En este artículo encontrarás un ejercicio realmente efectivo para trabajar los pectorales, ya que desarrollar este músculo suele ser la frustración de muchas personas. Para ello, solo es necesario el uso de unas paralelas que se pueden encontrar fácilmente en el parque o en el gimnasio, o incluso pueden utilizar otros elementos que encuentren en su casa como sillas o mesas para simular el efecto de las paralelas.

Se trata de una variación de los clásicos fondos en paralelas, que optimizará el trabajo de pectorales y además aportará fuerza extra para realizar otros ejercicios.

En primer lugar, nos colocamos en posición de fondos, mirando al frente con los brazos extendidos y depresión escapular, evitando que tus hombros queden cerca de tus orejas. A continuación, descendemos todo lo que podamos (superando los 90 grados) y hacemos una pequeña pausa. Esta es la parte más importante del ejercicio, ya que esta pausa permitirá que tu pectoral se extienda por completo y que todas las fibras puedan intervenir en el momento de la subida. Así pues, necesitaremos mucha mas fuerza para romper la inercia, lo que generará un mejor estímulo para los pectorales.

Al principio puede parecer un tanto complicado, ya que solemos estar acostumbrados a hacer las repeticiones de fondos seguidas y descansando arriba, lo que provoca que el tiempo de espera se realice en una poción mas cómoda. Sin embargo, al hacer la pausa abajo y salir de nuestra zona de confort, estaríamos añadiendo un nuevo nivel de dificultad que va a requerir mucha más exigencia de nuestros pectorales y el trabajo será mucho más efectivo para ganar fuerza, masa muscular y resistencia.

Para integrar este ejercicio en nuestra rutina, seguiremos el siguiente procedimiento. Como primer ejercicio de la rutina, hacemos 10 repeticiones de fondos normales. Si solo pueden hacer 8 o incluso menos, no pasa nada, pero ten siempre en cuenta que el objetivo es llegar a 10 repeticiones para darle el estímulo necesario al músculo y desarrollar correctamente el pectoral. En el fondo número 10 nos vamos a quedar abajo durante 10 segundos y, cuando haya pasado el tiempo, subimos de forma explosiva, aguantamos un poco arriba y… ¡listo!


Al siguiente día de practicar este movimiento van a sentir como el músculo ha recibido el estímulo adecuado y, de hecho, es probable que al siguiente el pectoral les duela por la extensión que hemos estado haciendo. De esta forma, también los tríceps y los hombros trabajarán de manera más efectiva.

Si quieres saber cómo integrar este ejercicio en sus rutinas, 

 les ofrece de forma gratuita rutinas con este movimiento como es el caso de esta rutina de 

Esta variación de fondos optimizará tus entrenamientos

 that may barely be perceptible, but which is much more important than it might seem, because if we do not manage it well, i

t can become something that prevents us from progressing

. However, if we know how to control it well, it can help us get more and better repetitions.

Poor balance coordination in pull-ups is one of the most common mistakes

 and the one I have never seen the least talked about, being a mistake that lowers your performance, preventing you from performing all the repetitions you could, making the execution less clean. and, if you do it with weight, making your lift poorly executed and therefore being able to lift less weight.

And be careful, I'm not referring to a noticeable swing like there may be in freestyle movements or kipping pull-ups, I'm referring to managing that minimal sway that occurs when we are doing strict pull-ups.

You see, if you start your set of pull-ups hanging completely on dead stop, you will not have initial swing, but 

from the moment you lower the first repetition, a certain forward inertia is produced

, which, if you do not control it well, turns into a swing that can reach be increasingly stronger and make each repetition more difficult or force you to pause to regain control. 

However, if you learn to control it and execute the pull-up at the right time, you can prevent this swing from getting worse and make it a factor that works in your favor and helps you get more reps.

What are the common mistakes and their consequences

The first mistake is to start the pull-up when we are swinging forward

, this makes it more difficult for us to go up, because we have to use our pulling force to counteract that forward inertia at the beginning of the movement, and it also means that while our body goes up, Our hips and legs continue to move forward, making the technique very ugly and causing us to have more and more swing if we continue making the same mistake.

And the second mistake is to start the pull-up when you are going backwards

, this obviously has the opposite effect to the previous mistake, our legs and hips carry inertia backwards, which will make the upper part of the movement especially difficult, where we will have to counteract that inertia with our strength. Furthermore, this error generates a very powerful swing that if you chain it in two or more repetitions becomes unsustainable.

So what is the correct way to manage the swing? Well, it's very simple, 

you simply have to start the pull-up right at the moment when the forward swing has finished and the backward swing is going to begin

, right at that small micro-pause that exists at that moment. This way, you will go up without having to fight against any inertia and will make the rocking that occurs when you go back down minimal and easily controllable.

raising the pull-up at this point in the movement, cutting off the swing, is more effective than raising it from a completely static position

. This is because since the forward swing has already been completed and the backward swing is beginning, there is a very slight backward inertia, which makes the initial part of the movement easier, but does not complicate the final part.

You can see it for yourself if you look at advanced athletes who are doing a series of pull-ups close to failure, you will see that when they are already at their limit, sometimes they intentionally try not to start the pull-up completely static but instead generate a small swing to start it at the exact point that we just described.

 we have routines and training programs to improve pull-ups, get more repetitions, pass police exams and much more.

Key to improve your Pull Ups: control and optimize the swinging

After a few decades of scientific research regarding training and muscle mass gain, in which many efforts have been made and the focus has been placed on aspects that have later turned out to be not relevant, it seems that finally 

the evidence is converging on two key aspects that are proving clearly relevant and effective.

What does this mean? That after much confusing research that did not seem to be entirely useful in practice, 

a mass of scientific studies are now being formed that show that there are two training patterns that give better results for muscle mass gain than the alternatives.

 What are these two guidelines? Let's see it:

, that is, how close you are to reaching failure in each set. 

The evidence converges in this sense and shows that reaching near failure results in greater muscle mass gain

 talking in detail about this topic, but doing a quick summary I would tell you to try to reach more than 80% of your capacity in each set, so that in each set you notice that you are already quite close to muscle failure. You don't have to hit true failure every set, but you can use it sporadically to make sure you know what your real limits are.

there has to be a certain suffering factor in the set, that you have to end it noticing that you are reaching your limit

. If you want to see it from a positive and motivating perspective, think that there has to be a certain epic, a certain fury, a certain struggle in each set.

Second factor: Stretched muscles grow more

Now let's move on to the second factor, which is the one I wanted to show you in more detail in this article, the stretching factor of the target muscle during the repetitions.

current evidence shows that exercises in which the target muscle is in a more stretched position are clearly superior for hypertrophy

 over exercises in which the muscle is in a more shortened position.

Be careful, do not get confused with what we know as stretching, I am not saying that you have to stretch the muscles you want to work. 

What I am saying is that when faced with two variants of exercises to work a certain muscle, 

the one that reaches a position in which that muscle is more stretched

, either because the positioning of the body allows for greater stretching, or because the angle, or because a greater range of motion is used, or simply because the position allows for greater mechanical tension in the part where it is stretched… 

the variant that reaches a position in which this muscle is more stretched will be clearly superior for muscle mass gain.

This has been proven in studies with biceps, calves, quadriceps, triceps and hamstring exercises. In all of them it has been seen that with variants in which the muscle reaches a greater stretch, greater hypertrophy is achieved. 

Uniting the two factors: exercises with partials on the streched range of motion

That's why in today's article I wanted to show you variants of calisthenics exercises in which we are going to achieve that greater stretch, and we are also going to use 

a high intensity technique that unifies these two factors that we have seen today: the intensity near failure and the muscle in stretch. We are going to use the technique of partial repetitions on the streched part of the movement.

What I suggest to you so that you get the best stimulus and the best results in hypertrophy based on science is the following: First of all, use a variant that achieves greater stretching, for example if you want to work your pectoral, use push-ups with an extended range, helping you with some grips or whatever you have on hand. Take the set very close to failure, to the point where it is difficult for you to perform a full repetition, and at that point, perform partial repetitions in the part where the pectoral is at its greatest stretch, until, again, you are very close to muscle failure.

This can be applied to any exercise, for example, for your lats and biceps, you can do it with chin-ups, since both muscles will be in a stretched position at the bottom of the movement. Get close to failure and then do partials-

For the triceps, a very good option are low bar, bench or similar extensions, since when your arms are above your body (what is known as shoulder flexion) you get a greater stretch of this muscle.

For the legs we can do it with Bulgarian squats, in which you can look for a much greater range of motion or even position yourself in elevation so that you can do an expanded range and are not limited by the ground.

Also in this modification of the step ups you can achieve a very wide range of movement and you can then do the partials in extension.

in any exercise that you like to work a certain muscle, you can look for a way to ensure greater stretching of that specific muscle and add extension partials at the end so that you ensure the two key factors of hypertrophy: the intensity near the failure and stretching work.

 we have many of these exercises available, and in future updates we will add more, I also plan to add specific routines with extension partials so that you can carry out what is explained in this video without problem. Check it out!

I hope it has been helpful to you and that you get the most out of your training and I will see you in the next article.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33009197/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35819335/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37559762/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37015016/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11194107/

https://journal.iusca.org/index.php/Journal/article/view/81

How to modify your Calisthenics exercises to optimize them for muscle gains (Science explained)

The average testosterone levels of today's Western population are falling little by little, year after year, so 

the average levels of young people between 20 and 40 years old today are lower than those of their grandparents in their 50s.

 talking about this topic, in which I explain what is the main and determining reason for this drop and how to solve it to have optimal levels. And in passing I mentioned, obviously, the issue of 

having a healthy diet that favors your hormonal levels.



Well, people commented telling me to talk in more detail about the diet with respect to testosterone, and I thought it was very interesting to do an article 

analyzing some studies so that we can see what is the best diet to optimize your testosterone

, according to science, which is the best way we have to know the truth. Also, I think the results will surprise you because they may not be what you expect.



Anderson Study: Do Macronutrients Affect Testosterone?


 that I found extremely curious. Conducted by Anderson et al., 

this study aimed to observe whether changes in macronutrient ratios had effects on hormone levels in men.



To do this, they tested two interventions, in one they gave first a diet with a greater predominance of proteins and less of carbohydrates, and secondly a diet with a greater amount of carbohydrates and less importance of proteins. Both diets were always maintained with the same calorie and fat levels.

When analyzing the results, it was seen that 

the high carbohydrate diet provided higher levels of testosterone and SHBG

 which, for those who do not know, is the Sex Hormone Binding Globulin and which is directly related to the testosterone levels. And also, and this is very important, t

his diet produced lower levels of cortisol, which, for those who are interested in building muscle mass, is very notable.


Up to this point I found it an interesting fact that I would not have expected a few years ago. T

his study indicates that diets high in carbohydrates seem to increase testosterone compared to diets high in protein, and on top of that with the addition of reducing cortisol.

 But now comes the most curious thing…

When analyzing the composition of each of the specific diets, we see that the high protein diet contained: meat, fish, egg whites... and in general it was a diet that could be considered carnivorous, which unfortunately nowadays it seems to be booming.

And, 

when analyzing the high carbohydrate diet we see that it was rich in vegetables, legumes, grains, fruits, bread... So it was basically a strict vegetarian diet, or what today is usually called a vegan diet.



By the way, it should be noted that this study obviously had no conflict of interest, nor was it funded by any vegan company or anything similar. This study was conducted by researchers at Columbia University who probably didn't even intend to refer to a vegan diet, but rather found it appropriate to compare high levels of carbohydrates with high levels of protein.



Allen Study: Testosterone in omnivorous, vegetarian and vegan diets



Given the above, I decided to look if there was any study that directly compared testosterone levels between omnivorous and vegan diets, and not only did I find it, but in 

 the hormonal levels of people with an omnivorous diet are compared, a vegetarian diet that includes dairy and eggs, and a vegan diet.

In this study, 696 men were analyzed, of which 226 were carnivores, 237 were vegetarians and 233 were vegans.



The results were clear: vegans were the ones with the highest levels of testosterone, followed by vegetarians and leaving carnivores in last place.



In addition, adjustments were applied to counteract the possible influences of factors such as body composition, which, by the way, 

vegans were also those with the lowest percentages of body fat

. They also adjusted for age and physical activity levels. After applying these adjustments the results remained intact, with vegans showing higher levels of testosterone.



Again, highlight that this study had no conflicts of interest, nor was it funded by any vegan company or anything similar. This study was carried out by cancer researchers at the University of Oxford who were mainly interested in the levels of IGF-1, due to its relationship with prostate cancer, which we will not explain in detail but, as a fact to keep in mind Note, it also had favorable results in the vegan group compared to carnivores and vegetarians.

What

It should be noted that this study is cross-sectional, which means that it observes the state of this group of men and their diet at a specific moment in time, without observing their evolution or carrying out an intervention to see its effect. But I think it is still a study to take into account.


I think that if you are concerned about having optimal testosterone levels, in my opinion, you should try eating a vegan diet, with the highest proportion of whole vegetables possible.



If you are worried about the issue of proteins, first of all I tell you not to worry, since the necessary amounts of protein to build muscle mass are totally overrated and with a vegan diet you can build muscle without any problem. I will probably write a detailed article about this in the future.

Another aspect to highlight, which was also mentioned to me in the other video, is that testosterone levels alone are not the only determining hormonal factor for muscle mass gain, there is a whole complex hormonal system in which each one has its function and its effect. But it is true that testosterone is normally used as a reference due to its direct anabolic effect. Additionally, it seems that if we look at other hormones, the results are consistent and the whole plant diet provides better results. If you want I can do another article regarding that.

Lastly, and what is most important to me, and which I do not want to go unnoticed, 

a vegan diet (strict vegetarian if we speak properly), is objectively better on an ethical level

, so we have a clear textbook win-win.

I hope it will help you,

Yerai Alonso

The Best diet to optimize your TESTOSTERONE according to Science

Since my beginnings in the world of calisthenics, social media, YouTube and more, I have always been a faithful advocate of performing exercises at full range, which, by definition, involve locking the elbows.

In general, I think that most people over the years have agreed with me, although many have really struggled to understand what it means to lock their elbows, as I explained in another article. But well, leaving that aside, I have always received support on this issue. BUT, it is also true that always, whenever I talk about elbow locking, there are some comments saying that it is harmful, RIP elbows, that it is dangerous for the joint, etc. and some others saying that this reduces muscle tension and that if you want to gain mass it is better not to lock.

Furthermore, if we talk about the locking of other joints, such as the knees, videos have proliferated on the Internet in which people who are doing leg press lock their knees and suffer terrible accidents, which has not favored the “reputation” of the locking.

Therefore, I see it logical that many people wonder if locking is really dangerous, can it cause problems or injuries, and how to deal with this issue with respect to their training. So today we are going to talk in detail about it, if it is harmful or not, how dangerous it can be, if it is better or worse for gaining muscle, for strength, and how to act regarding locking in your workouts so that they are the best possible. So let's get to it.

First of all, we are going to talk about the belief that locking the joint produces wear and tear on it, due to the high number of repetitions and frequency of this movement in a workout.

The first thing we have to make clear is that 

joints are designed by nature to allow this movement, it is part of their function.

 Therefore, saying that a joint wears out from locking is as if we said that the jaw wears out from biting or that the heart wears out from beating.

In fact, if there is a progressive overload, with well-planned training, 

what happens is the opposite: the joint becomes stronger and more resistant than if we did not use that lock

your elbow joint or knee joint is an adaptive system designed to support that movement.

Obviously, all of this is in the context of a healthy person. If you have an injury or joint problem that prevents you from locking or causes pain, you should follow what your doctor or physiotherapist tells you.

But, in the case of a healthy person, if the movement we perform is controlled, within what would be normal in training, the risk of the joint wearing out or suffering any damage is very low, so in that sense we should not worry.

In fact, if you look at the statistics regarding injuries, in most movements, injuries occur just opposite the lock, when the joint is flexed. For example, in bench press, injuries do not occur at the lock of the elbows, but at the point of maximum flexion.

Furthermore, also looking at the statistics, we can see that activities such as taking a walk, playing soccer, or basketball are much more "dangerous" than training in the gym or training calisthenics, so the alarms should not go off in this way when we say that there are than doing push-ups or dips with elbow locks.

Regarding the belief that locking the elbows cuts muscle tension and is therefore not recommended for gaining muscle mass, it must be said that this argument is very simplistic. As we have already seen, 

one of the most important factors for gaining muscle mass is the intensity of the sets, getting close to muscle failure so that the muscle receives the appropriate stimulus.

in a set of an exercise you will be able to get close to muscle failure regardless of whether you lock the joint or not, regardless of whether the tension is constant or not.

 Maybe if you don't lock, by not having that slight moment in which the tension is reduced, you will come close to failure in a smaller number of repetitions, but by locking you can still get there, even if you get the odd extra rep.

by blocking perhaps you can squeeze a little more intensity out of the set

, since, if you think about it, each lock close to failure is a small “rest-pause”, which is one of the intensity techniques that are commonly used for that goal of getting closer to true muscle failure.

Think of an example in which you are doing push-ups or bench press and you are close to failure, you are fighting one repetition and it comes out very slowly, very tight. If when you reach the point of arm extension you do not lock and try the next one, it is almost 100% certain that you will not get it out and your series will end in that rep, but if you lock for a second or two and go for the next repetition it is likely to come out, maybe even a few more.

As I mentioned when I told you about people who don't lock in push-up challenges, we see that when they are already tired and about to reach failure, that's when they start to lock, because that allows them to squeeze in many more repetitions than they would otherwise.

it is quite plausible that by locking you can be more effective in approaching muscle failure and giving a very powerful stimulus to the muscle.

 Which leads me to the conclusion that for muscle mass gain it is probably more effective to use locking. We will be observant to see what the scientific literature says about it.

The important thing about this question, and what has been proven, is that 

for a set to be optimal for hypertrophy, you must have reached close to your muscular failure, normally equaling or exceeding 80% of your capacity, and this can be perfectly achieved both locking as well as not locking.

Regarding strength, little can be said, since 

for a strength movement to be valid, it must include locking. Therefore, you have to train it as part of the movement you are going to perform.

 If in competitions or in the world of strength in general it were allowed to lift without locking, then we could enter into a debate, but that is not the case.

The same occurs with the issue of attempts at personal or official records, endurance competitions, checking your maximun reps, etc. 

If you attemp any of this without locking the joint, you do not have a reliable measure to compare with other people or with yourself

, since you may sometimes extend more or sometimes less, and the trick of who is able to shorten the range as much as possible without it being too noticeable comes into play.

from the point of view of calisthenics, we see that one of the main values ​​of this discipline is strict technique, precision and beauty of movements, and complete body control.

 Therefore, sticking to those values, it is evident that the full range of motion, including locking, is part of the essence of this sport. In this way we see that in calisthenics it is normal to work with locking, and the partial range in which this full extension is not used is in certain specific cases with a specific goal in mind.

whether your goal is to avoid injuries, build muscle, gain strength, or measure your ability in an exercise, joint locking is feasible, recommended, and sometimes essential.

 Additionally, if you consider yourself a calisthenic athlete, full range of motion should be an integral part of how you view training.

Workouts

Stay updated

Support

Workouts

Stay updated

Support

App

Stay updated

Support

follow us!

Official partner