Strength Training

If you want to get a bigger, stronger deadlift you need to follow these 12 steps from Ultimate Performance

One of the most common physical weaknesses we see in clients that come to UP is poor grip strength. This is especially prevalent in clients who have previous training experience and have become increasingly reliant on straps and other grip aids over the years. The problem with direct grip training is it isn’t sexy. Nor […]

Rep speed, also known as tempo, is a measure of the speed you move at throughout one repetition of an exercise.   At Ultimate Performance we normally record a rep speed in our workout programs using a four-number code that was popularised by late Olympic strength coach Charles Poliquin.   Based on this system, we can break every rep down into four […]

Wave loading is based on the principles of PTP (post-tetanic potentiation) which was contributed to the work done back in the 1980s, by Dietmar Schmidtbleicher, a German strength physiologist. The outcome of his work showed that fatiguing muscle contractions impair muscle performance, but non-fatiguing muscle contractions at high loads with a brief duration may enhance muscle performance.    This […]

The what, where and why of training the lower trapezius muscles, and U.P. trainer Elliott Upton’s top tips for training them right.

A tried-and-tested method for preserving strength and volume, and in turn protecting muscle mass throughout Ramadan, created by U.P. personal trainer Tom Hutchinson-Smith.

A follow up video on German Volume Training(GVT) discussing the basics and how best to implement this into training.

When building your ideal physique there’s one area that’s too often forgotten in favour of our beloved ‘mirror muscles’…that’s the back. If your back development is lagging, your physique will appear incomplete. Looking at the entire body as a whole, it’s also the one body part that can never be over-developed or become out of […]

A step-by-step guide to mastering the split squat – how to set up, how to perform the exercise and top trainer tips.

The Ultimate Guide to The Barbell Back Squat including how to set up, movement mechanics and trainer tips

Here are 5 glute training exercises that you should avoid and what to do at the gym instead

Here are 7 modified strongman exercises to help boost your performance, your fitness and your fat loss goals

Which training split is best to use? We explain the benefits of 5 main splits for beginners to advanced trainees.

Variable resistance machines are a useful way to challenge the muscle through the full range of motion while training

Bad posture and back pain go hand in hand, but strength training can help fix muscle imbalances and improve your posture

How to optimise your bench press technique, improve your form, elicitstrength and muscle gains faster than ever

If you want to build a bigger, stronger, more powerful posterior chain here are 3 training methods to follow from UP