[Our lady visitors were starting to complain of too much hot girl coverage and practically no dudes. So here is a fit good looking guy... under another hot girl lol. Ok, I couldn't help it! Can't blame a guy for sneaking in pics of gorgeous girls... Plus, I know most... ok practically ALL guys actually workout because they want to hook up with beautiful women. Just reporting on a fact lol]

I Was Pleasantly Surprized

Rusty Moore, author of one of my favorite fitness blogs, came up with a free e-book in which he basically interviewed two top nutritional scientist about the truth behind the whole supplement industry. I quickly snatched the book and read it in one sitting. It was an eye opening and enjoyable read in Rusty’s usual entertaining style. But what was most important about it was the information in it.

You Need To Get Your Hands On This Information

So I shot an email to Rusty and invited him to write up a quick post and present his e-book here. Well, turns out he had an even better idea – he put together a quick little video just for the readers of Relative Strength Advantage. Watch it below

Rusty Moore’s Guest Video Post

[Rusty is a really cool and modest guy. Even in this vid he mostly talks about my site LOL. So don't get distracted and make sure to check out his site and grab his free e-book for a dose of ethical, highly entertaining and last but not least controversial information on the subject of bodybuilding and fat burning supplements.]

Here Is How To Get It

Here is the post where Rusty introduces the e-book in which he exposes the supplement conspiracy ==> http://fitnessblackbook.com/diet-tips/the-supplement-conspiracy-by-rusty-moore-exposing-the-supplement-industry/. So just go ahead and snatch it, and if you are new to his blog, I promise you are in for a real treat!

Kickass photo by Digital Sophia

1. Technique

• The hollow position is key. You need to stay as rigid as possible. Tuck in your butt and squeeze the abs hard.
• Transfer weight between the arms This the key to the exercise. If you don’t transfer your weight to one of the arms, you cannot lift the other one AND still maintain a rigid body parallel to the ground.
• Squeeze your but hard Tightening all your muscles is important, but squeezing the butt is especially helpful.
• Tighten the supporting side leg You want to establish a firm support from which to row.
• Don’t twist the hips Most of the videos you will see on the web show people performing the exercise incorrectly. Twisting the body or hips makes the exercise easy and ineffective. Avoid this mistake and keep the body parallel to the ground!
• Row the weight using your back. When doing a rowing motion, always rely primarily on your back muscles (try contracting your armpit muscles) and NOT your biceps. Try leading with your elbow as if your arm was just a hook to which the weight is attached.

2. Renegade Rows Instructional Video

Here is a video of the renegade row. Watch and note the three main keys to the proper execution of the movement.

3. Progression

• Low reps are the only option This is not a bodybuilding exercise. It is not meant to fatigue the muscle. On the contrary – it is meant to teach you how to contract your whole body as hard as possible. So perform low reps with 100% focus.
• 3 sets of 5 are enough Beginners will do fine with just 3 sets. They will progress easily this way while also learning to contract the body and execute the exercise properly.
• 5×5 also works for advanced athletes Once you get good, you can add a few more sets for more stress on your body.

4. Action plan

Here is how you can introduce renegade rows in your workout. You have a few choices.

• Once per week for multiple sets of 2-5 reps. This option is for those who are short on time, but still want to get massive results from the exercise.
• 3-7 times per week for 2-3 sets of 2-5 reps. This is the best way to get GOOD at doing a certain skill.
• Once per week for 2-3 sets of 2-5 reps. This option allows you to add other core conditioning drills such as the L-Sit.

Note, go read Part II of the renegade rows series to discover how people mess up with renegade rows. And for more information on strengthening the abs, I recommend reading Pavel Tsatsouline’s excellent book Bulletproof Abs.

Related posts:

1. Renegade Rows – Do You Make These Mistakes? Part II
2. The L-Sit – Train Your Abs Like A Gymnast

When your whole body is rock solid from flexing, no force dissipates and you are instantly stronger, without gaining an ounce of muscle.

Note the tucked in pelvis and the torso shifting forward once the bar gets above head level. The key to the exercise is to keep the weight above your center of gravity – the middle of the foot.

How to Military Press Correctly

Here is a video demonstration I shot back in 2008. Observe the technique and pay special attention to the side view. Look at the pelvis and glutes and also the path of the barbell.

Barbell Military Press – pressing a barbell from the standing position above your head. Check out after 0:47 how after the bar passes my head, I shift my torso forward. This is essential so that you can utilize the muscles of your upper back to help with the movement.

Another thing that you mustn’t forget is to always grip super hard, whenever you are doing pressing exercises. This ensures that no force is lost throughout your body when trying to lift the bar.

Military Press Checklist

• Flex the legs hard. The eason for this is that when the thighs are tight and hard, the force is transferred directly to the ground without loss.
• Press the ground through the heels. The heels are the natural continuation of the lower leg bones.
• Tuck your pelvis in. This means slightly tilting the pelvis towards the front.
• Squeeze the glutes. This makes a huge difference in strength by making all working muscles contract harder.
• Flex your abs like in the hollow position. Simply brace yourself like for a punch and you are good to go.
• Keep your forearms vertical. This tips seems obvious but here goes – direct force transfer when pressing up is achieved best byhaving the forearms point forward and stay vertical. Otherwise you lose strength.
• Grip super hard. This along with the glute squeeze makes you stronger.
• Press the bar up. Finally time for action.
• Shift your torso forward a bit once the bar passes above your head. The reason for this is that you want the bar to only move vertically, not horizontally. So instead of moving the bar above your head, shift the torso below the bar.

Initial Milestones for the Military Press

As I mentioned in the Strength and Size Full Body Workout, shooting for 10 reps with 120lbs/55 kg is a good starting point. Once you hit that, you can say you’ve got some good initial strength.

Notice how Steve Reeve’s forearms stay relatively vertical to better transfer force to the barbell. Vertical elbows press directly up without loss of strength.

If you are able to military press more than 200lbs/90 kg overhead, you’ve arrived in mad strong land. To keep yourself progressing, I recommend switching between low and high reps when progress stops. Check out this video (click the link and watch video number 2 – scroll down a bit. It explains how to train for size and definition with higher and lower reps.

Related posts:

1. Barbell Deadlift – How to Train Correctly to Get a Strong Back and Avoid Injuries
2. Bench Press More – Give Me 12 Days And I Will Make You Stronger
3. Beginner Strength Training – Build Bigger Muscles Fast With The Strength And Size Full Body Workout