The Top 5 Full Body Core Strength Exercises That Will Give You He-Man Strength!

by admin on September 15, 2010 · 1 Comment
in Core Fitness

If you’re serious about increasing your strength, you’re going to have to perform the right exercises that provide the best results. Strength is the foundation of power – the combination of speed and strength – whereby power is the key driving force behind most athletic movements. As cool as it is to be gorilla strong, it’s good to know that it holds foundation to all the aspects of physical fitness. Or you may just love the feeling of knowing that you look as a strong and are as strong as He-Man or Shera (nothing wrong with that either).

Lower Your Rep Range & Increase Your Sets

When training for strength, you want to keep your reps low while increasing the number of sets you perform. This is so that you can maximize the load that you place upon your muscles.

1 – 4 reps
6 – 8 sets

Increase Your Rest Time

It is important that you rest sufficiently between sets. Not too long so that the muscles become cold, but long enough for them to fully recover and regain their maximum strength

Rest between 90 – 120 seconds

Increase Your Load

Use the first 3 sets to get your body accustomed to lifting heavy loads. Then for the remaining sets, keep increasing the weight you lift so that you approximate your 1 RM (1 repetition max) for the remaining of the sets.

Note: You always wanting to be lifting at least 90% load of your 1 RM

Common... You know I'm not being serious I hope?

Set 1: 4 Reps @ 90% 1RM
Set 2: 3 Reps @ 92% 1RM
Set 3: 2 Reps @ 95% 1RM
Set 4: 1 Rep @ 96% 1RM
Set 5: 1 Rep @ 97% 1RM
Set 6: 1 Rep @ 98% 1RM
Set 7: 1 Rep @ 99% 1RM
Set 8: 1 Rep @ 100% 1RM

Caution: Do Not Perform These Exercises @ Maximum Loads Until You Have First Developed Solid Technique.

They may be simple, but as I have said time and time again… Simple yes! Easy?… Far from it.

Deadlift Performed with the Strictest Form

1. Deadlifts

Deadlifts develop tremendous strength in your back, gluts, hamstrings, calves and forearms. The exercise involves pulling a barbell from the floor until your body is fully extended.

2. Squats

Squats are the keystone strength exercise. They work the entire body, and form the foundations for a myriad of other movements. In fact, aside from the stride movement, the squat movement is the most frequently performed movement by human beings. Learn to do it right and avoid back pain!

3. Kettlebell Clean & Press

The kettlebell clean & press is a variation of the power clean and press exercise. The ballistic nature of the kettlebell forces a stronger contraction from the core however, than that of a standard barbell.

4. Kettlebell Double Clean

The kettlebell double clean involves pulling 2 kettlebells from the ground and bringing them up into the racked position. It builds tremendous core strength, as well as strength through the back, gluts, hamstrings, calves, and forearms.

5. Kettlebell 2 Hands Anyhow

This drill is one of my all time favorites. It involves the following:

Strongman Pioneer Authur Saxon Performing 2Hands Anyhow with Kettlebell & Barbell

cleaning 1 kettlebell (kb1)
shoulder pressing it (positive phase only)
performing a windmill action, picking up a second kettlebell (kb 2)
bicep curling kb2 (positive phase only)
windmilling back into standing position
shoulder pressing kb2 (positive phase only)
shoulder pressing kb1 (negative phase)
bicep curling kb1 (negative phase)
performing windmill action, letting kb1 touch the ground
bicep curling kb1 (positive phase only)
windmilling back into standing position
shoulder pressing kb1 (positive phase only)
shoulder pressing kb2 (negative phase)
bicep curling kb2 (negative phase)
performing windmill action, releasing kb2 onto the ground
windmilling back into standing position
shoulder pressing kb1 (negative phase)
releasing kb to the ground