40fit Radio

Coach Darin Deaton and Trent Jones are kicking off a new series about the so-called "Big Lifts" -- the squat, press, and deadlift -- that comprise the majority of the exercises in any good strength program.   Why the big lifts? They are simple, hard, and effective. With just three exercises (and, for most people, the bench press as well) you can get very strong, and build a functional and aesthetically pleasing body with the least amount of time. They work so well because they fulfill the basic criteria for strength that Rippetoe lays out in Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training (paraphrased here): They use the most weight They use the most muscle mass They use the greatest effective range of motion (also the safest range of motion for the human body)   With the barbell lifts, you can move much more weight, and therefore train your ability to produce force, than you can with dumbbells or any of shiny machines at the local globo gym. The barbell is also trainable for longer than other weight lifting impl