Michael Boyle, Author at T NATION

Tip: Ring Row

Michael Boyle — Sat, 27 Oct 2018 17:15:00 +0000

An exercise like the TRX or ring row is far more scalable than the pull-up. Sure, with the pull-up we can use bands, isometrics, and eccentrics, but can we do these things well? What we see in our facility are people overusing their upper traps and biceps in vertical pulling exercises like chin-ups and pull-ups.

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Tip: The X-Pulldown

Michael Boyle — Fri, 30 Jun 2017 17:15:00 +0000

The X-pulldown is the ultimate shoulder-friendly exercise. The instructions are clear: start thumb-down (internally rotated at the shoulder), finish thumb-up. (externally rotated at the shoulder). By moving from a thumb-down position to a thumb-up position, we've added external rotation to the pulldown, so we've made it into a very joint-friendly spiral while adding a little

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Deadlift or Squat: What's the Diff?

Michael Boyle — Wed, 02 May 2012 12:00:00 +0000

When people used to ask me to explain the difference between a squat and a deadlift, I'd always give a simple, straightforward answer: In the deadlift, the weight is in your hands. To me, that was the easiest way to distinguish between squats and deadlifts. With squats, the bar is on the shoulders, either front

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A Comeback for Lat Pulldowns?

Michael Boyle — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:00:00 +0000

I never thought I'd write an article endorsing lat pulldowns. In my previous writings I've always championed chin-ups and pull-ups as far superior to the lowly lat pulldown. But things change, or more to the point, things evolve. New research becomes available, we question what we've been doing, try new things, and provided we're not

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Exercises Saved From the Dumpster

Michael Boyle — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

I don't care for zealots, especially of the health and fitness ilk. The type of person whose life was changed by discovering yoga or Pilates has never appealed to me. I initially felt the same way about the kettlebell people. It was all about the kettlebells and kettlebells only, so naturally I turned away. It

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5 Great Lessons

Michael Boyle — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 12:00:00 +0000

I'm a big Dan John fan. I've been one for many years. I read Dan's first book, From the Ground Up, and his second, Never Let Go, long before we finally met. I've also read many of his published articles at T Nation along the way. Recently, I started listening to the audio recording of

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5 Superior Single Leg Exercises

Michael Boyle — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 12:00:00 +0000

I'm a strong advocate of single-leg training for athletes. I consider them superior to their bilateral counterparts, and my years spent training countless athletes have reinforced my position. Some of my colleagues have suggested that coaches who push single-leg movements only do so to be controversial. I can assure you this is not the case.

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Build Bigger Legs, One at a Time

Michael Boyle — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:00:00 +0000

I've advocated single-leg training over the years for a variety of reasons, which I summed up in this article for T Nation back in 2007. In my view, single-leg training results in less back stress due to the reduced loads. And, although the phrase "functional training" is overused, single-leg training meets my definition. It's the

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Is Sport-Specific Training a Myth?

Michael Boyle — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Strength training is and always will be a major part of the conditioning process for athletes. In fact, nothing seems to help sport performance more than the development of strength and power. This is great news for those of us who've made a career out of helping athletes reach those goals. But even though we

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Lifts I Never Did, Used to Do, or Just Started Doing Again

Michael Boyle — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 13:00:00 +0000

As a writer and a coach, I thrive on change. If I see something that looks like it might work, I'll try it. If I'm doing something that doesn't work, I'll stop using it. Sometimes I'll return to exercises that I stopped doing, having reconsidered the reasons I abandoned them, or found new uses that

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