[Revamped 1/1/2006]

Introduction

Weight training has been a hobby of mine since middle school. The act of lifting weights is liberating and invigorating; I invariably finish a workout in a better mood than when I started. In addition, almost every consequence of lifting weights is a positive: increased strength, improved physique, better metabolism, a sense of confidence, the pride of self-improvement, the list goes on. That said, and given my ultra-rational nature, I was recently struck by how un-scientifically I have approached this hobby for much of my life. For several years prior to 2004 I had been on "autopilot" with my workouts, resigned to lift without making gains under the implicit assumption that if I wanted to get any stronger I'd have to commit more time than I'm willing to the iron.

Then I discovered the late Mike Mentzer (official site): bodybuilder, intellectual, objectivist (see my philosophy section), and champion of "high intensity training". His inspiring book, High Intensity Training the Mike Mentzer Way, helped spark a renewed interest in weight training and made me question many of the assumptions I had built up about the sport over more than a decade. I experimented with Mentzer's HIT (High Intensity Training) techniques, and while I would not call my experience an unqualified success, I did learn some things about lifting and my capabilities.

I have since done additional reading on periodization and other approaches to workout design, and will undoubtedly continue reading and experimenting with other approaches to building strength and muscle mass. My interests span the realm of "physical culture", from the raw strength exhibited in Strongman and Powerlifting competitions, to the aesthetic qualities of Bodybuilding, the challenges of Grip/Hand Strength training, and applications of strength and conditioning to other extreme sports like Mixed Martial Arts (eg, Ultimate Fighting).

In this section of my page I hope to capture some of the approaches that I use, record my impressions of their efficacy, perhaps provide some advice and gather links to external resources on these topics. I hope it helps someone out with their training; either way, it will help me organize my own training.

Internal Site Links

HIT & My HIT Experience (2004)	A quick description of High Intensity Training and my impressions of it after using some HIT techniques for several months.
Linear Periodization & My Results (2005) [coming soon]	A description of periodization as applied to weightlifting program design and my usage of periodization throughout 2005.
Conjugate Periodization Plan (2006) [coming soon]	A description of conjugate periodization and how it differs from linear periodization. Includes a rough outline of my plan for 2006.
Grip Training Overview	A general overview of what grip training is all about, including information about training devices and techniques. Also includes information on wrist/forearm training.
Report: State of My Grip (1/1/2006)	Where does my grip training stand at the start of 2006?

External Links & Resources

exrx.net	Excellent site for viewing details of many exercises, including animated photos of proper form and a lot of information about muscle groups affected.
bodybuilding.com	Has lots of articles and exercise descriptions, of varying quality. This is also an excellent site for purchasing nutritional supplements such as protein powder - good prices, excellent service and quick delivery.
ironmind.com	Seller of cool strength training gear, including the Captains of Crush grippers.
fractionalplates.com (PDA)	Seller of cool strength training gear, including lots of cool strongman stuff. They sell the Ivanko SuperGripper and custom built trap bars.
johnberardi.com	Lots of free articles about nutrition and supplementation for lifters and athletes from one of the leaders in the field.
hardgainer.com	Bastion of no-nonsense, drug-free training online. Articles.
http://mrolympia.altervista.org/	Tons of great photos of classic bodybuilders. Excellent section on Mike Mentzer.
mikementzer.com	Mike Mentzer's website. Articles and other info.
naturalstrength.com	Strength training think tank. Articles.
theweakgeteaten.com	Strongman info, some good links.
www.hussmanfitness.org	General fitness/training site. Some articles and training advice.
www.classicbodybuilders.com	Info about and pictures of lots of old-school bodybuilders.
www.dpsnutrition.net	Good site for ordering nutritional supplements. See also bodybuilding.com.
www.elitefts.com	Articles and equipment. One of the only places you can find Mel Siff's classic book Supertraining.
freedomfly.net	General fitness/training site with articles.
www.westside-barbell.com	The best powerlifters on the planet? Read about their techniques.
www.cyberpump.com	General lifting site with articles, forums, etc. Some parts are pay-only. Claims to be "the home for HIT".
www.atomicathletic.com	Strength training equipment, videos.
www.strengthcats.com	Site devoted to strength training; aimed at coaches, trainers. Articles.
www.metalmilitia.net	Really strong bench pressers. Read about their techniques.
www.ufc.tv	Ultimate Fighting Championship home page. Awesome mixed martial arts fighting.
ufcfightnews.com	News about recent and upcoming UFC events.
www.pridefc.com	Pride Fighting official site (mixed martial arts similar to UFC).