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Articles By Nick Nilsson


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About The Author

Nick Nilsson is the Director of Online Operations for Staley Training Systems. He has a degree in Physical Education and Psychology and has been inventing powerful new training techniques for more than 17 years.

Nick is the author of a number of bodybuilding eBooks (listed below) all available by clicking here and has written for a variety of publications including Men's Fitness, Reps, Musclemag, Bodybuilding.com and many others. He can be contacted at nick@staleytraining.com.

Articles

New! - One-Legged Glute Deadlifts - An Exercise That Will Kick Your Butt
By Nick Nilsson

Direct glute training is VERY important for a variety of reasons...lower body power, explosiveness, posterior chain, and, of course, vanity...heck, I wrote a book completely about building bigger glutes! I recently (and totally by accident - I was actually trying to do something else) discovered a variation of the stiff-legged deadlift that targets the glutes like a LASER beam...

Power Rack Dips - What To Do When You Don't Have Dipping Bars
By Nick Nilsson

The dip should be a staple of any complete strength and muscle-building routine. It's one of the best upper-body movements you can do. But what do you do if you don't have dipping bars in your gym? Are you doomed to miss out on all the incredible benefits this exercise has to offer? Not anymore...


One Shoulder Barbell Squats - A TOTAL-Body Ab Exercise
By Nick Nilsson

Here's another entry into my long list of exercises that work the abs while not looking at all like an ab exercise! This one is basically a squat...so how does it work the abs? Very well, thanks! Seriously, though, this exercise is EXTREMELY effective at targeting the stabilizing and core strength aspects of the abs. You'll be doing a barbell squat but instead of supporting the bar across your back in a "normal" fashion, you will instead be resting it on one shoulder, standing perpendicular to the bar.


Swiss Ball Reverse Hyperextensions
By Nick Nilsson

The Reverse Hyperextension is a GREAT lower back and posterior chain exercise (the muscles that run along the back of the body). If you've got lower back issues, it can be very useful for deloading the spine and getting some traction on the area. Typically, you need to have a bench designed for the exercise...and that's usually where the problem with this exercise starts...not many gyms have a Reverse Hyper bench!


Side Ball Push-Ups...A New Twist on a Classic Chest Exercise
By Nick Nilsson

This is one that is so completely obvious once you see it in action, you'll probably kick yourself if you've never tried it before. It's going work your pecs MUCH harder than regular push-ups, especially if your triceps or shoulders have a tendency to take over the movement.


One Arm Sandbag Cleans For Explosive Power
By Nick Nilsson

Heaving a sandbag up off the floor with one arm and catching it is basically this exercise. It's not fancy but it's a GREAT way to build power through your whole body.

To do this one, obviously, you'll need a sandbag...


Heavy Dumbell Slides - Good, Honest, Core Work...
By Nick Nilsson

This one isn't going to look like any ab exercises you've ever seen...unless you've seen my Dumbell Crawling exercise...then you might be familiar with the concept.

Basically, you're going to grab 2 heavy dumbells (I'm using 125 lb dumbells in the demo) and you're going to slide them forward then backward across the floor. Nothing complex about this one...basically, we're mimicking manual labor here :)


Dumbell and Machine Squats
By Nick Nilsson

If you're in the market for a leg exercise that will REALLY push the limits of your leg capabilities, the Dumbell and Machine Squat is an incredible one. I don't use machines a lot but when I do, it's generally to make things HARDER not easier...

One Dumbell Shoulder Press
By Nick Nilsson

This version of the shoulder press resembles a "strongman" type of movement where you're treating the dumbell like an odd-shaped object rather than a dumbell.

It a front-delt accentuated type of exercise, similar to an Arnold Press but without rotating elbows around because they're set on the dumbell (you'll see what I mean).

Click here to keep reading...

Plank One Arm Dumbell Rows
By Nick Nilsson

This is a great exercise for not only working the back but developing core strength and stability as well.

You're basically combining a one arm dumbell row with what looks like a one arm plank exercise (the ab exercise where you rest on your elbows and toes while keep your body straight).

Click here to keep reading...

Foot-To-Hand Kettlebell Raises
By Nick Nilsson

This is a unique core exercise that I think you'll really enjoy. It not only challenges the core but also your balance as you're performing the exercise.

It also ties the hip flexors in to the movement, which is useful (ironically enough) because so many people do crunches and do everything they can to take the hip flexors out of abdominal movements, that sometimes the hip flexors are actually UNDERdeveloped.

Click here to keep reading...

Close Grip Push-Ups to Bodyweight Extensions
By Nick Nilsson

Let me warn you up front, this is a TOUGH tricep exercise. It combines two of the very best bodyweight tricep exercises you can (other than dips) into an alternating-rep (inset superset) exercise.

You can do this one with your feet on the floor to make it easier, just fyi...I'm using a bench to set my feet on because I'm insane and wanted to make things as hard as possible, apparently...

Click here to keep reading...

Weighted Abdominal Planks For Rock-Solid Core Strength
By Nick Nilsson

The plank is a classic ab exercise. Simple...uses just bodyweight...very effective. If you haven't seen it, basically lay flat on your stomach on the floor then hold yourself up on your forearms, keeping your body straight like a plank.

Now it's time to kick it up a notch, because you know me...I'm all about taking the easy way out and doing things like a "normal" person...

Click here to keep reading...

Bicep Superset - Preachers To EZ Curls
By Nick Nilsson

This is one my favorite "quick and easy" supersets for biceps because you don't have to change weights or stations or anything like that. It'll give your biceps a great growth stimulation!

Click here to keep reading...

When Can You Have TOO Much Training Variety?
By Nick Nilsson

Yep, seems like a strange question for someone like ME to be asking! After all, with all the lunatic stuff I come up with, you'd think I'd be a proponent of doing something different every single day!

Oddly enough, even though I have a TON of unique exercises, I have training sessions where I do nothing but basic stuff and don't even TRY to come up with new twists on anything.

Click here to keep reading...

Band Supported Dips to KILL Your Upper Body
By Nick Nilsson

Let me just start by saying, even if you're STRONG with dips, this exercise is going to challenge you like you're never been challenged with a dip before. To give you an idea, I can do 50 reps of bodyweight dips but 5 reps on this version is tough.

But don't let that scare you! You're going to LOVE this one. This is GREAT exercise for the entire upper body.

Click here to keep reading...

In-Rack Dumbell Split Squats
By Nick Nilsson

The dumbell split squat is one of my favorite leg exercises - you can really work this one till you fall down - I like it better than squats for hitting the thighs hard, in fact.

This variation of it gives you a few benefits on top of the split squat on the floor - with a tradeoff...stability...

Click here to keep reading...

Kneeling Sandbag Shouldering
By Nick Nilsson

So it's no secret that I like using equipment that offers multiple exercises. When it comes to THAT, the sandbag is one of the kings of the hill. I HIGHLY recommend grabbing one of these, if you don't already have one. I have a bag filled with 70 lbs of sand. It can be used for a TON of exercises (click here to grab yours) and is EXTREMELY functional...this exercise is no different!

Click here to keep reading...

Front to Back to Wide Stance Squats
By Nick Nilsson

This technique is basically a "variation drop set", though you could also call it a giant set (3 or more exercises in a row with no rest). You're going to be doing 3 different types of squats, using the different leverages of each variation as the drop instead of reducing weight. It's a pretty straightforward concept once you see it in action...

Click here to keep reading...

Barbell Weighted Chin-Ups
By Nick Nilsson

Need some extra resistance for your Chin-Ups? This is a unique way to do it that adds a balance component and requires hamstring strength, making the exercise more of a total-body type of exercise.

Click here to keep reading...

MAX Range Dumbell Squats
By Nick Nilsson

Let me just start by saying when I say MAX range, I mean MAXIMUM range! With this exercise, you are going to be using a bench and dumbells to achieve a range of motion in the squat far greater than what you normally would use.

Click here to keep reading...

Heavy Dumbell Swings
By Nick Nilsson

This is partly an ab exercise, partly a leg exercise, partly a shoulder exercise, partly a back exercise and very a much a total-body exercise. The concept is simple...pick up a single dumbell then swing it up as high as you can in front of you! There are some tricks to it, though...

Click here to keep reading...

"Forehead on Bench" Rowing
By Nick Nilsson

This is a technique that solves several problems at once when it comes to rowing with barbells and dumbells. The first problem is how to maintain proper body position when doing a barbell or dumbell row. The next problem is how to work your neck without specifically setting aside time to work your neck. This technique adds direct neck work into your back work.

Click here to keep reading...

How To Do Barbell Cheat Curls
By Nick Nilsson

The Barbell Curl is the king of bicep exercises. You want big biceps, you do barbell curls. But when you get to a certain level of development, the standard strict barbell curl doesn't always give your biceps enough growth stimulation to get the job done. That's where the Barbell Cheat Curl comes in. Here's the key...you're not cheating just to use more weight.

Click here to keep reading...

Front and Back Grip Straddle Deadlifts, a.k.a. Jefferson Lifts
By Nick Nilsson

The deadlift is without question, one of THE very best exercises you can do. There are a ton of different variations of the deadlift a person can do. I've got a good one for you to try out!

This version of the deadlift turns everything 90 degrees. Literally!

Click here to keep reading...

Stiff-Legged Deadlift Top Partials
By Nick Nilsson

The Stiff-Legged Deadlift is an exercise I'm sure you'll recognize. If you don't recognize it, then this is not really a good exercise for you to try because it's going to thoroughly overload the top range of motion of it with VERY heavy weight!

This is a really powerful technique - it's your basic top-range partial movement but done using the top range of the Stiff-Legged Deadlift (if you read the title, you may have figured this out already...)

Click here to keep reading...

 

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