Training in Cough and Cold Season

by Pete Sisco on December 22, 2011 · 6 comments

Overtraining in Cold SeasonIn the two decades I’ve been communicating with strength trainers I’ve picked up a lot of anecdotal information. It’s natural in any field to notice trends and phenomenon that keep repeating but haven’t necessarily been proven by rigorous study.

One of the things that occurs frequently are variations of this: “I started training again and was making great progress but I got sick with a cold or flu and had to quit for awhile.” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that. It’s hundreds, I’m sure.

Right now we are in what pharmaceutical marketers call ‘cough and cold season’ and the above phrase is making the rounds again. I have a hypothesis on this and it might help you this year. When we lift weights we seriously tax our bodies and they have to recover from the depletion. If we train too often we can dig a pretty deep hole and one of the things that is compromised is our immune system.

Let’s say our immune system is normally at a level of ten on a scale of one to ten. By overtraining we drive it down to a six. There are always germs around that we successfully fight off, but at a level six immunity we are more susceptible and a cold or flu can take hold of us.

Hey, I know it’s called cough and cold season because so many people are sick, not because so many people are in the gym – but it also stands to reason that fatiguing your body’s ability to fight back would explain why so many trainees report it after beginning training. Has it happened to you? I know I’ve done it more than once over the years.

My point is I think we should pay very close attention to cold symptoms and at the first sign of a tickle in the throat or a stuffy nose we should stop training and make sure our immune systems have the opportunity to fully recover and fight with everything they have. At the least it could mean the difference between a minor cold or developing full-blown cold.

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Half-Ton Rows? Sure.

by Pete Sisco on November 15, 2011 · 13 comments

I received an email from a customer who quickly progressed using Static Contraction to the point of using over half a ton on his upright rows. I always like to hear success stories but it also grieves me to see people have to load machines to over-capacity just to get a decent workout. Some day the world will look back at our exercise machines and never stop laughing at how puny they were. Most people have no idea how strong they can get – if – they challenge their assumptions and presuppositions. Jason did. Here’s his story.

I started doing Static Contraction Training in January 2010 while I was stationed at Yokota Air Base in Tokyo Japan after seeing you on a DVD with Tony Robbins and witnessing your program in action.  I purchased your E-book on Static Contraction Training and thought that New Years would be a great time to start.  In my initial phase using the program, I made ridiculously significant gains that saw me at a level on most of the Hammer-Strength that would not allow me to add any more weight due to the limitations of the equipment.

I continued on my track from January to July 2010, and moved back to the US at that time.  Upon my return I wasn’t able to continue my work due to the gym that I joined not having enough weight, or large enough equipment to conduct/continue this training on my own; I don’t really trust anyone to spot me with this much weight.

However, I move to a new location and found a gym that allowed me to resume my training, and I have been blasting off ever since.  I began Static Contraction Training again in late July 2011.

I am 40yrs old as of August 2011 and I tell everyone that meet about Static Contraction Training, why I do it and prefer it to a lesser intensity workout, and the benefits that I have received (shorter workouts, WAY STRONGER, and just as much muscular endurance as my old routine of 3 sets/8-10 reps on everything I did).  I also encourage them to look-up what I’m saying and to try it for themselves!

I have attached a picture of my latest effort and triumph. In the picture, I am using the Hammer-Strength Upright-Row. I have 950lbs of weight on the bars and the person standing on the weight weighs 90+lbs; for a grand total of 1045lbs. :D

I will endeavor to continue my pursuit of dominance, and I just wanted to thank you for providing us all with the means, insight, and dare to be the best that we can be!!! :)

When you reach the top of the mountain, Never stop climbing; right!?!?!

Very Respectfully,

Jason B. M. Flennoy USCG

Jason B. M. Flennoy USCG

Jason B. M. Flennoy USCG

If you want to challenge the assumptions of conventional training, try Static Contraction Training for the next 30 days and maybe you’ll lift a half ton like Jason does.

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Tips for Bigger Shoulders, Chest and Triceps

by Pete Sisco on October 20, 2011 · 17 comments

Tips for Bigger Shoulders, Chest & TricepsThese three upper body muscle groups are all a high priority for guys who want a more athletic, muscular look. Broad shoulders, a powerful chest and ‘bigger guns’ define the look of male fitness and athleticism.

I’m going to assume that you’re already doing the Static Contraction workout in Train Smart which means you are using the #1 ranked exercises for each of these muscle groups. But here are some ways to get a bit more out of them.

  • Take three deep breaths before any of these lifts. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Really fill your lungs on every breath. And as you exhale on the third breath force the weight up as you exhale.
  • If possible, give a loud yell or grunt as you lift as this has been shown to generate 12% more strength in static contraction test subjects.
  • On the bench press for chest (not for triceps) try to squeeze your pecs when you are holding the weight. If you do it right the bar will move up a fraction of an inch. Hold it in that position.
  • If you have an aptitude for distance running, cycling, martial arts or other endurance sports, try doing the Power Factor: Power, Endurance and Size workout using sets of each exercise and see if your numbers improve faster. (I know martial arts isn’t really an endurance sport but many serious practitioners have told me the Beta workouts using more volume are better for them.)
  • Get a pair of Alan Trombetta’s hand pads. On these pushing exercises people just don’t realize how hand pain is limiting the weights they use. The day they use hand pads every weight goes up. Often way up. Alan sells these things for next to nothing. If a nutritional supplement delivered these kinds of weight increases on day one it would be constantly sold out and featured on the cover of every magazine. Using hand pads is what I call training with your brain.

 

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An Interview with Pete Sisco

by Pete Sisco Training

Lee over at Ordinary Joe Bodybuilding asked me a few questions for an article at his blog. 1. Hi, Pete. It is estimated over 200,000 trainees have used your training methods – how did your Static Contraction story start? It started in a commercial gym in L.A.’s San Fernando Valley in 1992. My friend and [...]

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Anatomy of Muscle-Building Hype

by Pete Sisco Training

I see this kind of stuff all the time but I can’t resist talking about this example because it has so many elements of the half-science that underpins most of the nutritional supplement world. This link will take you to an article in the British newspaper, Daily Mail, that talks about how an ingredient in [...]

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Welcome To My World Audio

by Pete Sisco Training

Strength Training – Welcome to My World   This audio recording might help you see past some of the bad advice that circulates in every gym. Basically, this is the way I talk when friends ask me about the world of weightlifting – so it’s sort of like sitting around with me and laughing about [...]

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What Have You Got to Gain?

by Pete Sisco Training

There is an interesting paradox in strength training. You never know how high “up” really is. You don’t know the maximum you can bench press today, you don’t know the maximum you can expect to deadlift in three months, and you don’t know how much muscle you can gain before you hit an absolute limit. [...]

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How to Set Your Personal Record on Any Exercise

by Pete Sisco Training

Personal progress provides its own motivation. Few things in the gym provide more positive feedback and personal motivation than setting a record on a favorite exercise. That’s why you see so many guys with T-shirts proudly proclaiming “Bench Press 300 lbs.” usually accompanied by a caricature of a huge guy hoisting a seriously bent barbell. [...]

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Why It’s Stupid to Use 100 Exercises With 300 Variations

by Pete Sisco Training

It is amazing how many exercise devices from flimsy, low-end contraptions to multi-thousand dollar fitness machines are marketed will the alleged feature/benefit of enabling hundreds of exercises. Likewise, it’s very common for training programs to boast of huge variation, often as a way to “keep things fresh” or to “keep your body guessing what’s next.” [...]

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