GOT TOUGH TRAINING QUESTIONS? WE HAVE AN ANSWER FOR EVERYTHING.

Q: I see guys in my gym lowering the bar only halfway on the bench press and starting their deadlifts from knee-height. Is this a good idea? I thought a full range of motion was best.

A: Under most circumstances, a full range of motion will be your best bet for increasing size and strength, but partial reps have a place in your gym bag as well, according to Jonathan Fass, C.S.C.S., a strength coach at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J. When you train with a partial range, he says, you build strength specifically within that range of motion, because the central nervous system will only adapt to move the weight in that particular range. That's a bad idea if you're training to increase your overall muscle and strength, but it's an excellent way to overcome weaknesses, or "sticking points," in your lifts. According to Fass, "Partial-rep techniques such as rack pulls for the deadlift and lockouts for the bench press can be an effective way to improve on weaknesses within the normal range of motion, and are often recommended by trainers as a way of helping lifters to break through plateaus." But the guy grunting out partial curls on the preacher bench isn't going to make great strength gains. "Unfortunately, the vast majority of people who use shortened ranges of motion aren't doing it intentionally--they're just using too much weight," says Fass, "and lifting with your ego is dangerous."

Q: I started doing intervals for cardio and now my shins hurt every time I jog. What happened?

A: Sounds like you've got shin splints. Typically, long-distance runners are at the greatest risk for the condition, but even if you're just sprinting on the treadmill, you can develop shin splints if your running mechanics are off. "Ideally, when you sprint, the ball of your lead foot should strike the ground directly underneath your hips," says Jason Ferruggia, a performance-enhancement coach in Warren, N.J. The problem is that many sprinters run like they're jogging, with their heel striking the ground in front of their body. "This creates extra stress throughout the lower leg and body, increasing your risk of injury," says Ferruggia. The best advice for correcting potential problems: Grab a trainer at the gym who's familiar with sprint training and have him or her analyze your form to make sure you're moving properly.

In the meantime, try slowing down to a walk between intervals. For example, sprint for 10-30 seconds, and then walk at a comfortable pace for 60-120 seconds. If this doesn't help, the simplest remedy is to rest. Ice the affected area and stretch your calves. After a week off, you should be OK. "And if that doesn't work, check the arch support in your shoes," says Ferruggia. "Sometimes just getting artificial arch supports put in your sneakers or getting fitted for custom orthotics can cure shin splints in no time."

Q: Every time I do deadlifts, my lower back hurts for days afterward. I'm always sure to keep my lower back arched, so why am I getting hurt?

A: You may have answered your own question. "While keeping the lower back in its naturally arched position prevents rounding of the spine when you pull heavy weights off the floor, preventing a disc injury, too much of an arch can be just as bad," says Eric Cressey, C.S.C.S., a performance-enhancement coach in Boston, "especially when you lock out at the end of the lift." Arching too much is usually the result of having tight hip flexors and weak glutes, which many people do, and that means your hips won't generate the strength they need to finish the lift. To compensate, your lower back has to work harder than it should, and you'll fall prey to one of two problems: Either you lean forward a bit as you reach the top position while your lower back hyperextends to pull you upright, or you lean too far backward with your knees bent, also hyperextending the spine. The solution in either case is to teach your body to finish the move with your glutes, rather than with your back.

To increase glute strength, Cressey recommends adding the following exercises to your routine: hip bridges, in which you lie on your back and drive your feet into the floor so that your hips rise into the air; rack pulis, in which you perform deadlifts from knee-height using the pins of a power rack; and pull-throughs, in which you straddle a cable and pull it from the floor to hip height (like a deadlift).  Medical Supply.