When you were growing up, you heard adults telling stories
about how they wished that they were this or that age
again, and how great it was back in the day. Well, after
being in the fitness coaching business for 7 years now, and
having seen and used almost every piece of equipment in
environments ranging from my parents shop back on the farm
to the most pristine commercial facility, I, too, have had
a longing to return back to simpler times.
Those simpler times for me are back in 1992 in a small,
non-air-conditioned room on the campus of Dakota Wesleyan
University. It was the place where I first cut my teeth
learning about strength and conditioning. We were all
learning what to do and what not to do, but to be perfectly
honest, we did not have a clue. Nonetheless, we got pretty
impressive results for a bunch of "know-nothings". Since
that time, much has changed; however, even more has stayed
the same.
And that is exactly how I came full circle to the
development of the Super Six concept. The exercises that I
have described over the last six months are absolutely
nothing new. They were around well before I wrote about
them and they will be around long after I am gone. One
thing still rings true, however. Whether you are training
in a dingy university weight-room or the most beautiful
commercial facility, these six exercises WORK.
Just in case some of you have forgotten what the Super Six
are, or if you are a new reader and have never heard me
refer to such a thing, the Super Six exercises are six
core/foundational exercises that should be implemented in
some way, shape, or form into 99.9% of training programs.
The Super Six consists of the following exercises:
Deadlift
Squat
Bench press
Pull-ups
Rowing
Over-head press Who Should use the Super Six Exercises?
In a word, EVERYONE. There may be some individuals out
there who have severe orthopedic conditions or other
medical contraindications that prevent them from performing
the movements, but if you are a generally healthy human
being, there is no reason why you should not be able to
perform these exercises, or at least the progressions for
these exercises.
These six exercises have many distinguishing properties;
however, the one that stands out above all others is that
they actually require learning a skill/technique. This
characteristic may not be all that desirable to some in
this "quick fix, instant gratification" society, but it is
this trait that allows these exercises to stand head and
shoulders above all others.
Additionally, all six exercises fall into the category of
multi-joint exercises and require high levels of
inter/intra-muscular coordination. As a result, the
quality of the exercise is dramatically increased which
optimizes the opportunity to become stronger, more
athletic, or leaner. Basically, these six exercises can be
adapted to achieve almost any goal because they produce
highly usable strength which can be applied to specific
athletic events as well as the activities of daily living.
----------------------------------------------------
Troy M. Anderson is the owner of Anderson Training Systems,
LLC, a fitness coaching business based in Tempe, Arizona.
Troy is often referred to as "the MacGyver of coaching" for
his unique ability to build effective fitness programs
using only the most basic equipment. For more articles and
instructional video, visit
http://www.andersontrainingsystems.com
To Read the ATS Weekly Blog go to:
http://troyats.blogspot.com/
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