims on the plates. Had the hubs, too. T h o s e plates m a d e for the interesting gripping stunts you can n o w read about in Milo m a g a z i n e . We would turn the inner 4 5 pound plates out (the w r o n g way) so we could grab the bar by the rims and then load on smaller plates. We would deadlift the bar by the rims and then shrug or powershrug it up a few inches. (Steve R e e v e s was k n o w n to do this - check his trap s h a p e in his photos). It works great but few g y m s still have those old plates. If you find any, latch on to them.
HISE BREATHING SHRUG J o s e p h Curtis Hise has been called the first powerlifter and the foremost practitioner of the breathing or twenty-rep squat in very abbreviated p r o g r a m s for gaining bulk. You can find his story in m a n y books, so I won't go deeply into it, but during the Great Depression he is reported to have gained 29 p o u n d s of solid weight in one month
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doing little but heavy, high rep squats, behind the neck presses, sleeping, and guzzling milk. T h e history trail of the Breathing S h r u g is a little foggy, but H i s e b e g a n writing about it in the 1940s or before and the exercise still bears his n a m e . T h e r e are not o n e but two w a y s to do this m o v e m e n t , for two different purposes. T h e first is as J o e Hise applied it—as a breathing m o v e m e n t for the expansion of his rib c a g e and shoulder girdle, not as a trap builder. T h e traps will benefit anyway. You simply shoulder the bar like you are going to squat, inhale, and shrug the bar up toward the ears. T h e bar is carried in a m o r e or less " h i g h - b a r " position, not d o w n the back like in a powerlifter's competition squat. This m o v e m e n t will strengthen the entire shoulder girdle and e n h a n c e structural growth. Start with a very m o d e r a t e squatting weight for a few w e e k s until you are used to it. Test for the position on y o u r shoulders that allows the m o s t height to be gained. T h e n pile on the iron, but not so m u c h as to restrict the range of m o v e m e n t . T h i s is a great m o v e m e n t in t a n d e m with 20 rep squats or your deadlift training, especially for relative b e g i n n e r s and intermediates. I suggest 15 or m o r e reps a set, but Hise was k n o w n to go as high as 25 reps. T h e r e is an old controversy attached to these m o v e m e n t s . It has long b e e n widely believed that high-rep breathing squats, rib-cage stretching exercises, H i s e Shrugs, etc., result both in rib cage structure expansion of the chest and shoulder girdle and in stimulating m u s c u l a r weight gains. I recall reading a theory in Strength & Health b a c k in the fifties that they altered the metabolic rate and thus triggered bulk gains, but no o n e has promoted that possibility lately that I k n o w of. Certain recent a c a d e m i c studies deny these effects, and the discussion has b e c o m e s o m e t h i n g of a schoolyard " D o e s Too - D o e s N o t " argument. C a s e y Butt of C a n a d a is working on these matters as I write this ( D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 1 ) and points out that J o e H i s e and others of his time believed that the Hise S h r u g and its forced breathing resulted in the formation of n e w rib cartilage and worked m a n y small m u s c l e g r o u p s w h i c h h o l d the ribcage in an e x p a n d e d position. Casey has also c o m e up with a true variation of the H i s e Breathing S h r u g by holding the bar across the anterior deltoids as if doing front squats. T h e s e "Rack Raises," as he calls them, allow greater m o v e m e n t and rise in the rib cage than with the bar across the back. (See chapter six.) I suspect we don't yet fully understand w h a t is h a p p e n i n g w h e n these breathing m o v e m e n t s are performed. But thousands and thousands of trainees since Hise's time h a v e reported that they do work, and I'm o n e of the h a p p y practitioners. A n o t h e r variation of the Hise Breathing Shrug can be d o n e on a standing calf machine. Try facing the " w r o n g w a y " for a really different feel with the m o v e m e n t . However, I h a v e c o m e to believe that the calf m a c h i n e is an inferior w a y to do the H i s e Shrug. Heavier weights s e e m to stifle the r a n g e of the motion, especially as the a r m s or yokes that rest on the shoulders press d o w n on the m u s c l e s and b o n e structure m o r e than a bar across y o u r b a c k and even i m p e d e breathing. Part of this p r o b l e m is that m a c h i n e m o d e l s vary from g y m to g y m , angles of leverage differ, and the closer the pads rest to your neck, the worse the discomfort s e e m s to get.
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E v e r y b o d y ? Let's use a little c o m m o n sense here. S o m e love the calf m a c h i n e shrug; others hate it and say it's dangerous. B u t b o d y types and leverages differ from lifter to lifter. M a c h i n e s differ. If any exercise or technique causes you discomfort or pain, then switch to another one. T h e r e are endless exercises to choose from for whatever purpose. As I have written elsewhere, what works for one, works "on" another. T h e second type of Hise Shrug is a good form of psychological training for h e a v y squatting and a t r e m e n d o u s p o w e r builder w h e n used with lower reps. (See chapter four.)
STERNUM SHRUG In my article "A Shrugger's G u i d e , " in Muscular Development, January, 1989, (the last issue of MD published by York before Twin L a b s stepped in), there is a p h o t o of m y s e l f and b o d y b u i l d i n g great Arthur Peacock demonstrating a "breathing shrug." T h e p r o b l e m is that I didn't explain the m o v e m e n t in the text of the article. I am finally getting around to it. Take your stance as if you are going to do regular standing shrugs, but with about half the weight you would normally use. Learn the m o v e before you pile the weights b a c k on. T h e purpose of the exercise is to raise and e x p a n d the ribcage and force the s t e r n u m up. T h e secret is in the breathing, w h i c h reverses the regular pattern. E x h a l e as the bar is shrugged up; inhale as it is lowered. As the bar nears the bott o m position, flex the pectorals while rolling y o u r shoulders forward and exhale forcibly, hugging the sides of y o u r chest with the insides of the biceps. Drive the air out of y o u r lungs and force your chest and sternum up! T h i s shrug can be used along with Rader Chest Pulls, Hise Shrugs, and pullovers for the purpose of b o n e structure expansion. However, it is best used as the finish to the Breathing Stiff-Leg Deadlift as outlined in chapter six.
NEGATIVE SHRUGS T h e use of negative resistance m o v e m e n t s has b e c o m e popular in recent years in both strength training and bodybuilding. T h e S h r u g Dip is negative to the action of the conventional standing shrug, as is the B e n c h S h r u g to Lat S h r u g s or m a n y m o v e m e n t s that forcibly retract the shoulder blades. O v e r h e a d shrugs with a bar are negative to C h i n n i n g S h r u g s (see chapter three). T h e Spring Set Shrug has an action negative to the C a b l e C r o s s o v e r Shrug. In chapter four, I discuss the Shrug Hold, a technique applicable to m a n y m o v e ments. A basic use would be to perform conventional standing shrugs in a power rack,
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using straps, and power-shrug the weight to m a x i m u m height and full contraction upward of the shoulder girdle. T h e weight is held in m a x contraction position for a count (three to four counts s e e m to work well) or as long as possible before the bar is lowered u n d e r control to the rack pins. O t h e r lifters shrug the traps up into contracted position before starting the rep, and try to hold that position at the top before lowering the bar as slow as possible. Variations of these m o v e m e n t s with pre-set traps are s o m e times called Starr S h r u g s after the well-known lifter and writer Bill Starr. An exercise that is getting s o m e play as I write these c o m m e n t s (July, 2001) is u s e of a standing cable row or pulley m a c h i n e set on low position near the floor. O n e stands in front of it in a sort of deadlift stance and retracts the scapulae toward the rear as well as up. (I have said before that all kinds of shrug variations are possible on any n u m b e r of m a c h i n e s or types of apparatus.) This provides c o n t i n u o u s tension —positive and negative. A lot of effort is e x p e n d e d maintaining the stance without being pulled forward. T h a t can be good or bad, d e p e n d i n g on w h a t y o u want. A d r a w b a c k to the a b o v e is that m o s t g y m cable m a c h i n e s are " s t a c k " loaded. A l m o s t any intermediate powerlifter or semi-experienced b o d y b u i l d e r can eventually work up to m o r e weight than the stack in a typical c o m m e r c i a l m a c h i n e has. If they can't, they are not reaching their potential. O n e thing I might add to the shrug m o v e m e n t s r e c o m m e n d e d is to try them o n e hand at a time. This could be useful in correcting an i m b a l a n c e in d e v e l o p m e n t or strength by giving o n e side of the b a c k or specific area extra work. As I do not p r e s u m e to advise a n y o n e medically, I will leave any discussion of various shrugs for medical purposes to other, m o r e qualified writers. Paul C h e k has written on these subjects. A w o r d of warning: the trainee should keep the chin up, with the head erect and not jammed forward w h e n doing shrugs. This prevents possible u p p e r b a c k nerve d a m a g e . T h e n u m b e r of shrugs possible is limited only by your imagination and the variety of e q u i p m e n t available. I'm sure there are other " s h r u g s " I haven't yet learned about and that g u y s out there s o m e w h e r e are tinkering with n e w o n e s right now. T h e beauty of these variations is that y o u can target a specific m u s c l e or area and then zero in on it by adjusting your angle of attack and mentally concentrating the contraction right w h e r e you want it. A course for general strength and g r o w t h using s o m e of the a b o v e shrugs is listed in A p p e n d i x I.
Sternum Shrug. Mike Bucci of Phoenix, Arizona, finishing a rep by forcing the sternum up.
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Cable Crossover Machine Shrug. Masatoshi Kashikura, 67.5 kg Tochigi state PL champ, shows the extended (top) and retracted (bottom) positions.
PAUL KELSO
Variation of the Shrug Dip, hands on the bench with feet elevated. Arms are straight; body is raised and lowred with "shrugging" movement. Drawing from the 1981 Shrug Course.
CHAPTER THREE
SHRUG TRAINING FOR THE BENCH PRESS
B
ack in the fifties, the c o m m o n questions a m o n g weight m e n were " H o w m u c h can you c u r l ? " o r " H o w m u c h can you p r e s s ? " m e a n i n g military-style overhead. T h e b e n c h press had n o n e of the popularity that it has n o w that it has b e c o m e a standard of m e a s u r i n g another's strength. I would still vote for the clean and jerk as a fine indicator of c o m b i n e d strength and athletic ability, but d o u b t I'd get m u c h support from p o w erlifters. S o m e weightlifters and others put d o w n powerlifting, saying it is all brute strength requiring no technique. H o w w r o n g they are. Let's get to bench press training and styles and discuss the "Lateral A r c h " and the concept of the "Shrug Hold."
F o r years m a g a z i n e articles about the bench concentrated on lockout problems, hand and arm positions, "finding the groove," and so forth. Less has b e e n written about the initial drive off the chest than any other stage of the lift. ( U s e of b e n c h shirts has modified this equation s o m e w h a t ; m a n y shirts deliver considerable help getting the bar started off the chest and s o m e super-duper shirts turn the lift into s o m e t h i n g resembling a lockout.) Watching top lifters can be revealing. At least two schools of thought about the role of the s h o u l d e r girdle in b e n c h pressing are current in the g y m s . O n e is the m o r e traditional style familiar to m o s t trainees, and the other is the exaggerated arching that is b e c o m i n g very widespread, although n o t e v e r y o n e is suited for it. S i v o k o n of K a z a k h s t a n , w h o has w o n seven IPF men's open world c h a m p i o n s h i p s and five b e n c h press world c h a m p i o n s h i p s the last time I counted, does not h a v e an exaggerated lower b a c k arch. Japan's benchers w o n both the m e n and w o m e n ' s team b e n c h press titles at the world meet in 2001 and exemplify the u s e of e x t r e m e arches in both directions. T h e r e h a v e always been differences in t e c h n i q u e and always will be b e c a u s e of the variety of b o d y types and leverages a m o n g lifters. T h e m o r e traditional s c h o o l might call for lowering the bar to the "high point of the c h e s t " and rotating the e l b o w s out during the lift w h i l e the n e w breed lowers to the u p p e r abs and k e e p s the e l b o w s in.
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We have all seen s o m e lifters w h o mix the two and have read articles with contradictory opinions. I do not pretend to be an authority on b e n c h technique, but I do have s o m e ideas for aiding the b e n c h press, whatever the style used.
THE FLARE OR "ROLL" SCHOOL W h a t is the first thing that h a p p e n s w h e n the lifter begins to press? M o s t would say a r m drive or explosion in order to gain e n o u g h height to allow the e l b o w s to rotate into position (if that is the technique used) to begin the follow-through to lockout. Well, look again. Powerlifting great R i c k e y D a l e Crain and others have pointed out that the pectorals c o m e into major play first in the bench press—or should —followed by anterior deltoids and triceps. N o t only is there pectoral contraction and a r m drive, but also a spreading of the lats and a shoulder thrust upward. T h e b a r can be raised several inches with this spread and roll technique alone. Thick, strong lats are important in this style of benching, especially while the bar is being lowered into position and in the initial thrust. N o t all lifters do this lat flare or roll, as it is variously called. S o m e do it on purpose, s o m e don't k n o w to do it, and s o m e do it and don't realize it. M a n y of the best do use this technique. R e c o r d breaker Rick Weill wrote about it in PLUSA in the late ' 8 0 s , for one, describing the use of the b a c k spread and shoulder girdle m o v e m e n t as a timed and sequential part of the lift requiring considerable practice. Chiropractor, lifter, and writer Keith W a s s u n g has written about it in his c o l u m n on the Cyberpump Internet site. Using the m o v e m e n t s I call the B e n c h Shrug, the Shrug Dip, S p r i n g Set S h r u g and even the Lat Shrug can develop this spread and thrust. However, full r a n g e of motion rows and chins for the lats and other u p p e r b a c k muscles should not be neglected.
On
the other hand .. .
THE RETRACTION SCHOOL As pointed out to me by U S A P L lifter Collin Rhodes, there are two distinct arches in bench pressing. E v e r y b o d y has seen the e x t r e m e b o w or bridge that m a n y lifters achieve in his or her lower back as they lie lengthwise on the bench. Collin is an e x a m ple of this style. This raises the high point on the chest w h e r e the bar touches w h e n lowered, and provides even a decline effect to the lift for s o m e persons.
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T h e second or "Lateral A r c h " is formed as the shoulder blades are pinched together back against the bench throughout the lift, which also raises the chest. According to R h o d e s , o n e should a s s u m e the lateral arch, pinched position before the handoff and reset it after the handoff to m a k e sure of m a x i m u m positioning. Otherwise, the lateral arch m a y flatten out during the eccentric part of the lift. Also, he attempts "to pull the bar apart" while lowering it, as if to stretch the b a r out longer. T h e tension created is translated through the a r m s to the u p p e r b a c k and provides h i m with stored "extra e n e r g y " w h e n he starts the bar back up. T h i s b e n c h i n g style uses no shoulder roll, except possibly toward the very finish of the lift. R h o d e s states that he never uses the shoulder roll during the execution of the lift until he receives the finishing rack c o m m a n d . He warns against translating the m o v e m e n t of the B e n c h Shrug into the actual b e n c h lift. He believes it is w r o n g to "shrug" the bar up during the completion of the press and that the shoulders should be kept in "the u t m o s t rearward rotation possible t h r o u g h o u t " the b e n c h press m o v e m e n t . O K . How do we do that? W h a t shrug training is possible to m a x i m i z e lateral arch effectiveness and to m a i n t a i n that pinched-together rear position? I had w o r k e d on nothing but my Texas b o o k after my last training articles w e r e published in 1993. W h e n that m a n u s c r i p t was finished, I switched to literary fiction, and sent b a c k only powerlifting contest reports from A s i a and journalistic pieces about the B y z a n t i n e internal politics of the International Powerlifting Federation. Frankly, I was b u r n e d out on training questions. At Collin's prodding questions, I hit the g y m and b e g a n tinkering with shrug techn i q u e s to apply to this " n e w " trend in benching. R h o d e s and I traded emails throughout 2001 and he e x p e r i m e n t e d in his training with the shrug variations we discussed to strengthen his lateral arch. He tried half a dozen or m o r e m o v e m e n t s but settled on the following:
1) N a r r o w Grip C h i n n i n g B a r shrugs with 5 0 - 7 5 p o u n d s on a weight belt for three sets of six. 2) Williams S h r u g s on a chest supported T-bar r o w i n g m a c h i n e with a three to four-count h o l d at the top of each rep. He uses five to six 45-lb plates on the plate h o l d e r for t w o sets of six reps. That's 2 2 5 - 2 7 0 pounds. 3) C a b l e C r o s s o v e r S h r u g s using crossover cables in the high setting, standing. Collin puts about 2 4 0 lbs on each side and leans b a c k slightly, trying to e m u l a t e a position similar to that w h e n lying on the bench. He rotates his scapulae b a c k into the lateral arch position, holds, and
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PAUL KELSO repeats this shrug-and-hold pattern for reps. T h r e e sets of eight. T h e r e is no crossover motion on these, of course. T h e m a c h i n e he uses is a double-pulley model, so the real p o u n d a g e in use is s o m e w h a t less than stated. 4) R e g u l a r Standing DB shrugs with a slight forward lean. T w o sets of eight with a pair of 140 pounders, done one arm at a time.
He also does Bench Shrugs, but m o r e for stability than for raw strength, using about 5 0 0 lbs. for three sets of six. All the shrugs are d o n e on his b e n c h support-work day (Friday) except for the Bench Shrug, which is d o n e on his regular b e n c h day (Monday). Collin, 34 as of this writing, widely k n o w n on Internet forums as "Pooh-Bear," improved his bench by 20 kilograms (44 pounds) in one year on shrug variations. That is excellent progress for a veteran lifter in a drug-tested organization. He placed second in the 2 4 2 lb. class at the 2001 U S A P L National B e n c h Press C h a m p i o n s h i p s with a lift of 2 5 5 kilos (that's 5 6 2 lbs.) and m a d e 5 8 4 at the I P F B e n c h Worlds in N e w Zealand, D e c e m b e r , 2 0 0 1 , while placing third in the 2 7 5 s . Collin just missed a 2 8 3 kg (624 lbs) 4th attempt going for the world record. By the time you read this, I bet he'll have m a d e it. Summing up, then, it would appear that the B e n c h Shrug would be of m o r e use to "flare" or "roll" technique benchers, as it is similar to part of the actual lift. It m a y be used by lifters using the "lateral a r c h " as a strength and stability builder, but it should not be incorporated into that pressing style. Also, w h e n I say "Don't b e n d the e l b o w s " with these m o v e m e n t s , I should add that really m e a n s don't pull or push with the arms. L o c k i n g the e l b o w s completely m a y be uncomfortable or even d a n g e r o u s to the joint.
CHINNING BAR SHRUGS Frankly, I am astonished that Collin or a n y o n e else can do a "shrug" up toward a chinning bar using scapular rotation with a weight belt loaded with as m u c h as 75 pounds, especially considering the difficulty m a n y heavier people have doing regular chins with no weight. T h i s is not an easy m o v e m e n t to learn for most people and I reco m m e n d — n a y , insist—that the reader start out light on the overhead lat pulldown m a c h i n e . Lean slightly b a c k and pull toward the collarbones without bending the arms.
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I further suggest trying a " n o r m a l " grip spacing for o p e n e r s and e x p e r i m e n t i n g from there. I have long arms. A n a r r o w grip m a k e s the m o v e difficult for m e . T h i s is another e x a m p l e of a shrug m o v e m e n t that has not been taken to its full potential by weight trainers.
CABLE CROSSOVER MACHINE SHRUGS T h e lifter stands in "crucifix" position between the uprights in the m a c h i n e with the cables set in the high pulley position. Or, like R h o d e s , he leans slightly to the rear, emulating the position taken on the b e n c h during a competition lift w h e n establishing a Lateral Arch, and shrugs the scapulae together without bending the arms. T h e contraction is held for three or four counts. T h e weights are then returned to the starting position u n d e r control rather than just m o r e or less released. T h r e e sets of eight is a good working s c h e m e . Please read chapter two for m o r e on this. I believe this m o v e m e n t , coupled with holds, will prove to be a winner.
SHRUG HOLDS Just w h a t the word says and m e a n s . T h i s can be applied in any contraction with any shrug variation. H o l d the contraction for an extra count—four m a y be o p t i m u m — before releasing into the negative part of the m o v e m e n t . This next statement is as unscientific as it can be, but I suspect these holds reach deep-seated m u s c l e fibers that m a y not be completely w o r k e d in " n o r m a l " full-range exercise motions.
THE BENCH SHRUG Yes, I explained this exercise in chapter two, but I'll repeat m y s e l f here b e c a u s e I suspect a lot of readers will have j u m p e d straight to this chapter first. Take the position on the bench. H a n d spacing should be the s a m e as regularly used for benching, or p e r h a p s a finger width or two closer together. L o w e r the bar with straight a r m s toward y o u r chest by dropping the shoulders d o w n toward the bench and crunching the shoulder blades (scapulae) together. Force the b a r u p w a r d by spreading the scapulae out to the sides like a lat spread while raising the shoulders off the bench. U s e pectoral contraction to roll the shoulders up and in toward the sternum. K e e p the a r m s straight at all times during the m o v e m e n t . T h e bar will travel only three or
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four inches either way. N o t only will your initial drive be improved by raising the bar this w a y but control w h e n lowering the bar to begin the b e n c h press will increase. Do not use a bench shirt with this exercise. You m a y find yourself having to readjust it after every rep. Also, there is no reason to do a big lower back arch or bridge with this m o v e m e n t . It would restrict the spread and contraction. A l w a y s use spotters w h e n doing the b e n c h shrug. It's performed with straight arms and can easily m o v e off line. P o w e r racks work great w h e n lifting alone. Just set the pins slightly b e l o w the point of bar travel (with scapulae fully retracted together b a c k toward the bench), lock out, and begin. Start out with a weight that can be benched 8 to 10 reps until you have learned the m o v e m e n t and then add p o u n d a g e over time. Yes, y o u could do a "lockout shrug" by setting the pins a notch or so higher; that would m e a n starting the m o v e m e n t with the scapulae slightly spread. It's c o m m o n for a lifter to eventually h a n d l e several reps in the bench shrug with the s a m e weight as his best single bench press, or even m o r e . I suspect that lifters w h o approach competition record levels will find 9 0 % of their best single m a x the limit, but this will vary. I am talking about doing these without a b e n c h shirt and see no reason to use one. In fact a shirt m a y m a k e the bar difficult to reposition at the start of each rep. Dr. K e n Leistner reported g o o d results similar to those I m e n t i o n e d in his publication, The Steel Tip, February 1986, w h e r e he suggested adding two sets of b e n c h shrugs at the end of a bench workout. I concur. S o m e of my L o n M o r r i s College team in Texas ( 1 9 8 3 85) experienced a gain of twenty p o u n d s in the b e n c h after o n e m o n t h . This had two causes: added shoulder girdle strength and control coupled with learning to use the u p w a r d shrug and roll during the initial drive. However, if you do not use the "roll" and opt for the "lateral arch," this movement will still greatly strengthen the shoulder girdle for whatever purpose. It's possible to do this m o v e on incline or decline b e n c h e s but it's trickier to control and m o r e limited in range. O l y m p i c lifters m a y want to try it on the incline as a support m o v e for the clean and jerk. Weightlifters h a v e been using scapular rotation as an exercise with the bar locked out overhead since the early 1930s, according to the late C h e s t e r Teegarden. L o w e r i n g and raising the bar in this m a n n e r greatly strengthens the shoulder girdle, but I advise starting light and working up. I'd advise caution using a snatch grip overhead, but lifters h a v e d o n e it that way for decades and m a n y still do. H e a v y loads with an extra w i d e grip can cause injury to the shoulder. I no longer reco m m e n d an unusually w i d e grip b e n c h shrug variation unless w o r k i n g with m o d e r a t e weights. C l o s e grips are worth experimenting with, as is the Shrug D i p .
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THE S H R U G DIP T h e s e dips are the direct negative of the regular standing shrug. T h e s e should be d o n e i m m e d i a t e l y following parallel bar dips or decline b e n c h e s . T h e lifter a s s u m e s the position for dips but raises and lowers the body on straight a r m s by allowing the shoulders to rise toward the ears and then lifting the b o d y forcing the shoulders d o w n using pectoral, latissimus, and serratus contractions. T h e use of a heavily loaded weight belt is a m u s t if Shrug D i p s are intended as an assistance exercise for the b e n c h press. B o d y b u i l d e r s can use these, too (or a n y of the variations). I m e n t i o n e d e l s e w h e r e that former Mr. A m e r i c a B o b Gadja and his C h i c a g o gang called these M o n k e y D i p s . T h e y are a favorite with the Iron J u n g l e club m e m b e r s w h o posed for s o m e of the photos in this book.
Cable Crossover Shrug. Collin Rhodes uses a layback position to simulate his benching position.
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Chinning Shrug. The two pictures show Rhodes in the beginning and finishing positions.
Horizontal Arch. Rhodes trained for years to achieve this astonishing arch capability.
Lateral Arch. These shots demonstrate a bench position with no lateral arch (top) and then with full scapular pinch together (bottom), driving the shoulder girdle down into the bench by using the legs. (Bottom) is also the retracted position during the Bench Shrug.
CHAPTER FOUR
SHRUG VARIATIONS FOR OLYMPIC LIFTERS & POWERLIFTERS
Drawing
of the Incline Shrug from 1981 course. Bench angles may be adjusted for different purposes.
SNATCH. CLEAN & JERK. AND DEADLIFT I am not g o i n g to discuss the p e r f o r m a n c e and technique of these lifts, as I a s s u m e m o s t readers are familiar with them. T h e s e lifts are different b u t h a v e similar stages. T h e first, for our purposes, is the initial drive off the floor to the point w h e r e the b a r is roughly just b e l o w the knees. This varies d e p e n d i n g on the size and proportions of the lifter. 41
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T h e s e c o n d p h a s e includes thrusting the hips forward while driving the upper body toward the vertical. Third, as the b o d y extends vertically the shoulders are s h r u g g e d u p w a r d followed by arm pulling during the snatch and C & J. T h i s usually h a p p e n s too fast for the untrained eye to follow, but it is there. In the deadlift, the shrug part of the pull is directed to getting the shoulders back or erect, instead of up, and there is no arm pull. At this point I'd like to ask three questions: 1. W h y do so m a n y lifters practice only the standing shrug w h e n the u p p e r b o d y in the first stage mentioned above is angled at 35 to 40 degrees in relationship to the floor and 55 to 65 in the s e c o n d ? 2. W h y do m a n y O l y m p i c lifters use only a clean-width grip in shrug training w h e n the w i d e grip used in snatching c a u s e s a different direction of pull force during contraction of the m u s c l e s involved? 3. W h y are deadlifters not using their competition, over and u n d e r grip w h e n shrugging in the g y m ? ( M a n y are c o m i n g b a c k to the h o o k grip; I approve, although lifters with short t h u m b s will h a v e a problem.) Do not misunderstand. I am not leading a crusade against the standing shrug. It's a specific m o v e m e n t within the clean and jerk or deadlift and is absolutely required in g y m training so that m a x i m u m height m a y be obtained. However, as it w o r k s the upper trap primarily, it may not be the best assistance movement for the lower stages of the lifts. In the lower stages of the three lifts, the traps and lats are e n g a g e d in gaining and maintaining bar height as well as stabilizing the bar and keeping it close to the body. Here's w h a t I r e c o m m e n d in answer to the three questions above: 1. Lie face d o w n on a heavy-duty adjustable incline b e n c h set at 35 to 45 degrees. A freestanding b e n c h is best. This angle should match the angle of the spine in relation to the floor during the initial drive of the pull. H a v e your training partners hand up the bar. Mentally focus the contraction on a spot b e t w e e n the shoulder blades. C r u n c h the scapulae together. D o n ' t contract up toward the ears. T h e lower the angle of the bench, the m o r e the lats will be involved, especially if an u n d e r h a n d grip is used.
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Don't forget: practice finishing the movement with the shoulder blades forced down and to the rear. G e t a full stretch every rep. Grip selection d e p e n d s on w h i c h lift or m u s c l e g r o u p is being targeted. Tony G a r c y the great U S A O l y m p i c lifting c h a m p i o n , used these m o v e s in practice. He called them "retractors." Next, m o v e the bench up to 55 to 65 degrees for a set or two. T h i s setting aids the second stage of the lifts as the lifter drives toward the vertical. 2. B e c a u s e of the angle of the arms during the snatch, the direction of the shrug at the top of the lift is not just up, but also at an angle roughly from the h a n d s to the b a s e of the neck. T h e scapulae m o v e toward each other as well as up. O l y m p i c lifters should practice snatch grip shrugs at several angles as well as with the clean width grip. W i d e grip is the way it's d o n e during the snatch itself, so w h y not during the assistance exercise? 3. F r o m what I read of top deadlifters' published routines, m o s t do 25 to 30 lifts per workout. At least twothirds of those lifts do not seriously challenge the lifter's ability to get his shoulders b a c k . ( S o m e powerlifting federations n o w require only that the lifter stand erect, and do not look for an exaggerated, shoulders back finish.) A few sets of lat pulls and shrugs are tacked on at the end. T h e standing shrugs are usually pulled up and then back. T h i s not a g o o d practice for powerlifters as it m a y develop the bad habit of causing the bar to drop at the c o m pletion of the lift and earn a red light. Rules vary on this b e t w e e n federations. ( T h e r e is a trend in the last few years not to pull b a c k to the rear w h e n doing the standing shrug as an assistance exercise; I agree, especially if y o u are doing inclined or lean forward shrugs as well.) W h y not practice shrugs on a b e n c h using the two angles a b o v e and w o r k all the muscles of the u p p e r back involved in d r a w i n g the shoulders to the rear? Lean-forward shrugs will increase all lifters' ability to "set" their shoulders at the b e g i n n i n g of the lifts and k e e p the u p p e r back straight and the head up throughout.
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T h e s e will i m p r o v e your deadlift. My training diary s h o w s a 55 lb gain in my DL after three m o n t h s of practicing these m o v e m e n t s at different angles the first time I tried them seriously. Y o u m i g h t practice the over-under competition deadlift grip regularly with the lean-forward shrugs for two reasons. O n e , obviously, is it's the grip used in competition. Secondly, there is a very subtle difference in m u s c l e action b e t w e e n o n e side of the b a c k as c o m p a r e d to the other w h e n using the over-under grip. T h e s e shrugs will help keep the bar close to the b o d y which is very important. However, more and more lifters find that the over-under grip causes a disparity in back development as well as uneven stress. Some, such as 2 0 0 0 - 0 1 IPF super-heavy weight c h a m p i o n Brad G i l l i n g h a m of the U S A , h a v e switched to a double overhand, hook grip as used by O l y m p i c lifters for this reason. A Little Trick: This next has nothing to do with shrugs or traps but I'm going to shoehorn it in. B a c k in the days w h e n the ' 5 5 C h e v y was the hottest car in A m e r i c a and I was trying to switch my style from splitting to squatting with the snatch lift, old time holder of o n e -hand lift world records R o y S m i t h suggested I knurl my fingernails. H u h ? That's right, take a nail or any sharp point and dig three or four grooves in your thumbnails the long way, from cuticle to the tip of the nail. W h e n you clasp your forefinger over the nail for the h o o k grip, the g r o o v e s prevent slippage. If using the regular thumb-over-finger grip, g r o o v e your fingernails horizontally across the nail. S o m e lifters s i m p l y rough up their nails on the bar knurling b a c k in the w a r m - u p r o o m . We figured this trick was worth five additional p o u n d s on a lift. say? M a n y a world title has been won by that margin.
Not much, you
By the way, both powerlifting c h a m p i o n s Chip M c C a i n and D a n Austin h a v e reco m m e n d e d lean-forward shrugs in articles in Powerlifting USA. I suggest using an incline b e n c h or s o m e other support so that greater weights m a y be used and m o r e specific m u s c l e groups targeted. M a n y lifters are capable of handling h u g e weights for sets and reps with shrug m o v e m e n t s , so straps m a y be a good idea. O l y m p i c lifting c h a m pion A l e x y e v of the old Soviet U n i o n is k n o w n to h a v e standing-shrugged 9 0 0 lbs for reps, as h a v e other weightlifters. Truly prodigious p o u n d a g e s are possible. T h e r e are no "world r e c o r d s " for shrugs, as no contest has ever been held for them as a lift that I k n o w about, so we h a v e only g y m anecdotes. Rising powerlifter Josh B r y a n t reported as of J a n u a r y 2 0 0 2 to h a v e d o n e 1035 lbs x 5 reps in the standing shrug and a hold off the rack with 1175! He was twenty years old at the time and w e i g h e d around 3 0 0 pounds. I w o u l d be remiss if I did not point out that m a n y top deadlifters do not regularly practice shrugs, preferring to practice pulls at different heights in the p o w e r rack. S o m e set their traps in a contracted u p w a r d position before starting the pull and try to hold that position throughout the rep, thereby getting a h u g e positive/negative benefit (see
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chapter two). Keith W a s s u n g told me in an email in February 2 0 0 0 that he d o e s this during a partial deadlift from his knees!
THE HISE S H R U G - P O W E R STYLE I said earlier I'd talk about shrug variations for the five competitive lifts. W h a t kind of shrug variation could help the squat? I k n o w of no shrug that can build hip and thigh strength. B u t I do k n o w o n e that will build confidence and u p p e r b o d y p o w e r and allow the lifter to m a n h a n d l e a lot of weight. It's performed by shouldering a h e a v y b a r and s h r u g g i n g - o r h u n c h i n g - i t u p w a r d s while taking deep breaths t o build bulk and power. This m o v e m e n t will get n e w trainees past the stage of the b a r hurting the shoulders, knit the s h o u l d e r girdle together and strengthen the entire u p p e r torso. O b v i o u s l y I'm talking about the Hise Shrug (see chapter t w o ) . T h e story of J o s e p h Curtis H i s e has been told m a n y times, so I won't get into it, but he has b e e n called the first powerlifter. T h e H i s e shrug and high-rep breathing squats h a v e been the k e y to m a n y bulk and p o w e r courses since the 1930s. T h i s was the first shrug other than the basic standing m o v e m e n t I ever attempted, w a y b a c k in 1954. B u t for competition training, let's do it a little differently. U n l i k e the breathing style H i s e Shrug described in chapter two, b a c k out of the rack with a weight y o u can squat for six to eight reps. Do not use a powerlifter stance; keep the bar in the n o r m a l position. B r e a t h e in and shrug up toward the ears with trap and scapular action. Eventually, m a n y lifters will be able to h a n d l e weights in e x c e s s of the lifter's best squat. This will increase squatting ability as the lifter gains shoulder girdle stability, and his confidence will soar as he practices b a c k i n g out ("walkouts") and setting up with overloads. Again, I do not r e c o m m e n d going so h e a v y that less than six reps can be performed. Six to eight reps should be sufficient; we are not trying for ribcage expansion here as described in chapters two and six. T h e back shrugs I described will help keep the b a c k straight and the h e a d up during the squat. C o m b i n i n g t h e m with the H i s e m o v e m e n t helps prevent losing the bar forward over the head during the squat. W r a p p i n g it up, powerlifters m i g h t add two sets of Hise shrugs after the squat, b e n c h shrugs or cable crossover shrugs w h e n BP training and face d o w n incline b e n c h " K e l s o " style shrugs and rack holds for deadlift assistance. O l y m p i c lifters will want to try snatch and clean grip shrugs at the positions discussed: initial, mid-point, and vertical. I say try t h e m all, but get serious about those that m e e t i m m e d i a t e needs such as sticking points, getting the shoulders back, or the drive explosion in benching.
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Well, that's about it for shrugs, although I mention them w h e r e appropriate in chapters five and six. Please use these shrug variations as an adjunct to your regular training. As a general rule, I w o u l d do them after the regular exercise they resemble most. I do not r e c o m m e n d trying very low reps or m a x attempts with these m o v e m e n t s unless y o u are an a d v a n c e d weight man, and then, be careful. If you wish to do m o r e reading about shrugs, A p p e n d i x II is a list of s o m e of the articles I've written on the subjects in this b o o k . T h e chapter "You Can't Shrug It O f f " in my Powerlifting Basics: Texas-Style book from Iron M i n d Enterprises, Inc, page 46, addresses training for the deadlift. Articles about my work, or reprints, reviews and translations have also appeared in Dr. K e n Leistner's The Steel Tip, The H. I. T. Newsletter, Iron Man, Powerlifting USA ( D o u g D a n i e l s 'work, a m o n g others) and in J a p a n in Powerlifting News and Bodybuilding and Powerlifting. I c a n n o t confirm, but I have b e e n told, that versions of my articles h a v e surfaced in half a dozen countries and languages, including C h i n e s e and Italian. Articles plagiarizing my work and signed by other writers have appeared in several of the " b e t t e r " publications in the g a m e . I take it as a compliment! N o w I can get b a c k to the g y m and e x p e r i m e n t more, and wait for the letters and emails telling me about the shrug variations I o v e r l o o k e d .
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Pat Henley at the top of a Hise Shrug, raising the bar with only shoulder girdle movement.
CHAPTER FIVE
TRAINING WITH THE "TRAP BAR" ( O R S I M I L A R B A R S N O W AVAILABLE)
(This chapter is based on the course I wrote for the Gerard Trap Bar, years ago when there were no other "trap bars " on the market. Yes, there are now a number of other such bars available, with distinct differences in design and possible advantages. However, the information in this course is applicable to all of them. I use the phrase "trap bar" generically to describe all such bars as a class.)
A
t first glance, these oddly shaped bars that the lifter stands inside of m a y appear too small for a g r o w n m a n to use. Actually, they h a v e the potential to h a v e a t r e m e n d o u s impact on the way we think about training. T h e theory is simple: m o v i n g the weights in closer to the body i m p r o v e s b a l a n c e and less effort is necessary to m o v e the weight.
W h i l e we are discussing biomechanics, let me add that by standing inside the bar frame, the weight is located to the rear of its n o r m a l path of m o v e m e n t . T h i s reduces lower back stress and shearing forces on the spine and knees. Also, the i m p r o v e d leverage provides higher intensity m u s c l e stimulation. In short, a person can train m o r e effectively and with greater safety. T i m e out here for a little b a c k g r o u n d : In the m i d 1980s, Al Gerard was a deadlift record holder in the A D F P A (drug free) in the southern states. He had lower b a c k problems and had b e e n searching for a w a y to train the deadlift without aggravating his condition. By developing the Gerard Trap Bar, engineer Al not only solved his physical p r o b l e m s but greatly increased his deadlift, as w a s his original intention. I h a t e to waste s p a c e on this, but statements h a v e b e e n circulated in the iron world that Al's bar was originally designed as a trapezius bar only and not for deadlift m o v e ments. This is simply not true, nor is the implication that my 1993 "shrug s y s t e m " b o o k 49
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was only about shrugs. That, and the claim that others " l a t e r " discovered that the bar was useful for deadlifts and overhead presses is ridiculous, as nineteen pages of that shrug b o o k were devoted to "trap b a r " training, including those two m o v e m e n t s . In fact, Gerard's first ad for his bar, appearing in the S e p t e m b e r 1986 Powerlifting USA, advocated the deadlift, stiff leg deadlift, shrug, and "upright row." Dr. K e n Leistner and m y s e l f pushed for deadlifts, the overhead press, and high-pulls with Gerard's bar in m a g a z i n e articles in 1 9 8 8 - 8 9 , well before any other parallel grip bars c a m e on the market. Also, m a n y of Al's early promotional materials e m p h a s i z e d the deadlift training aspect. H o w do I k n o w ? I wrote them. Unfortunately, there has always been a lot of defalcation of ideas and claim j u m p ing a m o n g publishers and manufacturers in the iron world. Such n o n s e n s e only confuses the n e w trainees. T h e Gerard bar was not in production as of A u g u s t 2 0 0 1 , d u e to licensing and trademark disputes. It will be back, if it isn't already. I h a v e never manufactured "trap b a r s " or any other e q u i p m e n t and I will not r e c o m m e n d o n e version or another here. T h e r e are m a n y from which to choose, and the trainee should m a k e a choice based on his n e e d s and good sense. B u t I digress. Let's get back to w h a t these types of bars can do for the trainee. Studies conducted by Gerard and others suggest the reduction in stress to the lower back varies from 1 4 - 1 8 % . I a s s u m e this would depend on the proportions and leverages of the lifter plus the characteristics, balance, and s h a p e of the bar used. K n e e shearing forces are reduced as well. In addition to doing leg, hip, and lower back work with the bar, Al discovered that the bar could be applied to other exercises. He has used all the "trap b a r " m o v e m e n t s described here in his o w n training. T h e first thing I did w h e n I got my bar was load up for the bent over or Lat Shrug for the m i d d l e and lower trapezius area and lats. T h e response of the targeted m u s c l e g r o u p s was just terrific! T h e p a l m s facing feature of the bar provides the desired angle for m a x i m u m stretch and contraction while the braced b a r delivers stability. S o m e think that m a c h i n e s provide the stability needed. Perhaps. B u t my p r o b l e m with m a c h i n e s has always been that a m a c h i n e trains the muscle targeted or even the w h o l e body to do w h a t the m a c h i n e does, and not necessarily what I would like it to do. T h i s is the chief rap against the " S m i t h " m a c h i n e , although s o m e are better designed than others; I'd add that the trainee should also be careful of badly designed leg extension machines, s o m e hack-squat m a c h i n e s (I can't walk past a h a c k m a c h i n e without my knees hurting) and m a n y pec-decs. Regular standing trap bar shrugs can be d o n e straight up toward the ears without dragging the bar up the body. With the iron closer to the b o d y and m o v i n g vertically parallel to the spine without body drag, a m o r e effective contraction can be achieved
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with less lower back stress. In the bent over position, the focal spot of contraction can be varied: to the lower trap inserts, the lats, the middle, or u p p e r areas. T h e best way to perform any bent over shrug variation is face-down on a high r o w ing b e n c h or on an incline b e n c h set a low angle. This takes the lower back and legs out of the exercise and isolates the m u s c l e s targeted. I had k n o w n for s o m e time that o n e of the most effective w a y s to shrug, at any angle, was with h e a v y d u m b b e l l s held with p a l m s facing. But there are several problems with dumbbells:
1. It is s o m e t i m e s difficult to get the bells into position without a spotter, as m a n y experienced iron m e n can handle e n o r m o u s p o u n d a g e s . 2. A lot of effort is bled off into the lats and other torso m u s c l e s as the trainee tries to stabilize the weights and keep them "in the g r o o v e . " 3. F e w g y m s stock d u m b b e l l s over 100 lbs.
Yep, that's w h a t I said. M a n y top powerlifters can rep shrug m o r e than they can deadlift. A n d top O l y m p i c lifters can often shrug m o r e than they can clean. T h e y better be able to, or they won't get very far!! I k n o w m a n y experienced weight c o a c h e s hold that d u m b b e l l s are m o r e effective than a straight bar for shrugging, but if o n e hundred pounders are all that's available, then there's a p r o b l e m . M o s t advanced bodybuilders need m o r e weight than that for optimal development. Lifters need w a y m o r e . So h o w can a trainee, on any level of advancement, h a n d l e m a x p o u n d a g e s with stability and still get m a x i m u m intensity? With a "trap bar," that's how. This bar is a real w i n n e r for h o m e g y m training, especially with the deadlift up on blocks for heavy hip and thigh work as spotters and squat racks are not needed. T h e original bar could be loaded to 700 pounds, which is e n o u g h for a n y b o d y to get a workout. (This p o u n d a g e n o w varies, d e p e n d i n g on the differences in c o m p e t i n g bars on the market.) Shrugs aside, out of all the exercises a lifter can do with these bars, I believe the finest is the deadlift, or leg lift. B e c a u s e the trainee must get low to begin, and b e c a u s e the center of gravity is low, the result is a reduction in b a c k stress. Further, a t r e m e n d o u s hip and thigh w o r k o u t is a c c o m p l i s h e d safely and without the need of spotters. T h e leg lift
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To save time and energy, I often did b i c e p s and waist w o r k at h o m e on a day off. After a few m o n t h s on this program, I gradually shifted to a m o r e specific powerlifting routine and then into a full p o w e r c y c l e . T h e a b o v e p r o g r a m worked for me as I gained five p o u n d s in the first two m o n t h s I followed it and lost an inch off my gut. My knees quit hurting and I a d d e d forty p o u n d s to my deadlift. N o w let's talk about training for c o m p e t i t i o n powerlifting using Al Gerard's system. Here's h o w I would set it up: Pre-Cycle Phase (Train two d a y s a week)
Day One • H e a v y squats: • Trap b a r stiff leg deadlift • B e n c h press (speed work) • Trap bar upright r o w s (high-pull) • Assistance exercises: 2 sets each of close grip b e n c h and calf work. Day Two • Trap b a r deadlift (leg lift) • B e n c h press (heavy): • Trap b a r standing shrugs • H e a v y rowing or p u l l d o w n s • Assistance exercises: 2 sets each of military press and calves. T h e total n u m b e r of sets in these w o r k o u t s should be twenty or less. After three weeks, perform the stiff leg and deadlift m o v e m e n t s w h i l e standing on a block or small platform at least three inches in height. This insures greater range of m o v e m e n t in both exercises and m u c h m o r e thigh involvement in the leglift. At this time I w o u l d drop the upright r o w i n g and replace it with Lat S h r u g s on an incline b e n c h set at 35-45 degrees. I w o u l d also add a set of B e n c h S h r u g s at the end of the b e n c h press workout. (See chapters two and three for the B e n c h Shrug.) Al G e r a r d stayed with his trap bar training for about three or four m o r e w e e k s and then converted to a full cycle of about eight w e e k s to p e a k out at the contest he'd been shooting at all along. Lifters w h o think they need m o r e squat training m i g h t want to set up a three or four day p r o g r a m .
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S o m e lifters cycle up to a contest with regular deadlifts, and then switch back to the trap bar for the last two deadlift workouts before the meet. T h i s reduces lower back stress while maintaining hip and thigh power. R e m e m b e r , the deadlift can be trained with the trap bar as m u c h as twice a week d u e to the reduced lower back stress. Now, w h a t about p o u n d a g e selection? Here's w h a t Al Gerard r e c o m m e n d e d ten or m o r e years ago and I don't see m u c h of a w a y to i m p r o v e on it n o w : Off-Season Phase • T r a p B a r stiff legs: 4 x 8 with 2 0 - 4 0 % o f your m a x i m u m single deadlift. Off blocks after 2-3 weeks. • T r a p Bar upright rows: 4 x 8 with 2 0 - 3 0 % o f deadlift m a x . • T r a p Bar deadlifts: 4 x 6 with 3 0 - 5 0 % o f deadlift max. Off blocks after 2-3 weeks. • T r a p B a r standing shrugs: 4 x 12 with 3 0 - 4 0 % of deadlift m a x .
(Start a b o u t 1 2 w e e k s b e f o r e c o m p e t i t i o n ) • T r a p bar Stifflegs: 4 x 8 , top set 5 0 % o f deadlift m a x (blocks). • T r a p B a r upright rows: 4 x 8 , top set 3 5 % o f deadlift m a x . • T r a p B a r deadlifts: 4 x 6 , top set 6 0 % o f deadlift m a x . • T r a p Bar standing shrugs: 4 x 12, top set 5 0 % of deadlift m a x .
Peaking Cycle T h e final eight weeks of the cycle is left up to the individual lifter to use a p r o g r a m he has found to be most successful in the past. N o w get this! I will drop standing shrugs from the routine at this time and use only " K e l s o " or Lat shrugs on an incline bench set at various angles. T h e s e are performed as an assistance exercise on the squat/bench day before my deadlift day. T h e standing shrug is excellent for the upper trap, for O l y m p i c style lifters, and for maintaining bar height. But the key function of the trapezius and other scapular retrac:ors in the deadlift is getting and keeping the traps and shoulders squared or back, not up! T h a t is w h y I practice several sets face-down on an incline b e n c h set at 35 degrees and then several sets with it set at 55 degrees. T h e s e correspond to my body position during the initial pull and secondary pull of the lift as the b o d y drives to the vertical.
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T h e r e is no reason w h y b o d y b u i l d e r s c a n n o t benefit from using the trap bar, even if it w a s originally d e s i g n e d for powerlifting. Deadlifts on blocks, stifflegs, upright rows, shrugs and overhead presses are all standard m o v e m e n t s . T h e c h a n g e in leverage provides advantages not found with straight bars. N o w I will go on to explain the trap bar m o v e m e n t s o n e at a time:
DEADLIFT OR LEGLIFT Perform as you w o u l d a deadlift with the straight bar. Your ankles should line up just b e h i n d the yokes that hold the plates. As y o u r leverages are different with the trap bar, your form will allow your legs and hips to do m o s t of the work. Start in the low position, b a c k straight, a r m s straight, and drive with y o u r legs as if you are trying to push your feet through the floor.
SHRUGS Start as if deadlifting. After standing erect, shrug y o u r shoulders up toward your ears. K e e p y o u r a r m s straight! Do not roll back during powerlifting training. ( S o m e m a k e s of bars n o w h a v e extension attachments so the bar can be used in a rack.)
UPRIGHT ROW (HIGH-PULL) Like the shrug m o v e m e n t , except bend your a r m s and lift the e l b o w s high as you pull up toward your ears. L o o k s like you are doing dips with the trap bar in your h a n d s or p e r h a p s negative dips. K e e p the e l b o w s slightly to the rear, as in dips.
DEADLIFTS ON BLOCKS Perform as you would the deadlift, e x c e p t n o w you are standing on two to three inch plates or blocks. Even m o r e hip and q u a d force will be used b e c a u s e of the extended range of m o v e m e n t . K e e p the b a c k as straight as possible, a r m s straight, and again simulate pushing your feet through the floor.
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STIFF LEG DEADLIFT Stand inside the bar with your k n e e s slightly bent (unlocked), b e n d over at the waist, round your back, and then straighten up with control to a vertical stance.
STIFF LEG DEADLIFT OX B L O C K S S a m e as above, except by standing on blocks you extend the range of m o v e m e n t and m a k e the exercise m o r e intense.
OVERHEAD PRESS It is a little a w k w a r d to get the bar into position since it's not built for cleaning. You can place the bar on freestanding squat racks or perhaps inside a p o w e r rack. ( S o m e c o m p a n i e s offer extensions that adapt the bar for the p o w e r rack.) O n e w a y is to sit on the end of a b e n c h with bar on the floor. Stand the bar up on the point of the bent c r o o k of the bar nearest you. G r a b the handles. Lean forward and put your head and shoulders into the bar so that the top crook h o o k s behind your neck across the shoulders. Then, push up and back with y o u r hands and sit up erect, sort off a seated good m o r n ing. If you can't get the bar into position this way, you are using a heck of a lot of weight, or else you need stiff leg deadlifts and other erector work. O k , you have your head and shoulders inside the bar and are grasping the h a n d l e s with p a l m s facing, either standing or sitting. A l l o w the bar to sag d o w n as far as possible, so that the handles are even with or just b e l o w the top of the deltoids. I grab the h a n d l e s just forward of center so that the bar tips slightly to the rear. This enables me to press straight up with very little lean back. Return to the sag position after every rep. T h e outer deltoid will be strongly affected, with lesser benefits for the traps, triceps, and upper chest. Sets of 6 to 8 reps s e e m best. Again, very large or heavy-shouldered m e n m a y not be able to do this exercise with s o m e of the smaller bars available.
B E N T O V E R OR LAT S H R U G S Take the position for the bent over row or lie face-down on an incline b e n c h set at 35 to 55 degrees. Select a weight that can be handled in rowing for eight reps. K e e p i n g the arms straight, pull or shrug with the back muscles only and force the scapulae (shoulder blades) together. C o n c e n t r a t e on a point directly b e t w e e n the scapulae,
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focusing on the m i d d l e or lower traps. L o w e r the bar for a full stretch and repeat. S e e m o r e on this in chapters one, two, and four. S o m e m a y find it difficult to set up for this exercise, d e p e n d i n g on their height or the b e n c h e s available. S m a l l e r m e n might stand inside the bar, taller m e n in back. If no comfortable w a y can be found, a straight bar or d u m b b e l l s can be used. S o m e c o m p a nies m a k e a c u t a w a y bar for this purpose. BENCH SHRUG This m o v e is described in chapters two and three. You m a y wish to use it after your b e n c h presses. A few c o m m e n t s are in order as I begin to wrap this up. Yes, you can use d u m b bells for B e n c h Shrugs. You can u s e the trap bar if you can get it into position. Again, s o m e m o d e l s h a v e extensions for u s e in a p o w e r rack. You c a n n o t b e n c h press with any trap bar as far as I know, except possibly with a cutaway m o d e l . I s u p p o s e an e x t r e m e ly tall or short person might be able to b e n c h with it, or s o m e of the n e w models, but 99 out of 100 people are g o i n g to risk s m a s h i n g themselves between the eyes with the bend in the bent section of the bar. It d e p e n d s on the person and the bar b e i n g used.
U n i q u e Q u a l i t i e s o f the Trap B a r
• It is designed as a deadlift training bar that provides reduced lower back stress and k n e e shearing forces. W h e n practiced with the "pushing your feet through the floor" technique, it could be very useful to O l y m p i c lifters for increasing their drive off the floor. This would also be of aid in training the squat, w h e n using the deadlift m o v e m e n t on blocks. • It m a y be used in place of e q u i p m e n t or in addition to e q u i p m e n t already in use. • B e c a u s e of the bar's balance, it provides leverage advantages that result in increased intensity — s o m e t h i n g e v e r y o n e wants. • T h e bar is safer to u s e for certain high p o u n d a g e m o v e ments; this is especially true in h o m e g y m s .
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Finally, I believe the bar has b e c o m e a standard piece of e q u i p m e n t in the Iron G a m e , and will bring back lost e n t h u s i a s m for a lot of people who, like myself, were getting a little discouraged b e c a u s e of lingering physical problems. Besides, it is fun to use. I expect to see m o r e deadlift records b r o k e n as word gets out about the trap bar.
Proper F o r m W h e n Using A Trap Bar
1. Stand inside the bar with feet about shoulder width apart. 2. Your ankles should line up just behind the yokes that hold the weights. 3. Your grip should be in the center of the handles. If not the bar will tip. 4. U s e lighter weights until you are familiar with the feel of the trap bar. 5. U s e good form at all times. It b e c o m e s second nature as you go along.
More general basic courses using the
"trap bar" are listed in Appendix I.
Deadlift or Leglift with Trap Bar. Model- Al Gerard, inventor of the bar that carries his name.
Deadlift on block. Places more emphasis on quads and lower back.
KELSO'S SHRUG BOOK
Hiiroyuki Shinozaki demonstrates the overhead press with parallel grip bar. Excellent for deltoids. Hiro has placed second at 275 lbs. in the Japan Nationals.
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Standing shrug with parallel grip bar. There is no body drag as with a straight bar.
Highpull works deltoids, traps, arms, etc. Good bulk movement.
CHAPTER SIX
RIB CAGE EXPANSION AND OVERALL GROWTH
T
he vast majority of folks training with weights will never enter a lifting or b o d y building competition. T h e y train to e n h a n c e their ability in other sports or for their health. S o m e train for t-shirt m u s c l e s and a p p e a r a n c e and others to stave off the effects of time. M a n y want to i m p r o v e their ability to do grip tricks to impress friends and win b a r r o o m bets, or to c o m p e t e in s t r o n g m a n events, H i g h l a n d G a m e s , stone tossing or whatever. A n i m m e n s e u n s u n g n u m b e r o f trainees are o f the " g a r a g e " variety w h o enjoy getting together with pals and train only for their o w n satisfaction. Q u i t e a few a p p r o a c h the "iron g a m e " as a h o b b y and attempt a lot of exercises and out of v o g u e lifts from the "old days," collect antique weights and ancient courses, and are fascinated with the history of the g a m e . W h a t follows is a presentation of an older training principle that m a n y say is n o w outdated and which is out of favor in s o m e quarters. On the other hand, it still has a large n u m b e r of adherents, m y s e l f included, and has m a d e s o m e t h i n g of a c o m e b a c k in recent years. In my e x p e r i e n c e it is both result p r o d u c i n g and an exhilarating way to train. T h e following principles are d e s i g n e d to m a k e your chest wider and d e e p e r and spread your shoulders. It's a great p r o g r a m for beginners and first year m e n to u s e in stimulating overall g r o w t h and building a basic foundation for the future. Getting wider across and thicker front to back by e x p a n d i n g the rib c a g e will allow for m o r e m u s c u l a r weight to be carried. T h e exercises are for the m o s t part not secret or new, although s o m e of t h e m h a v e been neglected. T h e y are arranged h e r e in an order that will give m a x i m u m results. In 1 9 8 1 , I copyrighted the " B o n e Structure and G r o w t h C o u r s e " in shorter form than this chapter. T h a t title m a y be misleading, so I h a v e d r o p p e d it here.
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In truth, not m u c h can be d o n e with the bones, except m a y b e to m a k e them stronger and to prevent osteoporosis as o n e ages. Very young trainees might achieve s o m e lengthening. T h e p u r p o s e o f this m e t h o d i s n o t t o c h a n g e t h e b o n e s , rather, i t is to s p u r c h a n g e s in t h e costal cartilages a n d others that attach t h e r i b s to the stern u m a n d s p i n e , and i n the s m a l l m u s c l e s that support the rib cage a n d i n t h e i n s p i ratory m u s c l e s that f u n c t i o n d u r i n g b r e a t h i n g . E x p a n s i o n of the rib cage and will accomplish several things for you. Your appearance and posture will improve. A larger frame allows for m o r e m u s c u l a r weight to be gained. I want to e m p h a s i z e that overall growth is a real b o n u s with these m e t h o d s . Your strength leverage should improve. Your overall conditioning and e n d u r a n c e will improve. A by-product for b e n c h press fanatics is that a larger rib cage and higher stern u m will shorten the lifter's stroke. See chapter three for ideas on that. For the routine to work best, the exercises should be performed as I explain them. F o l l o w the instructions for three m o n t h s ( m i n i m u m ) to six months. Results vary from person to person, but from my o w n experience and that of my pupils, I would say that o n e and a half to three inches of chest gain can be expected in that first time period. R e p o r t s in the literature from writers like J o h n M c C a l l u m and J o h n M c K e a n claim more. Critics of these m e t h o d s often state that they can only be effective for trainees under twenty three or so years old, b e c a u s e the b o n e s harden or set after that age. A n u m b e r of recent articles state that older m e n c a n n o t m a k e any c h a n g e s in their " b o n e structure," and suggest any noticeable i m p r o v e m e n t s with these m e t h o d s are just muscular weight gain. Yet the literature of training contains m a n y stories of older m e n w h o claim success or at least satisfaction with this type of training. So, h o w can these differences in opinion be resolved? Easy. It's not about bones, except perhaps in the young. In an e x c h a n g e of emails, C a s e y Butt, a graduate student in electrical engineering from N e w f o u n d l a n d , reminded me that J.C. Hise wrote fifty or m o r e years ago that the goal of rib expansion exercises is to place e n o u g h stretch on the costal cartilages to activate d o r m a n t m e s e n c h y m a l cells that exist in the adult hyaline cartilage so that they differentiate into adult cells. Casey, w h o has written for MILO and has just started a n e w iron m a g and w e b site, The WeighTrainer, adds that these and the inspiratory m u s c l e s that e x p a n d the rib cage during inhalation will —after s o m e training—aid in elevating and spreading the rib cage, lifting the sternum, and increasing lung capacity. I do not claim any scientific expertise, but if Hise was correct, that explanation will do me until a better o n e c o m e s along. Scientists are generally wary of g y m w i s d o m , but let me add an anecdotal story of my own. I w a s a concert folksinger for m a n y years. M a n y times w h e n I was out of shape, or had fallen b a c k into the clutches of tobacco, I'd get a call to perform in a few weeks. I would hike out in the w o o d s and bellow the score to musicals like " O k l a h o m a " or " C a r o u s e l " o n e day and head to the g y m the next to do set after set of high-rep squats, pullovers, and Rader chest pulls. Worked like a c h a r m
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for my breathing in p e r f o r m a n c e and m a d e me feel great. I a s s u m e my d i a p h r a g m was strengthened. My shirts b e c a m e tighter without weight gain. T h a t suggests to me a reason w h y m a n y older trainees claim rib cage i m p r o v e m e n t with these m e t h o d s . If an older person has never trained before, activating the costal cartilages and supporting muscles of the rib cage should p r o d u c e noticeable results. For a trainee w h o has had a very long layoff, regaining at least the structure possessed in the past should be an obtainable goal. Atrophied m u s c l e can be p u m p e d b a c k up w h e n training is r e s u m e d ; m a y b e ribcages have " m e m o r i e s " as m u s c l e s do. W h i l e preparing this chapter I c o r r e s p o n d e d with a gent w h o d o e s not want his n a m e used. His r e m a r k s were like m a n y of the nay-sayers on this subject. He pretty m u c h scoffed at the idea of costal cartilage stretching or g r o w t h and even the existence of "inspiratory m u s c l e s " which he claimed would be involuntary m u s c l e s in any case. T h e n why, as I sit here at my d e s k p o u n d i n g away at the keyboard, can I e x p a n d my chest m e a s u r e m e n t and lift my sternum voluntarily without inhaling? If a m u s c l e or b o d y part can be triggered voluntarily, then s o m e way can be figured out to train it. (I think I just wrote a n e w "Kelso's Law.") I got flack for my suggestion in the original " b o n e " course that a b e g i n n e r m i g h t w a n t to use a board u n d e r his heels while squatting. T h e complaint is that doing this m a y put excess strain on the knees and set the lifter up for injury. In fact, that thinking has b e c o m e almost carved in stone in the last ten years, and is rarely contradicted. T h e s e things c o m e and go in weight training. For instance, the box squat was a very popular training exercise w h e n I was young. T h e n it was darned near illegal in g y m s for decades b e c a u s e the " n e w " c o m m o n k n o w l e d g e held that they w o u l d injure the spine. But the box squat has c o m e b a c k in the last five years or so and is again widely practiced by powerlifters. Now think about this: It d e p e n d s h o w you squat. If you squat completely straight up and d o w n — a l l o w i n g y o u r knees to get far ahead out over y o u r toes—then you are transferring stress to y o u r knees. If you break at the hips first and sit b a c k into the squat, there should be little p r o b l e m . I used both the elevated heel and the b o x squat for m a n y years and h a v e never had k n e e or back p r o b l e m s . I have been in g y m s w h e r e the instructors will not permit u s e of a board or plate u n d e r the heels, but regularly e n c o u r a g e use of the "sissy squat" or the H a c k squat m a c h i n e . H a c k s kill my knees, no matter w h a t stance I take. Again, a lot d e p e n d s on the leverages of the trainee and the m a c h i n e being used; this is another e x a m p l e w h e r e personal choice and need should m a k e the decision. Of c o u r s e you h a v e to learn to squat properly. I've b e e n to two hundred-plus weightlifting and powerlifting contests and have yet to see a lifter walk out on to the platform carrying a two-by-four. B u t while learning to squat and developing flexibility along with the torso and shoulder girdle strength to support larger weights, a board, a small plate u n d e r each heel, or even strong-heeled shoes can help maintain b a l a n c e
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and an upright position. B u t this won't work for everybody, since e v e r y o n e has different leverages. M a n y weightlifters and powerlifters still insert a heel lift into their shoes, which they say helps them squat lower and positions t h e m to start driving their hips forward earlier during the ascent. A widely circulated story is that Dr. Squat, Fred Hatfield, regularly puts two-inch lifts in his shoes and was wearing them when he performed his famous 1,014-pound squat. I c o m p e t e d in weightlifting in U . S . A r m y c o m b a t boots. T h e y w o r k e d for me then: if c o m p e t i n g now, I'd c h o o s e a lighter weight shoe. O t h e r s insist that no heel is best and squat in no-heel basketball shoes, which in my case would t h r o w m o s t of the stress into my hips and lower b a c k and c a u s e forward lean. A p o w erlifer using a very w i d e stance probably would not benefit m u c h from a high heel. O n e overlooked factor: if your s h o e size is small in relation to your height and overall proportions, the m o r e likely you will benefit from a heel and stable s h o e sole. B r o o k s Kubik, widely respected author of Dinosaur Training, c a m e out against raised heels in squatting in a Hardgainer article about ten years ago. He has since c h a n g e d his mind, as this April 2 0 0 2 q u o t e reveals:
The stuff about squatting on raised heels being dangerous is tossed out by people who do not know how to do a proper squat. The exercise is perfectly safe. It's a lot safer (and more productive) to do a heels raised OL squat than to do the flat-footed "parallel" gut-it-up abominations that most guys do.
B r o o k s is speaking here about the " O l y m p i c " - s t y l e , high-bar, erect body, sink-it-tothe-calves squat as being preferable to the powerlifter's competition style for most trainees m o s t of the time. Training for a powerlifting meet is another matter. Heel height is an individual thing, although a 3/4 inch heel is widely accepted as best and is the most c o m m o n on the competitive platform. Several manufacturers m a k e shoes specifically for weightlifting and powerlifting. T h e rules of the International Powerlifting Federation state that no part of the underside of the shoe m a y be higher than five centimeters. T w o inches is 5.08 cm, so the IPF does not s e e m worried about lifters' knees. To end this, I'd say discard the board as soon as possible and get s o m e good shoes with a firm heel that suits you. As I h a v e written m a n y times, extremely w i d e hand spacing with any pressing or pulling m o v e m e n t , especially overhead or with the b e n c h press, m a y result in shoulder injuries over the years. I believe that is especially true with long-armed individuals, or persons with a relatively long u p p e r arm. Be careful, or find substitutes. In fact (and I am a long lanky type genetically) I did not put on major u p p e r b o d y m a s s until I included a lot of closer-than-normal hand spacing in my pressing and pulling m o v e m e n t s . That's o n e reason I like the trap bar: the weights are in closer to the body. S e e chapter five for an explanation of the advantages.
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Paul Kelso, left, age 15 1/2 (the young idiot obviously bitten by the bodybuilding bug), and his brother Mark, age 18. Note the narrow, flat ribcage structure on both boys. Paul's training log said he weighted 147 in this shot.
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The author at 18 years 3 months, at about 192 lbs. The widened chest and raised sternum are plainly visible. See text for his program,
My first w o r k o u t took place in the back yard of a pro wrestler n a m e d J o e Cassius, who lived near the S M U c a m p u s in Dallas. ( J o e later b e c a m e a famous psychologist and appeared on national TV talk shows.) He s h o w e d me h o w to row, squat, do pullovers, flies, dumbbell bench presses, and behind the neck presses. I've got to throw this o n e in. J o e was very short ( 5 ' 4 " ) and prodigiously muscular. Weighed about 2 1 5 . A friend o n c e suggested that if he ever n e e d e d work he could paint himself red, white and blue and get a j o b as a mailbox. I mail ordered a barbell and set up in my garage. I had no squat rack or flat bench. My squat weight was limited to whatever I could clean and j e r k and shoulder. I m a d e up for this by doing as m a n y squat reps as possible before d u m p i n g the bar off backwards onto the lawn. This set my father off swearing w h e n the lawn m o w e r wheels got
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caught in the holes and he threatened to use the plates for bass boat anchors. I had to m o w the yard for years, but the high-rep squats w e r e worth it. I could not have been doing any better exercise for a lanky, narrow-chested kid. I "incorrectly" used a fairly w i d e grip for bent over rowing and behind the neck presses. My b e n c h work was limited to pullovers, flies, and d u m b b e l l b e n c h presses on an old w o o d e n A r m y a m m u n i t i o n box. W h e n I b e g a n training, I did not concentrate on t-shirt muscles, as so m a n y beginners do, but on building the frame needed for overall development. I k n o w things have c h a n g e d a lot since the early fifties, but w h a t good are "gladiator p e c s " without structural strength and conditioning? I had no workout partner to help with b e n c h i n g b e c a u s e weight training was frowned on in those days. High school c o a c h e s taught that weights would m a k e you " m u s c l e b o u n d " (a term that has no medical basis) and would ruin your heart. H o w times have c h a n g e d . My i m p r o p e r training paid off. W i t h o u t k n o w i n g it, I was using a training m e t h o d that m a n y m e n have used over the years. In five years I increased my chest size seven inches before regularly including the b e n c h press in my program. Today my chest size is 4 8 - 5 0 inches, d e p e n d i n g on my b o d y weight. " B r e a t h i n g " squat p r o g r a m s for gaining bulk and p o w e r h a v e been around a long time, the trail leading from Milo Steinborn in the 1920s to R o g e r Eell's course in 1932 to M a r k Berry's writing in 1936, and then on to Peary Rader, B o b Hoffman and others. J o e H i s e is famous for using them and behind neck presses to achieve h u g e weight gains. T h i s type of training is m a k i n g a c o m e b a c k . It usually features a single set of squats for twenty reps with forced breathing (see b e l o w ) . You can find m o r e information on this type of training in Randall Strossen's b o o k Super Squats, the writings of Peary R a d e r and John M c C a l l u m , and in Hardgainer magazine. B u t I'm talking about ribcage expansion as well as weight gain here. With that in mind, let's get started. First, m e a s u r e your chest, both n o r m a l and e x p a n d e d . U s e a metal tape if possible. Write it d o w n . It's a good idea to keep a w o r k o u t n o t e b o o k or log to record your sets, reps, and p o u n d a g e s at the end of every workout. T h i s is an easy way to keep track of your progress and m a k e s interesting reading thirty years later. S e c o n d , m e a s u r e the distance from the b a s e of y o u r neck to the outside point of your deltoid (shoulder) muscle. You will be a m a z e d at h o w m u c h difference a gain of 1/4 to 1/2 inch in width will m a k e in your general appearance. M e a s u r e yourself again after three m o n t h s and see what h a p p e n e d . Third, eat! (Unless you are over weight in which case you should use a c o m m o n sense diet without fads.) Chicken, fish, milk, eggs, c h e e s e and canned, water-packed tuna are excellent sources for the protein and minerals you need for m u s c u l a r gain. Eat vegetables every day w h e t h e r you like them or not. Put fruit on your cereal. Eat a
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b a k e d potato, pasta or b r o w n rice three or four times a week for training energy. D r i n k a "blender b o m b " m a d e from milk and protein p o w d e r every day. Stay off the soft drinks and bakery stuff for a while. T h e y have too m u c h sugar and too m a n y e m p t y calories. Do take a vitamin-mineral supplement. Following is your suggested list of exercises. I'll explain them step-by-step:
1. Stretching and Trunk Twists. 2. Breathing Stiff-Leg Deadlift. 1-2 sets. 3. Breathing Squat. 2 sets. Alternate sets with: 4. Light pullovers or D u m b b e l l flies, or breathing-style Hise Shrugs, Rader Chest Pulls, etc. 5. Breathing O v e r h e a d P u l l d o w n s behind neck wide grip, or on the cable crossover m a c h i n e . 1-2 sets. 6. Alternate b e t w e e n A and B: A. Incline B e n c h Press and B e n t O v e r R o w i n g wide grip. 2-3 sets. B. Behind N e c k Press wide grip and H e a v y Bent A r m Pullover with barbell or on Nautilus Torso m a c h i n e . 2-3 sets. ( D o 'A' o n e w o r k o u t day and ' B ' the other.) 7.
Rader C h e s t Pulls (optional). 1 set.
8. Calves, Curls, and Waist. No m o r e than 2 sets each.
Yes, you can increase the n u m b e r of sets w h e n you feel ready. You're probablv thinking that this a strange course b e c a u s e there are no b e n c h presses, leg curls, or one-hand concentration curls. T h e r e is a sound reason for omitting these and other exercises. T h e y don't fit the purposes of this course.
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Neither does extending yourself on y o u r w o r k set(s) to the point of puking or m a x ing out regularly with low reps or singles. Instead of "no pain, no g a i n " I hold that "train, not strain" is the best a x i o m to follow with this p r o g r a m . Beginners, first year men, and most other trainees should r e m e m b e r that courses published in the m a g a z i n e s are usually written by advanced m e n for advanced m e n . (Many, if not most, of the articles in the glossy m a g a z i n e s that are signed by "Mr. Wonderful" are actually ghost written.) I don't care if Arnold, Flex, and R o n n i e recomm e n d twenty sets per b o d y part. T h e y have been training hard for years and are conditioned for it. You probably haven't been. T h i s c o u r s e is designed for p e o p l e on the w a y up w h o want a good start. Specialization and training for other goals can c o m e later. Now for
the
method:
STRETCHING Before b e g i n n i n g any workout session, w a r m up thoroughly. Do s o m e free hand k n e e bends, toe touches, pushups, and wrestler-type stretches on the floor. Don't neglect the shoulders. I like to do s o m e squat-style snatching m o v e m e n t s with a light bar. G e t loose first so you don't injure s o m e t h i n g later.
TRUNK TWISTING Place an e m p t y bar or b r o o m stick across your shoulders. Twist in a deliberate fashion back and forth from the hips up. Pick a spot on the wall in front of you and keep y o u r face and hips aimed at this spot. Don't b e n d your knees. Twist around far e n o u g h so that your h a n d s cross in front of that spot on the wall. L e a n i n g forward or b a c k slightly will stretch or contract different areas of your waistline and torso. B e g i n with about twenty counts each way, eventually working up to fifty. Do the s a m e thing bent over from the waist. Your goal is to get loose e n o u g h so that the b a r s w i n g s past the opposite toe. This w o r k s the love handle area. Try to contract y o u r a b d o m i n a l m u s c l e s on the d o w n swing. Do the s a m e n u m b e r of reps as above. M a n y b o d y b u i l d e r s and c o a c h e s are against this m o v e m e n t , claiming it thickens the waist and can lead to spinal injury. It can, if y o u use a lot of weight and swing the bar ballistically. I believe the entire waist c o l u m n should be worked in order to better support h e a v y squats and overhead lifts. You can always cut back. After all, w h a t are you training for, athletic p o w e r or the b e a c h ?
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T h e s e exercises w a r m up your waist, hamstrings, and lower back, which leads to a great—but little practiced—breathing m o v e m e n t .
THE BREATHING STIFF LEG DEADLIFT T h i s exercise is well k n o w n for developing the lower back, hamstrings, and leg biceps. O u r w a y will do the s a m e , but it is also a heavy-breathing chest expander. If y o u ' v e never d o n e any toe-touching with weight before, start light. U s e an e m p t y 20 lb. bar, an O l y m p i c bar, or more, d e p e n d i n g on y o u r strength. Try it first with a w i d e foot stance (which m e a n s you won't have to b e n d over so far). As you loosen up, m o v e y o u r feet closer together. T h e first several workouts will stretch and contract y o u r h a m s t r i n g s and spinal erectors and you'll feel it the next m o r n i n g . B e n d y o u r knees a little if you need to, but w o r k toward keeping the legs almost straight. As you increase the weight over the weeks, I'd suggest keeping your knees unlocked but stable. This exercise also strengthens your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back; all are important in squatting. T h e important part of this m o v e m e n t is timing your breathing with the motion. W h e n the bar passes above your knees on the w a y up, b r e a t h e in. K e e p your arms straight, roll your shoulders to the rear, and breathe out forcibly while contracting your lats and pecs and squeezing the sides of your chest with your arms. Your ribcage should be forced forward and u p w a r d at this point. T h e sternum or b r e a s t b o n e will be pushed out and up. H o l d the pressure for a count or two. T h e n lower the bar and repeat. T h i s m o v e m e n t takes practice to master. It's all one s m o o t h m o v e m e n t until you get to the exhale-and-contract point. To achieve m a x i m u m chest lift, there should be no air in your lungs during the contraction. For extra gains, inhale, exhale and flex again while in this position. Do this several times each rep. It's very important to use as m u c h weight as possible so that the contraction and chest lift will be m a x i m i z e d . You can do this from a regular or conventional deadlift motion as well, using the legs and m o r e weight. (You can do it without leg or lower b a c k involvement—see the "sternum shrug" in chapter two—but s o m e leg/hip u s e w o r k s best for the purposes of this course.) Try 12 reps per set. W a r m i n g up the legs and lower back is necessary as it leads us to the m o n s t e r m o v e of the course:
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THE BREATHING SQUAT M o s t advanced m e n as well as trainees agree: T h e y hate squats. T h e r e is nothing in the world so creative as a trainee inventing excuses for not doing squats. T h e y pinch a nerve in my back. T h e y aggravate my football injury, my old war w o u n d , my car accident injury. Pick one, any e x c u s e will do. O n e popular e x c u s e is that they will m a k e y o u r butt big. A n d it's true that if you perform squats incorrectly for several years you can develop hips and thighs out of proportion to the m i d d l e and lower thigh. However, doing powerlifter competition-style squats (bar held d o w n the back with feet spread wide) isn't going to p r o d u c e the thigh that 99 out of 100 mirror athletes want. Furthermore, most of you couldn't build a big butt if you wanted one. Your heredity, or natural structure and s h a p e won't allow it. In fact, if you do h a v e a flabby seat, high rep squats will help tighten it up! Did Steve Reeves, J o h n G r i m e k , or R e g Park have big butts? D o e s squat c h a m p Ed C o a n have o n e ? D o e s S i v o k o n ? No. T h e truth is, properly performed squats are the best single exercise k n o w n for overall g r o w t h and power. T h e r e is no getting around it. T h e key is doing them properly for the purpose you have in m i n d . Never, never attempt high-count, 15-20 rep heavy breathing squats in the style of a powerlifter's competition squat. H e r e is h o w to do them for the goals of this course: C h o o s e a weight that you can squat for 10-12 reps. T h e bar m u s t be heavy enough so that the last 4 or 5 reps are serious. Now, what you are going to do is 15 reps—by taking 3 or 4 extra breaths between the last 7-8 reps, and possibly a little help from your training partner. If y o u h a v e never trained at all, I suggest starting with about one-third of your b o d y w e i g h t . Not a few trainees have started with an e m p t y bar. Take the bar off the rack, m a k i n g sure it rests across the trapezius, not high on the neck, but not d o w n the back like a powerlifter either. If you don't have a squat rack then either build one, learn to clean and jerk real quick or join a gym, but do something. If the bar hurts y o u r spine or shoulder bones, try w r a p p i n g a thick towel around the bar. You'll soon get used to it, and the deadlift/shrug m o v e m e n t in the breathing stiff leg deadlift will soon thicken your traps. T h i s is w h e r e you should start e x p e r i m e n t i n g with heel heights. S h o u l d e r the bar and back a w a y from the rack. Your heels should be directly under your armpits and not placed wider than y o u r shoulders. T h e very tall or long-legged m a y h a v e to go wider. U s e fairly wide h a n d spacing on the bar. Take a deep breath. L o w e r yourself into the squat while keeping y o u r b a c k and u p p e r body as straight as possible. Stay u n d e r control. Don't just fall d o w n and b o u n c e back up. L o w e r yourself until y o u r thighs are at least parallel to the floor (a line from k n e e to hip joint) or just under, and then rise. (Half squats as often practiced and too often taught at c o m mercial g y m s won't get it.)
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Breathe out on the way up. B a c k flat, body erect as you c o m e up. K e e p your head up. K e e p your chest up. Do not b r e a t h e in or out in the b o t t o m position. A well-known trick in doing squats is to pick out a spot on the wall in front of you that is about forehead height. Stare at it while squatting. K e e p i n g your head up helps you stay erect and your b a c k straight. Do not throw your head back and look up at the ceiling. Don't neglect your ab work, ever! T h e a b d o m i n a l s balance the pull of your lower back and if o n e or the other is weak, you can injure yourself. It's my opinion that training belts are over-used. R a t h e r than supporting your lower back, their real function s e e m s to me to be to give your abs s o m e t h i n g to push against. It's a matter of choice. I never u s e a belt while squatting unless using a weight I can h a n d l e for six reps or less, or with heavy overhead work. T h e lesson is clear: w o r k on y o u r abs. The important thing about these squats is the breathing. Breathe in at the top, squat, and breath out starting about halfway up. As you reach the sixth rep, take an extra breath and exhale before starting the next rep. After the tenth rep, take t w o or three extra breaths. By the fifteenth rep you m a y need five extra breaths. You m u s t e x p e r i m e n t until you find out h o w m u c h extra weight to use to force this extra breathing and still do 15 reps. O n c e you reach this level, add a little weight every other workout or so. I don't care if it's only 1 pound on each end. ( S o m e add half-pound " w a s h e r s " on each end and scooch the p o u n d a g e up a hair at a time; this m e t h o d has m a d e a c o m e b a c k of late, but was widely k n o w n b a c k in the 1920s and '30s, especially in England.) Stay at 15 reps and slap on weight as often as possible. Do two sets of 15 reps. After each set of squats, go to a flat b e n c h and do a set of straight-arm pullovers or d u m b b e l l flies. J o h n M c K e a n has suggested doing a set of pullovers before squatting as a sort of ribcage w a r m u p . As I recall, he stated that doing this might act as a trigger for growth. If he is right, then why not try a set of pullovers during warm-ups for benching for the same reason ? Stick with this squat m e t h o d for three m o n t h s and your chest m u s t e x p a n d and y o u r overall condition improve.
STRAIGHT A R M PULLOVER AND FLIES Lie d o w n on the b e n c h lengthwise—do not lie across it. You m i g h t put y o u r feet up on the bench. We want to stretch the ribcage here, not the a b d o m i n a l s . Hold a small weight (a ten to twenty p o u n d plate or d u m b b e l l should do) with both hands at a r m s ' length over y o u r chest. K e e p your a r m s straight or slightly bent.
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L o w e r the weight b a c k over your head as far as it will go. B r e a t h e in while lowering the weight. Stretch at the b o t t o m . T h e n raise the weight while breathing out. R e p e a t 12-15 times. I wait to b r e a t h e in until the weight passes over my face. This is not a m u s c l e builder but an e x p a n s i o n exercise. A heavier weight turns this into a pec-lat m o v e m e n t . T h e pullover tends to lift and d e e p e n the rib cage. D u m b b e l l flies expand and w i d e n the chest. Try them s o m e w o r k o u t s instead of pullovers. Lie on a flat bench while holding a pair of light d u m b b e l l s at a r m s ' length. K e e p your e l b o w s slightly bent with p a l m s facing each other. L o w e r the weights to each side while breathing in. Let the weight stretch y o u r pecs and ribcage at the b o t t o m of the m o v e m e n t . E x h a l e while raising the d u m b b e l l s b a c k to the starting position. Repeat for 12-15 reps. T h e legendary J o h n G r i m e k used to do a decline fly including extending the bells well behind and b e l o w his head. ( U p s i d e - d o w n negative laterals?) A photo in an old Strength & Health s h o w e d him doing these hanging head d o w n from a chinning bar, his feet strapped into "iron s h o e s " attached to the bar. H o w he got into that position I don't know. T h o s e "inversion s h o e s " or h o o k s that were popular on TV "infomercials" a while back would work for that. R e m e m b e r , a set of pullovers or fives is to be performed after each set of squats.
RADER CHEST PULL Peary Rader, founder of Iron Man magazine, developed the chest pull as another ribcage e x p a n d e r and sternum lifter. S i m p l y grab on to any i m m o v a b l e object forehead height or slightly above. Pull d o w n and in with both hands while exhaling. Your chest will rise up and out. I believe a palms-facing grip w o r k s best. Do sets of 12 reps.
E X T R A - T H E HISE BREATHING SHRUG S e e chapter two for the explanation of this m o v e m e n t . I would do it instead of o n e of the other breathing exercises like the R a d e r Chest Pull, or the Breathing Stiff L e g Deadlift. T w o breathing m o v e m e n t s per w o r k o u t should be enough. In fact, doing both the Breathing S D L and the Hise Breathing Shrug in the s a m e workout is likely too m u c h . Again, 15 to 25 reps are best for a breathing program.
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E X T R A - R A C K RAISES T h i s is the exercise with w h i c h C a s e y Butt of C a n a d a has been experimenting. I h a v e never seen it mentioned e l s e w h e r e in the literature on this subject. He thought of n a m i n g the exercise after himself, but rejected that idea for obvious reasons. In this case, the " r a c k " referred to is the bones of the shoulder girdle and ribcage from which the m u s c l e s hang, not a metal p o w e r or squat rack. T h e bar is held across the anterior deltoids as if setting up to do front squats. T h e lifter inhales and raises the bar upward with the shrugging motion as in the Hise Breathing Shrug. As the bar is not across the back, there is greater freedom of m o v e m e n t as the bar is over the rib c a g e and not pressing d o w n on the spine. It is way too early to tell, but this expansion m o v e m e n t may prove superior to the old Hise style.
E X T R A - T H E BENCH SHRUG Include this in expansion training if you wish, using your b e n c h press hand spacing, but keep the weights m o d e r a t e and use high reps, 15-20. S e e chapter two for the how-to-do-it. H e a v y weights with a w i d e grip m a y injure your shoulders. I w o r k e d up to s o m e large p o u n d a g e s this way o n c e and heard a big " F P O P " as the upper arm b o n e separated from the socket or w h a t e v e r the heck you call it in the shoulder joint. Popped back in to place on its own, but the shoulder was sore for a week. BREATHING OVERHEAD PULLDOWNS T h i s is another " u n k n o w n " exercise. After y o u r squats and pullovers or flies, walk around a little and get your breathing u n d e r control. You should be puffing pretty hard; if not, you ain't working hard enough! Next, go the overhead lat m a c h i n e . Find a weight you can use for 2 sets of 12. Beginners should try one-third of their b o d y w e i g h t . U s e a wide, but not ridiculously wide, palms-away grip that you can handle. Sit directly u n d e r the bar, low e n o u g h that the weight will not rest or b o u n c e off the plate stack. Inhale. That's right. B r e a t h e in while pulling the bar d o w n to the back of your neck or to y o u r chest. Try to touch your trapezius or sternum. T h e n exhale and allow the bar to rise to a r m s ' length and stretch you out at the top. Breath out while the bar is on its way up. (Yes, this is b a c k w a r d s of the n o r m a l breathing pattern.) Lean forward and s-t-r-e-t-c-h. T h i s m o v e will spread y o u r shoulders wider while working the upper back and the lats.
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This b a c k w a r d s breathing could be used with pullovers and flies as well. I recomm e n d using the " n o r m a l " breathing pattern about half the time with the overhead pulld o w n ; doing both styles adds to the eventual results. If you train at h o m e , you have a problem. You could do w i d e grip chins, if you can d o them. S o m e substitute m o v e s include w i d e grip bent over rows, o n e hand d u m b b e l l rowing, two hand snatches, the snatch grip standing shrug, shrugs while h a n g i n g from a chinning bar, and so on.
CROSS OVER CABLE PULLS AND SHRUGS I've found that doing p u l l d o w n s and shrugs "to the s i d e " on a cable crossover m a c h i n e is extremely g o o d for getting w i d e and for carving out the smaller m u s c l e s of the u p p e r back for bodybuilding purposes. Set the m a c h i n e in the high position and stand or k n e e l in the middle. Pull the handles straight in while trying to touch the e l b o w s together behind the back. Then, try it as a shrugging motion for a set, using straight arms to full stretch and then rotating and pinching the scapulae together without b e n d i n g the elbows. A word of caution: start light! N o t e of warning: Do not try to do all these m o v e m e n t s in any o n e workout. Breathing Stiff Leg Deadlifts and Breathing Squats, plus pullovers or flies and o n e other m o v e m e n t of your c h o i c e are plenty. Excessive stretching can c a u s e an extremely painful condition w h e r e the costal cartilages attach the ribs to the s t e r n u m or breastbone. A n y o n e w h o has laughed while having b r o k e n ribs will understand. N o t h i n g but a long rest can cure it that I k n o w of, and that will set b a c k your training. T h a t this condition can o c c u r from this type of training tells me that the cartilages are being stretched and that these m e t h o d s work. I h a v e divided the next part of the course. O n e day do Incline Presses and Bent O v e r R o w s . T h e second workout day do B e h i n d the N e c k Presses and heavy Bent A r m Pullovers. Alternate these two groups every other w o r k o u t day.
Day One Incline press and bent over row, 2-3 sets each of six to eight repetitions. D a y Two B e h i n d the neck press and bent a r m pullovers, 2-3 sets of six to eight reps.
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INCLINE PRESS You m a y set the b e n c h at a variety of angles to get different responses. U s e a grip about one finger wider than your usual flat b e n c h press. Inhale while lowering the bar to y o u r u p p e r chest. Exhale as you press up. K e e p the bar a b o v e your nipples. Start with about 7 0 % of your flat b e n c h exercise weight, not of your best single. B e g i n n e r s should try about 3 3 % of b o d y weight. T h i s m o v e m e n t will w o r k the upper and m i d d l e pecs and contribute to that slablike tie-in with the front deltoid that improves your a p p e a r a n c e so m u c h . However, the vaunted "pec-delt tie-in" bodybuilders seek often depends on genetic structure.
BENT OVER ROWING Pick up the barbell as if you are cleaning, but use a wider grip, about the s a m e as you would with the b e n c h press. B e n d over from the waist, feet spread for balance. Start with about o n e third of your b o d y weight until your lower b a c k is used to the position. B e n d y o u r knees slightly. Pull the bar up to your belly button while keeping your e l b o w s pointed out. T h e n lower the weight while breathing in and get a good stretch in the hang position. W i d e grip rowing will widen the shoulder structure and develop the rear deltoid, lower trapezius, and lats. Yes, w i d e grip shrugs for a set or two w o u l d be positive. Later on in y o u r workouts, you will w a n t to get m o r e lat concentration by using a closer grip and angling your e l b o w s in at about 45 degrees. If you experience stress in the lower b a c k with these, it m a y be that your lower back and hamstrings need work, or your leverages are not good for bent over rowing. I h a v e short thighs and a long torso and that is not good for this m o v e m e n t , unless I keep the spine at a 45 degree or m o r e angle above the floor and k e e p the bar very close to my legs. Using the w i d e grip on a seated rowing m a c h i n e or other apparatus might be better.
BEHIND THE NECK PRESS T h e b e h i n d the neck press is regarded by m a n y as o n e of the two or three basic deltoid exercises. T h e entire shoulder girdle is involved: upper chest, the three deltoid heads, upper back, and triceps. S o m e will argue that there are better m o v e s for the side and rear deltoid, but this m o v e m e n t will spread the entire area as well as develop m u s cle.
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G r a b the bar with m o d e r a t e hand spacing just a little wider than your military press grip. (Again, do N O T use an excessively w i d e grip.) Start with about 3 5 % of your b o d y weight or a weight that is a tough eight reps. Clean or snatch the bar overhead or take it off the rack. T h e s e can be d o n e seated. Press the bar overhead to a full lockout. B r e a t h e in while lowering the bar behind the neck. L o o k in the mirror and watch the bar to a point even with the b o t t o m of your ears. T h e n e x p l o d e the breath and push the bar up. S o m e lower the bar to the traps. T h i s will bring the upper back into play m o r e but I believe it stresses the shoulder joints. N o t e of w a r n i n g : T h e r e is a lot of c o n c e r n in s o m e quarters, and in my mind as well, that long-term use of m o v e m e n t s with extremely w i d e hand spacing can lead to shoulder injury or rotator cuff problems. T h a t is why I h a v e omitted w i d e grip b e n c h presses to the collarbone, which are popular with bodybuilders. I do not think that using the w i d e grip m o v e s listed here for the purposes of this course will c a u s e problems, because it is not my intention that anyone use this course exclusively for years. BENT ARM PULLOVERS This is an " o l d " exercise that is not seen a great deal these days. T h e use of pulley lat m a c h i n e s and offset torso m a c h i n e s has taken its place in m o s t g y m s . Nevertheless, the bent a r m pullover develops lats, upper back, pecs, serratus m a g n u s , and e x p a n d s the rib cage. Lie flat on a bench. H a n g your head over the end. H o l d the bar on y o u r chest. An EZ curl bar w o r k s well. Start with 2 5 % of your b o d y w e i g h t or lighter until you get used to the m o v e m e n t . T h e n pile on plates as you go along. Take a grip with h a n d s about 10-12 inches apart. Pass the bar over y o u r head and d o w n toward the floor. K e e p your arms bent so the bar passes close to your face. B r e a t h e in going d o w n and out as you pull the b a r back to the chest. I, and others, have flopped face-up on the leg curl m a c h i n e with our feet at the " w r o n g " end and used our arms to do bent arm pullovers. This J o h n M c C a l l u m favorite w o r k s great but the p r o b l e m is finding a m a c h i n e that will let you get in position. This m o v e m e n t is a great strength builder as well as b o d y shaper. I understand that the unofficial world record is around 4 0 0 p o u n d s (by former O l y m p i a n weightlifter Steve S t a n k o ) and that was pulling the bar from the floor to the chest! If you b e l o n g to a g y m with a pullover type torso m a c h i n e , use it for several w e e k s before going to the B e n t A r m Pullover. This is important: Breathing Stiff Leg Deadlifts, Breathing Squats, H i s e Shrugs, R a c k Raises, and even R a d e r Chest Pulls are breathing exercises. Pullovers, flies, cable pulls to the side, etc., are stretching m o v e m e n t s . O v e r h e a d "breathing" p u l l d o w n s do a little of
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both. I suggest that two exercises from each group in one workout are plenty. Be careful not to overtrain y o u r rib cage. As I said above, excessive forced e x p a n s i o n m o v e m e n t s can lead to over-stretching or even tearing the cartilages, causing a very painful condition only rest can cure. All the exercises listed u n d e r D a y O n e or D a y T w o should be performed for t w o to three sets, six to eight reps, unless otherwise indicated. You should be breathing hard after squats and pullovers and walking rubber-legged. You will be pretty m u c h worn out after the presses and pulls — i f you have been working hard enough. Finish off y o u r workout with o n e or two sets of m o d e r a t e weight biceps curls and calf raises. Do s o m e sit-ups or other waist exercises. What's next? Get out of the g y m . Don't do m u c h on y o u r off days. Get plenty of food and sleep. You will grow. H o w often should you train? There's a lot of a r g u m e n t in weight r o o m circles about the correct n u m b e r of days a week to train; almost as m u c h difference of opinion as there is about sets and reps. If you are a beginner with less than three m o n t h s training, or trying these m e t h o d s for the first time, I suggest a three-day-a-week s c h e d u l e as listed above. After you have been training awhile, or if you are experienced, you will eventually want to increase p o u n d a g e and add sets. W h e n you get to that point, you might cut back to five workouts in two w e e k s or even to twice a week, using as m u c h weight as you can handle properly. You should realize quick gains. S o m e find that a single set of straight-arm pullovers on off days is a big help. My high school pals and I would try a few R a d e r Chest Pulls w h e r e v e r we were—at the pool on the high-dive ladder frame, the softball backstop, anything we could grab on to that gave us the correct angle. W h a t about after the three m o n t h or m o r e trial period? U s e a regular workout for a while. Try s o m e powerlifting or O l y m p i c - s t y l e weightlifting. But o n c e or t w i c e a year, c o m e back to this course and high-rep squats. W h e n you can do several sets of 15-20 rep b o d y w e i g h t squats you will be well on y o u r way to real health, strength, and a powerful appearance. R e a c h o n e and a half to double b o d y w e i g h t on the bar and you should have m o v e d up a c o u p l e of weight classes. M a n y m e n work up to a single set of 20 reps with 4 0 0 p o u n d s as a goal and believe m e , they are terrific s p e c i m e n s w h e n they a c c o m p l i s h that. At least twice a year I c o m e back to the m e t h o d s described in this course. T h e y worked for me w h e n I was a young man, and they still work for m e .
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Breathing Stiff Leg Deadlift. Keep knees unlocked. Drawing from 1981
"Bone Structure" course.
KELSO'S SHRUG LAWS
A "shrug" is not an Italian m a n n e r i s m or s o m e kind of bird.
"Strength lies in the n a p e of the n e c k . " — T h e wizard M e r l i n to the y o u n g K i n g Arthur, in The Once and Future King by T. H. White.
T h e " K e l s o S h r u g " is not a single m a g i c exercise but a principle of training with m a n y applications.
M o s t trainees are not even a p p r o a c h i n g their potential in "shrug" m o v e m e n t s .
Shrug " H O L D S " will be a standard training technique of the future.
W h e n doing a major exercise, the smaller, assisting m u s c l e groups m a y give out before the large g r o u p s you are trying to reach.
A d d a set or two of these shrugs after any exercise they resemble most: Lat S h r u g s after rows, B e n c h Shrugs after bench presses, etc.
You can focus on the area you wish to w o r k through mental concentration and c h a n g i n g the a n g l e of attack.
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Don't j a m your head forward while shrugging; keep your head and neck erect.
T h e standing shrug is a great all around m o v e m e n t ; but it m a y not be the best for the b e g i n n i n g stages of the pull for deadlifts, cleans and snatches.
By setting the incline bench at different angles corresponding to stages within the pull, a lifter can attack sticking points in the vertical pull.
Contract the shoulder blades d o w n and b a c k when finishing a m o v e m e n t in bent o v e r or lean forward positions or on the incline bench.
T h e beauty of these variations is that you can target a specific m u s c l e or area and then zero in on it by adjusting your angle of attack and mentally concentrating the contraction right w h e r e you w a n t it.
E x p e r i m e n t with the shrug principle on any e q u i p m e n t available in your g y m : if a m u s c l e or b o d y part can be triggered voluntarily, then s o m e way can be figured out to train it.
All s h r u g v a r i a t i o n s h a v e n o t yet b e e n d i s c o v e r e d .
APPENDIX I
COURSES
T
he following are courses I have personally used for strength and growth. They tend to be abbreviated and are not for pre-contest training. They are not carved in stone and the reader is free to alter them for his own needs.
A Strength and G r o w t h C o u r s e U s i n g the Shrugs and O t h e r Exercises in this Book. Train 2-3 days a week.
Day One: 1) Breathing Stiff Leg Deadlift 2) S q u a t 3) O v e r h e a d Press (I like D B s ) 4) R o w i n g 5) Lat or Bent O v e r Shrug (incline O K ) Day Two: 1) B e n c h Press 2) B e n c h Shrug 3) Deadlift or High-Pull or Power Cleans 4) Hise Shrug 5) Biceps Curls Sets and reps your choice. Calf work once a week. Waist work either day or at home. 83
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*** G e n e r a l T r a i n i n g U s i n g T h e Trap Bar. T h i s is a t w i c e - a - w e e k or f i v e - t i m e s - i n - t w o - w e e k s p r o g r a m . Day One: 1) R e g u l a r Squats, w a r m u p + 3-4 sets of 6-8 reps 2) Stiff L e g Deadlift with trap bar, 1-2 x 10-12 3) B e n c h Press, w a r m u p sets + 3 x 6-8 4) Various r o w s and pulldowns, 3-4 x 8-10 5) Trap B a r Press overhead, 2-3 x 8 Day Two: 1) Trap Bar leg lift, w a r m u p + 3-4 sets x 8-12 2) Incline DB Press, s a m e 3 ) Trap B a r High Pulls (upright rows), 3 x 8 4) Trap B a r S t a n d i n g Shrug, 2 x 8-10 5) B i c e p s Curls, 2-3 x 8 T h o s e pursuing chest e x p a n s i o n might do squats two or m o r e sets with 12-15 reps (or even 1 x 20) alternating sets with pullovers or R a d e r Chest Pulls, Hise B r e a t h i n g Shrugs, etc. I do calf and ab w o r k o n c e a w e e k at the g y m and at h o m e on off days.
A n A b b r e v i a t e d C o u r s e for G r o w t h a n d Power. Day One: 1) Trap B a r Deadlift (leg lift) 2) B e n c h Pressing of choice 3) R o w s or P u l l d o w n s of choice Day Two: 1) Squat 2) Parallel B a r Dips 3) Trap Bar High-pull (upright row)
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Usually d o n e with 4 x 8 or 5 x 5 set-rep s c h e m e s . I often alternate dips and trap bar high-pulls as they are positive-negative to each other. I trained two w o r k o u t s a week or five times in two weeks, alternating days. I found m o r e rest necessary as I got older. T h e reader m a y c h o o s e his o w n pace.
Kelso's Favorite Abbreviated Course I used to travel a lot as a musician or fishing tackle salesman. This course w o r k e d great w h e n I was pressed for time. It will w o r k whenever. If p u r s u e d for several months, pushing up the p o u n d a g e on the primary lift will w o r k w o n d e r s . Select a weight you can clean and then military press for ten reps. Take off about ten per cent. C l e a n the bar from the floor and then press. That's o n e rep. Repeat, from the floor. A b o u t the eigth rep you will probably need to begin push-pressing, kicking a little from the knees. A r o u n d the fourteenth rep begin jerking the bar overhead, split style. As the bar gets " h e a v i e r " around the eighth rep or so, you should probably be doing a full squat clean by that point and through to the end. Try for twenty reps. T h e theory is like that of 20-rep squats; the last 5 reps should be tough. If you start with 100 lbs, it should feel like 200 on the last rep. It's OK to p a u s e or rest between reps with the bar on the floor. Set up every rep and use good form. A d d a little weight every w o r k o u t or so. Finish your w o r k o u t this way: Do a set of breathing flies—15 reps. Do two sets of abdominal work —15-25 reps. (A crunch and a leg raise.) Do o n e set of DB biceps curls for the sake of vanity. 10-12 reps. G e t out of the g y m . O n e rep. S e e chapter five for m o r e trap bar courses and chapter six for a p r o g r a m that is excellent for beginners and first year m e n . Remember, any of the shrugs discussed in this book may be added for a set or two following the full range of motion exercise they resemble most.
APPENDIX II
"SHRUG BOOK" RELATED PUBLICATIONS BY THE AUTHOR BOOKS: The Kelso Shrug System, M i d d l e Coast Publishing, 1993. (Out of print.) Powerlifting
Basics: Texas-Style, Iron M i n d Enterprises, Inc., 1996.
ARTICLES & C O U R S E S (A PARTIAL LIST RELEVANT TO THIS BOOK): "Reader's R o u n d u p , " Iron Man, Vol. 28, N o . l , Oct/Nov, 1968, p 42. Peary R a d e r sketches out the " K e l s o " or Lat shrug for his readers in the first mention of the author's work in print. " T h e Kelso S h r u g C o u r s e " and " T h e B o n e Structure A n d G r o w t h C o u r s e " copyrighted 1981. These are genuine, registered copyrights. ( T R A I N I N G ) " T h e K e l s o S h r u g S y s t e m " , Powerlifting USA, March, 1984. "Variations of the Shrug Principle," American Fitness Quarterly, April, 1985. " S h r u g Variations for B o d y b u i l d e r s , " Iron Man, January, 1986, p 52. " Z A P T H E T R A P S , " Iron Man, July, 1988.
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PAUL KELSO "A S h r u g g e r ' s G u i d e , " Muscular Development, January, 1989, p 4 5 . " U s i n g the Trap Bar," Powerlifting USA, April, 1989, p 15. " T h e K e l s o Shrug Revisited," Powerlifting USA, September, 1989, p 4 0 . "Shrug Variations tor B o d y b u i l d e r s and Powerlifters," Iron Man, Dec, 1989. " T h e Kelso File," Hardgainer, November, 1990, p 10. " B o n e Structure and G r o w t h I," Hardgainer, January, 1 9 9 1 , p 2 1 . " B o n e Structure and G r o w t h II," Hardgainer, March, 1 9 9 1 , p 28. "Shrug Variations," Hardgainer, January, 1993, p 24. " T h e K e l s o Shrug S y s t e m , " Powerlifting USA, J u n e 1993, p 24. " T h e Trap Bar - T h e N e w B a s i c , " Hardgainer, July-August, 1993, p 3 0 .
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The gang from Matsumoto Gym in Utsunomiya, home to many of Japan's best powerlifters and bodybuilders. The author is top row, second from left. Hiroo Matsumoto, owner, lower right.
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Mike Bucci of Phoenix, Arizona, demonstrates the "Margarita Shrug." He and Pat Henley, honchos of the Iron Jungle training clubs, invented this "exercise."
The author with three-time USA Olympic iveightlifting team coach Jim Schmitz, at Jim's Valencia Street Fitness Center in San Francisco. March, 2002.
APPENDIX III
GLOSSARY (The following glossary is comprised of some of the most frequently mentioned terms in this book. Most are in common use in the weight-training field).
used
A b s — A b d o m i n a l muscles. C o v e r the " s t o m a c h " from s t e r n u m to crotch. A s s i s t a n c e e x e r c i s e — M o v e m e n t s designed to aid and develop performance of a specific competitive lift. E x a m p l e : Close grip bench press for tricep and anterior deltoid p o w e r for the b e n c h press. B e n c h P r e s s — O n e of the three lifts contested in powerlifting. Performed by lying on a flat bench and pressing the bar to a r m s ' length from the chest. An unparalled upper-body developer. B e n c h S h r u g — Raising and lowering the bar by adducting and retracting the scapulae (shoulder blades) while a r m s are kept straight. Performed in b e n c h press position. B e n t - o v e r r o w i n g — Performed standing while bent forward from the waist. B a r is pulled up to the chest or a b d o m e n from a r m s ' length, with a variety of hand grips and spacings. B e n t - o v e r - s h r u g s — D o n e in bent-over row position. B a r raised by retraction of the scapula with straight arms. H a n d g r i p and spacing varies. B o n e structure — Refers to proportion, length, and thickness of bones, and their relationship to each other, which in turn affects leverage and potential for carrying muscle mass. C a b l e cross o v e r m a c h i n e s h r u g — Weights are pulled in from the side by scapular retraction. Straight arms.
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C l e a n a n d j e r k — O n e of the two competitive lifts in weightlifting. Called the King of Lifts, the bar is first lifted from the floor to the shoulders in o n e m o v e m e n t . T h e lifter then stands erect and thrusts the bar to lockout o v e r h e a d by using the a r m s and legs. C h r i s t m a s tree — A d v a n c e d d e v e l o p m e n t of the l o w e r edges of the lat m u s c l e s as they run toward the spine, m a k i n g a shape looking like the b o t t o m of a C h r i s t m a s tree. C o n v e n t i o n a l shrug — S e e standing shrug. D e a d l i f t — O n e of the three lifts contested in powerlifting. Perhaps the m o s t d e m a n d i n g exercise of all. O n e merely stands up with the bar with straight arms. A stiff leg deadlift is performed bv b e n d i n g at the waist and lifting without using the legs. Erectors — M u s c l e s of the lower back that parallel the spine. F i n d i n g the g r o o v e — T h e path of the bar during a competitive lift. Every lifter m u s t practice until he finds the c o m b i n a t i o n of bar path and b o d y m o v e m e n t that allows h i m to lift m o s t efficiently. F l i e s — Exercises with d u m b bells performed with straight or bent arms on a flat or inclined b e n c h . Useful for chest box e x p a n s i o n and pectoral development. D B s are lowered out to the side and returned to a position over the chest. G e r a r d Trap B a r — Specialty bar for h e a v y b a c k and leg training. Increases efficiency of the exercises w h i l e reducing lower b a c k stress. G i r o n d a - s t y l e dips — T h e late V i n c e Gironda, the Iron Guru, taught a lean-forward, knees-up, elbows-out style for isolating the pectorals w h e n performing parallel bar dips for b o d y b u i l d i n g training. This b o o k suggests a m o r e b a l a n c e d position. H i s e b r e a t h i n g s h r u g — Holding a b a r across the shoulders and shrugging it up while doing exaggerating breathing. N a m e d for J o e Hise, the famous bulk pioneer. H o l d s — Retracting the scapulae and holding, often for a count of four, in order to get m a x i m u m benefit. S e e chapters three and four. C a n be used statically, contracted or not, at any stage of any lift, positive or negative. K e l s o S h r u g s — A training principle for developing the entire shoulder girdle through variations of adduction and retraction of the scapulae. K e l s o S h r u g , T h e - Bent over (or face d o w n on an inclined b e n c h ) shrugs using a variety of hand grips and spacings. O v e r or u n d e r grips are used. T h e " K e l s o " specifically is with an u n d e r h a n d or curl grip with e m p h a s i s on the lats and lower traps during the contraction.
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Lat Flair — An older bodybuilders' posing term, referring to a back-viewed lat spread in w h i c h the scapulae are semi-dislocated for extra width. A " m u s c l e control" trick. See the cable crossover shrug and wide grip shrug. Lateral A r c h — In competition b e n c h pressing, j a m m i n g the s h o u l d e r blades together and d o w n against the bench so that the s t e r n u m is raised. This position is usually held throughout the lift. Lats — T h e latissimus dorsi muscles, which give the b a c k its V-shape. T h e y pull the arms d o w n and back, and aid in pulling shoulders to the rear. Very important to the deadlift and the b e n c h press. Lat S h r u g — See Kelso Shrug above. Lat s p r e a d — A standard bodybuilding pose seen from the front. T h e lats are "spread" by rotating the scapulae out to the side (the V shape). L o c k o u t — Usually refers to straightening the arms in the last 1/3 or 1/4 of a pressing m o v e m e n t . M a n y set the bar to various heights in a rack to hit this range. M a x — T h e top p o u n d a g e possible for o n e repetition in any m o v e m e n t . To " m a x out" is to test one's ability in a one-repetition lift. T h e author advises against m a x i n g out regularly, but rather r e c o m m e n d s using cycling or periodization regimes leading to a m a x attempt. N e g a t i v e S h r u g s — Mirror-image m o v e m e n t s that resist the weight as it returns to the starting position or m o v e s away from the contracted position. O l y m p i c lifter — C o m m o n usage, technically incorrect, for "weightlifter." O n e w h o c o m p e t e s in the snatch and clean and jerk or " O l y m p i c " style. Subject to change, as powerlifting has long been c o m p e t e d in the World G a m e s , w h i c h are n o w (as of A u g u s t 2001) under the patronage of the International O l y m p i c C o m m i t t e e . O v e r h e a d shrug — S h r u g g i n g while holding the weight overhead. Practiced by " O l y m p i c " weightlifters. P e c s — G y m slang for the pectoral muscles across the chest. P o w e r C l e a n — Exercise pulling the bar from floor or knee height to pressing or jerking position at the shoulder. W h e n bar reaches m a x i m u m height, the e l b o w s are w h i p p e d u n d e r the bar and forward to rack the bar at the shoulder. P o w e r l i f t e r — O n e w h o c o m p e t e s in the squat, bench press, and deadlift.
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P o w e r shrug — D o n e by setting up like a weightlifter and pulling the bar upward, continuing the upward path of the bar by shrugging toward the ears without bending the arms. P r e - e x h a u s t i o n t e c h n i q u e — D e v e l o p e d by Robert K e n n e d y of Muscle Mag International, Art J o n e s , and others. O n e uses a single joint exercise before a multi-joint m o v e m e n t to allow full fatigue of the targeted m u s c l e group to be reached quickly. P u l l o v e r — Chest expansion m o v e m e n t , usually performed on a flat bench with straight arms. Weight is lowered behind the head while inhaling. R a n g e of m o t i o n — Full extension and recovery from start to finish of any exercise. M a y be varied according to trainee's purpose. R e a r D e l t o i d — M u s c l e group at outside rear of shoulder. Actively e n g a g e d in any pulling m o v e m e n t using the arms. R e a r w a r d S h r u g — Non-specific term used by s o m e writers to refer to bent over or inclined bench shrugs, lat shrugs, " K e l s o " shrugs, and so forth. R e p e t i t i o n — T h e performance of an exercise m o v e m e n t or lift o n e time. R e t r a c t i o n of s c a p u l a e — T h e shrugging motion. Rotating the scapulae toward each other in any direction so as to achieve m u s c u l a r contraction. R h o m b o i d — Extremely powerful but little appreciated muscles of the upper back that act to pull the shoulders back and aid in any pulling motion. S c a p u l a e (scapula, singular) — T h e shoulder blades. Large m o b i l e b o n e s of the u p p e r back to which m a n y muscles are attached. S e r r a t u s shrug — Incorrect n a m e for B e n c h Shrug. S h r u g — C o m m o n n a m e for standing upright with a bar or d u m b b e l l s at a r m s ' length and trying to touch the ears with the shoulders. In this book, it is the m o v e m e n t of the scapulae to the rear, forward, up, or d o w n to a contraction of various m u s c l e groups. S h r u g dip — Performed in s a m e position as parallel bar dips. Also k n o w n as M o n k e y Dips. Carves out the lats, pecs, and serratus. S h r u g r o w — Using a short pull with the a r m s at the m o s t stressful point of a shrug m o v e m e n t to e n h a n c e m u s c u l a r contraction. S n a t c h — O n e of the two competitive lifts in weightlifting. T h e bar is lifted from the floor and locked out overhead in o n e continuous motion.
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S p o t t e r — Person or persons attending a powerlifter or trainee w h o prevent the bar from injuring the lifter if he fails in his attempt. S p r i n g S e t S h r u g — H o l d i n g a spring set (chest expander) behind the back and pressing the a r m s straight out to the side, and then using scapular motion to extend and retract the cables. A lat spread u n d e r positive and negative tension. S q u a t — O n e of the three lifts contested in powerlifting. Often said to be the best exercise of all for gaining strength and overall size. Variations include the p o w e r squat, h i g h bar, b a r held i n front, the " H a c k " s q u a t (for o l d - t i m e w r e s t l e r G e o r g e H a c k e n s c h m i d t ) and others. By carrying the bar across the shoulders and simply lowering the body by bending the k n e e s while the torso is kept erect, over half the muscles of the body are engaged. C h e s t expansion results from a c c o m p a n y i n g h e a v y breathing. Different areas of the thighs (and hips) are e n g a g e d d e p e n d i n g on the style used. S t a n d i n g S h r u g — Standard or standing shrug where a weight hanging from a r m s ' length is raised up toward the ears without bending the elbows. S t e r n u m — B r e a s t b o n e in center of chest, the b o n e to which the ribs are attached. Teres m u s c l e — A n o t h e r of several small muscles of the upper b a c k that aid in scapular m o v e m e n t . T r a p e z i u s — Very powerful muscle group on either side of the spine, extending from the base of the skull out to the deltoids and d o w n to the m i d d l e of the upper back. E n g a g e d in any pulling m o v e m e n t , especially those that raise the bar vertically. U S A P L — Powerlifting federation that is America's affiliate in the International Powerlifting Federation, w h i c h is connected to the O l y m p i c s through the World G a m e s . A large n u m b e r of c o m p e t i n g federations exist, almost all in the U S A , b e c a u s e of differences over rules, drug testing, and equipment. W a l k o u t s — Taking the bar out of the uprights, backing out and setting up as if to squat, but with m o r e weight than you can full squat. S o m e do a 1/4 squat before racking.
KELSO'S SHRUG BOOK For Powerlifters, Weightlifters, and Bodybuilders
In the only training book of its kind, Paul Kelso expands the "shrug principle" with dozens of variations that improve muscularity and the competitive lifts. 'Trap bar" and rib cage enlargement programs are included. Kelso's and
articles
Hardgainer,
in
Powerlifting
plus
books
USA, The
Iron
Kelso
Man,
Shrug
Muscular
System
Development,
and
Powerlifting
Basics: Texas-Style, have spread these ideas worldwide.
"[Mr. Kelso has] taken the shrug farther than anyone in the g a m e . " — P e a r y Rader, founder of Iron Man magazine "The Mark Twain of iron-game storytelling returns to his 'how t o ' roots with very positive results." — M i k e Lambert, Editor/Publisher, Powerlifting USA " W h o better than Paul Kelso to put a new spin on the shrug—again?" — R a n d y Strossen, publisher of MILO magazine and author of Super Squats "This unique book should be in every lifter's library." — D r . Ken Leistner "Paul has done more for my bench than everyone else put together." —Collin Rhodes, U S A P L world bench press team member
