From left to right – Rob Morton, Blair Wilson and Mike Petrella at Discover Strength during the Resistance Exercise Conference
STG Strength and Power is proudly owned and operated by Michael Petrella (Facebook). STG is regarded by many as one of the finest and best equipped private gyms in the world. Michael is MEDX/HIT Certified (IART), Master HIT Certified (S.P.A.R.T.A.), Certified as a Youth Fitness Instructor (YouthFit Certified), Winner of the prestiges “Most Innovative Training Program” with the World Head of Family Sokeship Council and coach to 61 AWPC/WPC/IPA/RPS/100% Raw World Records.
Michael is also the host of Rogers TV In The Gym completing 6 episodes in season 1 and 10 episodes for season 2 and has opened an expanded through 4 facilities over the past 12 years.
In this episode, Michael and I focus almost entirely on exercise machines. Check out Michael’s gym tour and machine collection HERE
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We cover:
- A review of the advantages and disadvantages of Nautilus, MedX, X-force, Pendulum, and more
- Mike’s favourite exercise machines and tools for optimal muscular stimulation
- The exercise machines and tools that shouldn’t get overlooked
- And much more
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- Listen to it on iTunes
- Stream by clicking here
- Download as an MP3 by right-clicking here and choosing “save as”
This episode is brought to you by MedX Precision Fitness in Toronto, Canada, a leading edge fitness facility co-founded by my friend and former podcast guest, Blair Wilson.
MedX Precision Fitness are highly respected in the strength training industry and, with the help of a wonderful team, have grown a very popular and successful training facility in MedX Precision Fitness. They’ve been featured in The Huffington Post, The Globe and Mail, Toronto Guardian and many more.
They provide complete fitness in as little as 20-minutes per week and use evidence-based high-effort strength training to give you the most efficient and effective workout you’ll ever have. As many of you long time listeners will know, this is the perfect workout for the busy executive.
Aside from Blair’s bulging muscles, there are no distractions. There are no mirrors, no loud music, and no meat heads walking about the place. MedX Precision Fitness uses some of the most sophisticated and high quality equipment available in way of the MedX machine line, delivering you the best results possible.
As well as personal training, they offer nutrition coaching and Bod Pod services to optimise your health, muscle gain and fat loss and give you instant feedback on your progress.
Book a FREE consultation now at Medxpf.com
Selected Links from the Episode
- Resistance Exercise Conference
- Nautilus Bulletin #1 (PDF)
- Nautilus Bulletin #2 (PDF)
- Hammer Strength
- Pendulum Strength
- MedX Avenger Leg Press
- Pendulum Squat Pro (standing squat machine)
- First Generation Nautilus Pullover
- Nautilus Double Chest
- MedX Selectorized Chest Press
- Pendulum Chest Press
- The Sporting Club Main Line (X-Force Facility)
- MedX Overhead Press
- Hammer Strength Incline Press
- Nautilus Plate Loaded Bicep Curl
- Tricep Cable Push-Down
- Cable Rope Overhead Tricep Extension
- Body by Science: A Research Based Program for Strength Training, Body Building, and Complete Fitness in 12 Minutes a Week by Dr Doug McGuff and John R. Little ( Amazon US / Amazon UK )
- MedX Lumbar Extension Machine
- Dumbbell Row (starts at 3:42)
- STG Videos and In The Gym TV Show
- In the Gym with Michael Petrella – Episode 1 – Machines vs Free Weights, Neck Training
- Hammer Strength Iso-Lateral Wide Chest
- PowerBlock Dumbells are space efficient ( Amazon US / Amazon UK )
- Adjustable Bench
- MedX 4-Way Neck Machine
- Hammer Strength Tibia flexion
- Tibialis anterior muscle
- Big-5 Workout
- Nautilus Super Duo-Squat
- Standing Calf Raise (starts at 2:10)
- Donkey Calf Raise
- MedX Seated Leg Curl
- MedX Adductor and Abductor
- MedX Seated Row
- Barbell ( Amazon US / Amazon UK )
- The Colorado Experiment
- University of Colorado
- MuscleSmokeandMirrors.com
- Muscle, Smoke, & Mirrors: Volume I ( Amazon US / Amazon UK )
- Muscle, Smoke, & Mirrors: Volume II ( Amazon US / Amazon UK )
- Negative Only Workout
- Younger Women, Faster Airplanes, Bigger Crocodiles by John Szimanski ( Amazon US )
- Hammer Strength Deadlift Machine
- X-Force Products
- Dynavec Gluteator Glute System
- Hammer Strength Leg Extension
- No Bull Strength and Performance (Erik McKay’s gym)
- High intensity training
- MedX
- TKStar
People Mentioned
- Kim Wood
- Gary Jones
- Brian Johnston (Listen to my episode with Brian here)
- Tyler Hobson
- Dr James Fisher (Listen to my episodes with James here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 and Part 5)
- Roger Schwab (Listen to my episode with Roger here)
- Randy Roach
- Blair Wilson (Listen to my episodes with Blair here: Part 1 and Part 2)
- Dr Ted Dreisinger (Listen to my episode with Ted here)
- Luke Carlson (Listen to my episodes with Luke here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4)
- Mike Gittleson
- Casey Viator
- Dr Doug McGuff (Listen to my episodes with Doug here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4)
- Howie Long
- Chris Long
- David Feather
- Tom Kinney
- Erik McKay
- Arthur Jones
406 – Transforming Back Health: Tim Dettmann and Kieser Australia’s Pioneering Approach to High Intensity Training for Lower Back Pain (Live Q&A from REC 2023)
404 – Dorian Yates Acquires MedX! Discover Dorian’s Plan to Revolutionise MedX and the Fitness Industry
394 – How to Strength Train Athletes, Locking out on the MedX Chest Press, and Using Supports for Nautilus Machines (Q&A with Tim Ryan)
Lawrence, training your rotator cuff is so easy you might as well throw it in there.
The Colorado “experiment” is such a sham, I can’t believe anyone even gives it the time of day.
How do you train yours?
Hello mate, “lying external rotation” light weight, one set to failure. Can tolerate pretty high frequency. You can do it with a resistance band but my anterior deltoids don’t like it! I also do a bit of dedicated scapula retraction exercise.
Really interesting interview! Look forward to part 2.
The one kind of machine you mentioned, but didn’t link to, was the rotator cuff machine. I wonder what he uses?
I’m one of those with delicate shoulders which makes bench pressing problematic. But I love standing overhead barbell presses (done correctly). And a slight incline really does spare the shoulders when doing overhead movements.
This isn’t the first time I’ve heard pendulum equipment mentioned favorably by an HIT aficionado. But it also seems popular among those who don’t normally identify as being HIT guys. That’s a win-win, I suppose!
Regarding training for power lifting: It is true that some powerlifters focus almost exclusively on the competition lifts when training. But I don’t think that is universally true. Many world class lifters incorporate variants of the lift just to give the body a break from heavily stressing particular structures in that way that happens if you still to just the main lift. In some training systems, heavy max effort deadlifts are done only rarely. In some training systems, leg presses are used extensively as an accessory leg exercise in order to provide lower body volume without overly stressing the low back.
Regarding the controversial Colorado experiment: There are now studies out which suggest that using steroids for any significant period of time increases the number of muscle satellite cells (which are necessary to grow new muscle), and that this increase in satellite cells persists for years after steroids are discontinued. So even if Viator had not been using steroids during the duration of the Colorado, he might have been enhanced (not natural) as the result of having used steroids in years prior to the experiment.
The other potential issue around this is that steroid use suppresses natural testosterone production, so if he had been using, and then discontinued just prior to the Colorado experiment, he probably would have suffered from very low T, and probably would have felt absolutely like crap. So if he wasn’t on the juice during the Colorado experiment, he probably would have had to discontinue his steroid use years before doing the experiment. I don’t know how that fits in with his history as a competitive bodybuilder. Like Micheal, I find it difficult to believe he could have been competitive as a natural against all the other top body builders of that era, who we now know were using. If one was inclined to game the experiment, the best strategy would be to go off steroids during the starvation diet phase, and then secretly resume use once training again. Since Viator is no longer with us, we will never know for sure.
Michael is a blue-chip Iron Man…..The best of the best.
I’d love to see him document a “Canada Experiment.”
Negative-only reps affect the cardiovascular system differently than other rep styles. I have not heard or read from any of the so-called “experts, who have interviewed here, on how this can be used to advantage.
Dr. Darden has had excellent documented results with negative accentuated reps….aka as 30/30/30. The adverse effects from resistance training such as decreasing blood vessel compliance may be somewhat alleviated by eccentric reps.
The Nautilus “rush” factor may also be of use in sports such as soccer (world’s most popular sport) to enhance muscular endurance. The cardiovascular needs can easily be met by the practice of soccer itself.
Please ask Michael about his rotary squat machine.