Earlier this month, much like everyone else in the free world, I made a few resolutions that, so far, I’ve been able to not suck at.
Operation Hydration is still in full swing. I’ve been crushing water like it’s my job, and it’s really made a difference in how I feel on a day-to-day basis. Granted I pee a lot more – and I absolutely HATE getting up in the middle of the night – but that minor nuisance is well worth it considering I’m walking around less lethargic and just feel like a new person overall.
NOTE: For those interested, I just take my body weight and divide that by half, and that’s how many ounces of water I shoot for. Whatever I drink over that is just a bonus.
On a more professional level, I also mentioned how I was going to try to do more speaking engagements this year. As it stands now, I have a handful that are in the works for later on this summer and fall, but I’ll elaborate on those at another time when I have all the details. More relevant to the near future though, I’ll be speaking at a local Boston Sports Club in mid-February.
The event will be held on Tuesday, February 21st at 2:30 PM at the Downtown Crossing BSC. My talk is going to be catered towards personal trainers and it’s tentatively titled 10 Traits of an Effective Fitness Professional. I know, it’s a lame title. I may opt to go with something more Gentilcoreian, like, Stop Doing Stupid Shit.
I don’t know, I’ll keep working on it.
Nevertheless, I plan on discussing several topics, but serving as the meat and potatoes will namely be assessment and program design. And maybe a teeny tiny bit on why I’d rather set my face on fire than include any unstable surface training into the mix.
The idea is to keep this a more manageable and “intimate” setting, so spots are limited (I believe the cap is between 16-20, and as of today, ten are already confirmed). If you’re a local trainer in Boston, and you happen to have a few hours free that afternoon, it might be well worth your time to come down and listen.
The talk is going to be roughly 90-120 minutes, and I’m pretty sure there’s going to be a smoke machine and laser show as part of the introduction (only a slight exaggeration).
For more information, please contact Peter Humer at: [email protected].
Today’s guest post comes from Jeff Barnett, and it’s on the importance of deload weeks which is something I feel is relevant to EVERY person reading this post who trains on a consistent basis.
For more info on Jeff, check out his sites HERE and HERE.
Recently at my facility, I’ve been getting a lot of questions from my athletes regarding deload weeks. Specifically, what is a deload week and how they can incorporate it into their training?
A deload week is simply a week spent recovering from exercise. Rest is not just a break from going to the gym. It’s an absolutely essential part of training! We are all familiar with rest days. Why not extend the concept further to a rest week? After all, your body has no respect for how long you think it should take to recover.
Only reality matters: how long does your body actually need for recovery? Consistent training eventually builds a deficit that cannot be repaid in a single rest day. A deload week is a chance for your body to recover from that deficit. The deload week allows your body to catch up – to repair connective tissue and restore testosterone/cortisol ratios. Muscle can recover more quickly than connective tissue. A deload week keeps tendons and ligaments healthy. If you chronically develop tendonitis, then scheduled deload weeks are definitely part of the solution.
Here’s the disconnect: You don’t get stronger by exercising!
You get stronger by recovering from exercise. This simple concept forms the basis of exercise physiology. Hans Selye first described it in 1936. Countless professionals like Zatsiorsky, Rippetoe, and Kilgore have expanded it further. The basic theory goes like this:
1. Provide a stimulus to an organism (exercise)
2. Remove the stimulus (rest)
3. The organism adapts to better handle the stimulus (Next time you can deadlift 375 lbs instead of 370 lbs). This is called supercompensation.
We all recognize the importance of Step #1. We all recognize the fun of Step #3. But Step #2 often goes neglected, even though it’s equally critical.
What happens when you neglect Step #2 and you never remove the stimulus (you continue to exercise constantly)? Seyle actually studied that too. The organism dies. Now everyone will stop exercising before they die, but the point is that a never-ending stimulus (unceasing exercise) doesn’t make you better. It makes you worse. It digs your body into a hole that keeps getting deeper. This is overtraining.
I first read about deload weeks from Jim Wendler in his short and violent book, 5/3/1. His program advocates training at precise percentages in four-week cycles. The first three weeks of each cycle are heavy and the last week is a deload week.
Note from TG:We use a similar approach at Cressey Performance as well, albeit we modify training stress a bit differently.
Week 1 – High Volume Week 2 – Medium Volume Week 3 – VERY High Volume Week 4 – Deload/eat lots of dead animal flesh
The deload week uses three sets of five reps for each exercise at 40-60% of 1RM – very few reps and very light loads. The intent is to preserve the neuromuscular pathways of lifting without actually breaking down muscle (the usual intent of strength training).
Top CrossFit competitor Blair Morrison also uses deload weeks. Morrison trains 1-on/1-off for 3 weeks and then takes a week of recovery. His training days include up to three workouts. Morrison says, “I can go really hard in all those workouts because I know I have the next day as a rest day.”
How can you incorporate a deload week into your training? Simple. Every few weeks of training, take a week off. I have adopted the 3/1 ratio that Wendler and Morrison prescribe, and I recommend it. You still take your normal rest days during your training weeks, but when your training weeks are over, take a full week of dedicated recovery.
Schedule your deload week in advance, and stick to it. And when it arrives, remember that allowing your body to recover is more important than the fun of jumping into another workout. You are not wussing out—you are making yourself stronger!
Now, some caveats.
First, I don’t suggest complete rest for the whole week. I suggest a couple active recovery workouts, a couple thorough mobility sessions, and yes, some straight-up rest. Active recovery means you are working, but not at an intensity that is breaking down muscle or challenging you metabolically. One of my favorite recovery WODs is rowing 2000 meters on the Concept 2.
Rowing is low impact and involves almost your entire body. I can also precisely monitor my pace to ensure I keep the intensity low. Jim Wendler’s prescription is also excellent. Three sets of five reps of back squat and shoulder press at 50% 1RM with 2-3 minutes rest between sets is also a great recovery workout.
You could also use Yoga (at low intensity), lacrosse ball and foam roller work, joint mobility work, and deep tissue massage as recovery tools during your deload week. Of a seven day week, you want 3-4 complete rest days and 3-4 recovery and mobility sessions. Have a plan for your deload week, but listen to your body. That’s what the deload week is all about.
Note from TG: HERE is a post I did a while back on active recovery that may provide some ideas of what to do.
Next, a deload week is not an excuse to derail your nutrition. On the contrary, sticking to your nutrition plan is even more important during your deload week. Keeping your normal gym schedule while just performing recovery and mobility workouts can help keep your routine intact. Routine helps most athletes stick to their nutrition plan. Your body is repairing itself. You need to provide it all the quality fuel it needs to complete the repairs, along with plenty of sleep every night. Recovery is not just the absence of training; it is a critical part of the training process!
Why should you consider working deload weeks into your training schedule? You will become stronger, faster. You’ll suffer fewer chronic injuries. You’ll be less prone to burning out. You’ll be an overall better athlete. Try it.
I’m lucky that I live in a strength and conditioning bubble that allows me the ability (and luxury) to control pretty much everything around me. With the exception of the music – which is a never ending battle of techno vs. rap vs. country vs. metal vs. Katy Perry my ears are bleeding – as a coach and part-owner of my own facility I have a large say in the everyday shenanigans (for lack of a better term) that goes down.
Between myself, the other two coaches (Eric Cressey and Chris Howard), and our interns, every warm-up drill, every sprint drill, every exercise, every set and rep, EVERY PROGRAM is supervised – meticulously. While I don’t want to sound like I’m blowing sunshine up our own ass – although that’s exactly what I’m doing – seemingly, we’re doing something right, and I like to think we’re doing our part in cementing proper exercise habits and techniques along the way.
One of the best compliments we can receive as a staff is when other fitness professionals stop by to observe and they go out of their way to commend us on how well coached our athletes and clients are.
It happens all the time. And I’m proud of that fact.
People squat to proper depth; their deadlifts don’t make my spine start hyperventilating; they know how to perform a push-up correctly; they know that a chin-up really means sternum-up; there’s absolutely no cell phones allowed on the gym floor; and there’s certainly no curling in the squat rack. Unless your last name rhymes with Smeshshmentilore. In that case, it’s totally pimp.
Like I said, I live in a pretty sweet bubble where I can control things, and people, more often than not, do things right….and get strong and swole to boot.
And then, I go to a commercial gym, and I’m immediately reminded how much I want to throw an ax into my face.
Now, before I continue, let me just say that I’ve been trying to make more of a concerted effort to stop drinking the haterade.
Busting on commercial gyms is easy, and in a lot of ways played out. It serves no purpose than to feed the fire and make me come across as kind of douchey. Besides, not all commercial gyms are created equal, and I know of plenty who do it right (ahem, Dean Somerset), actually take some pride in their craft, and go out of their way to actually help their members and demonstrate that they care for their well-being. In my experience, however, those are few and far between.
Because I live in the city, I have easy access to numerous commercial gyms. As such, on the off chance that I don’t go into CP on any given day – like this past Tuesday for instance – it makes it convenient to still get a lift in.
It’s inevitable that I’m going to see stupid stuff while I’m there. I’m prepared for that. There’s the woman who hangs upside down off the bars and then proceeds to perform some sort of core training/circus act. There’s the guy performing 1-legged DB lateral raises – off a BOSU ball. And there’s the two meat-heads performing 57 variations of chest presses.
As a coach I can’t help myself but observe. It’s ingrained in me. Still, I realize that (most) people don’t know any better, and in any event, at least they’re doing something. I just shrug it off, turn up my iPod, and move on with my life.
It’s when I watch some of the trainers in action that I get furious. Half the time, I feel as if the client would be better off taking their money and flushing it down the toilet.
Almost always, technique is just AWFUL! I don’t care who you are, or how many letters you have next to your name, if your client is deadlifting with a rounded back, and you don’t correct it, you lose all credibility in my eyes.
I watched one trainer actually demonstrate with a rounded back, and then proceed to allow his client to do the same. Encouraging him along the way.
Moreover, I watched a female trainer take her female client through an entire session using nothing heavier than a ten lb dumbbell. Jesus, I’m willing ot bet the woman’s purse is heavier than ten lbs!
Really? 10 lbs?
I don’t know, maybe they were training for the National Paper Weight Carrying championship. Specificity, right?
Or what about this exchange I overhead from a female TRAINER getting trained from her male counterpart.
Dude Trainer (putting her on the Smith Machine to perform RDLs): Okay, so now we’re going to target the medial hamstring.
***I have no idea how performing RDLs in the Smith Machine somehow targets the medial hamstring. Whatever.
Female Trainer: okay, so what are we going to do after this?
Dude Trainer: Walking lunges
Female Trainer: You mean, with weight?
Unbelievable. I wanted nothing more than to turn around and scream…….”YES, with weight!!”
But I didn’t, of course. It wasn’t my place to do so.
When I got home that afternoon, I posted a ‘status’ update on my Facebook Wall describing the above exchange, and someone responded with:
How do you feel about critiquing people? Especially because of your expertise in the field?
To which I replied:
I don’t offer ANY unsolicited advice when I train at commercial gyms. I get asked questions all the time, and when that happens, I’m all for giving my opinion. Of course, as a coach, I can’t help but observe (and shake my head sometimes), but I’d NEVER go out of my way to openly chastise someone. Especially another trainer.
This isn’t to say I’ve never helped someone out. On numerous occasions I’ve been approached by other patrons, and was more than willing to offer some insight or words of encouragement. Several times, I’ve actually coached people through their deadlifts or squats. But then again, they asked. It’s not like I walked up to them with an “holier than thou” attitude and started drilling them.
Sure, there’s ways to be subtle, especially if it looks like someone is going to break their back in half……
But it brings up an interesting conversation: what’s crossing the line?
When is it acceptable to step in and offer unsolicited advice? For me, it’s a VERY grey area, and something that’s more or less a case-by-case scenario.
What are you thoughts? I’d be interested in hearing them.
If there was ever a feature on which topics were currently “trending” on all of the hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of health and fitness blogs out on the interwebz, I’m sure Intermittent Fasting would be right up there on that list.
The topic, it seems, is like catnip lately.
I’m not even going to attempt to explain what it is (what? No breakfast!!? No. Noooooo), who it’s for (I’ll tell you who it’s NOT for. Guys who weigh 150 lbs soaking wet, trying to look like Brad Pitt from Fight Club), or whether or not I feel it’s beneficial (sure, it has its moments). What I am going to do, however, is point you in the direction of someone who can break it down, as it’s a rather complicated (and just a tad bit controversial) topic that many people need to be more well informed about.
I had mentioned this FREE report earlier in the week, but felt it got lost in the shuffle, so I wanted to give it a little love here where more people would have access to it. Many of you who read this blog are very familiar with John and his work, so it’s not like I’m coming out of left field here when I say I’m a fan.
And since intermittent fasting is such a hot topic as of late, I figured if you’re going to read about it, you might as well get your information from someone who’s hella smart, knows the science behind it, has actually done it himself (and coached numerous people through it), and is a Lord of the Rings nerd, which obviously has nothing to do with anything.
For those who like a “feel good” story, this one is right up your alley. Matt, pictured above with his guitar and mullhawk (half mullet, half mohawk), is in his fourth off-season with us at Cressey Performance, starting as a catching prospect for the Atlanta Braves, getting released, then interning with us, then working his way back with the Boston Red Sox as pitching prospect.
A Harvard graduate, Matt’s wicked smaht and a hell of a writer, and better still, just an awesome human being.
I just started reading some of Anthony’s stuff over on t-nation.com recently, and as it happened, I also started perusing his blog because I’m a stalker like that. I came across this post, and felt it was applicable to many people reading given you’re all stiffer than a 2×4 anyways. Needless to say, I think Anthony has a lot of great things to say, and I think many of you will appreciate his style given it’s very similar to mine.
In an industry that’s inundated with movers and shakers promoting their watered down products, it’s always refreshing to have the opportunity to promote something I feel will help a lot of people. Back in 2009 (maybe it was 2010), fellow colleague John Izzo asked if I’d be willing to watch his DVD, Shatterproof Spine.
As the name suggests, it covers the spine (more specifically, lower back pain) and highlights a workshop that John did with a number of trainers at the facility he used to manage back in the day.
Note: he now OWNS his own facility.
What I liked best was that John mixed the perfect formula of science/research and combined it with the perfect blend of practical knowledge into an easy to follow, easy to assimilate format. Truth be told, he left no stone unturned covering topics such as assessment, corrective exercise for for low back health, proper posture positioning, understanding the role of fatigue as it relates to core strengthening, and much much more.
All told, I loved it, and it’s consistently one of the more popular DVDs that’s “borrowed” out of our Cressey Performance Resource Library.
Thing is, you can’t purchase the DVD anymore – it’s sold out (which should tell you something). As such, John has decided to re-release Shatterproof Spine as an instant download, so you can watch it anywhere at any time.
Reciprocally, while the product alone is outstanding, John has “sweetened” the pot by also including a couple of incentives:
5 Practical Drills to Identify Low Back Pain Sufferers – The book is complete with some applicable drills that John uses with his general population clients to help better understand which direction to take his programming, and also serves as a nice adjunct to his screening process.
Eye of the Trainer – Video download along the same lines of using certain exercises as observational assessments and helping trainers plan accordingly with their exercise programs.
Combined, this is a fantastic resource for any personal trainer out there looking to take his or her craft to the next level, and separate themselves from the masses.
To that end, I wanted to share an interview I did with John highlighting the release of Shatterproof Spine. In an industry that is notorious for less than exemplary practices, John is one of the rare few who “gets it,” and is recognized as one of the leaders in personal training standards.
Enjoy!
TG: John, lets get the particulars out of the way. For those who may not be familiar with you or your work, can you give my readers the Cliff Notes version? Where are you located? What’s your background? What’s the main demographic that you work with? Do you like walks on the beach?
John Izzo: Thanks for having me Tony. Here is the gist of Izzo…I am a personal trainer located in Manchester, CT about 15 minutes away from Hartford. Years ago, I thought I wanted to be a strength coach….so I focused my attention on young athletes in a commerical gym setting. Didn’t work out. Being inside a commerical gym, every kid that called himself an “Athlete” wanted to train like a bodybuilder.
Sooner than later, I was getting more and more general population clients walking up to me looking for directions to their goals: better health, losing fat, and getting stronger. They were seeing what I was doing with many of the younger guys and thought that I can help them out. Well….I was able to and soon over 90% of my clientele were “normal” Joe’s and Jane’s looking for better function. Training younger athletes started to dwindle down and I turned my attention to helping people improve everyday performance. This was back around 2002. Around 2007, I came to the realization that I was a personal trainer–not a strength coach
Through the years, I found myself in management running the day to day operations; outfitting facilities, and balancing budgets. Thinking I can turn my back on personal training and make more money in management, I found out that I was wrong. Managing others is a bitch. You try to get everyone on the same page–same thought process as yours–but its never easy. As a gym manger, you are listening to people bitch and moan about changing channels on the TVs; music volume, someones hygiene on the treadmill, or trainers having sex outside. (Yes, that is a true story and guess who was the one that had to knock on the car window?)
TG: Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh snap.BOM CHICKA BOM BOM. Okay, sorry. You were saying……
JI: Anyways….my love to train others soon won. I returned back to full-time training in 2008. I opened my own facility in 2010 and it is mainly a one-on-one private training studio. I do teach group strength classes, but my love shines in one on one. That is where I feel I am a coach.
TG: Even though you and I have never met, we’ve exchanged several emails throughout the years, and I’m always amazed at just how “real” you are, never hesitating to call BS on anyone or anything. This is your chance to sound off. You and I both know that the fitness industry can be a circus – at best. What are some of the things, as of late, that really get your goat?
JI: Oh boy…are trying to get me in trouble…? The truth is, its not that I enjoy calling BS on anyone, I just feel that any good, honest adult should. I truly have a love for what I do, what you do, and what many fit pro’s do. I feel sometimes the industry is tainted with people that don’t belong here. I ‘ll put it to you this way…I know you are a big movie buff. Remember that scene in “Behind Enemy Lines” with Owen Wilson? That is one of my Top 10 best movies, BTW.
Anyway, remember the scene when the evil admiral was dead-against the US Marines going in to save Owen Wilson? Remember when the Marine captain was going over the Intel with his team on the deck and then the admiral showed up with some “French troops”? The admiral stated that the French troops “would be going in for the extraction”. Those guys didn’t belong there! Those guys had ZERO attachment to our guy down behind enemy lines! They didn’t care about our man. They were not going to give 110% effort, because there was no passion for Owen Wilson!
Well, that’s how I feel about alot of the guys that turn personal trainers’ attention away from serving the client and make them focus on making money. They don’t belong in our industry. They know what they are doing. They are feeding on a fear or scarcity that young, under-developed trainers have. And to me, they continue to hurt the industry—not help it.
TG: Okay, lets talk Shatterproof Spine. What was the impetus behind making this product?
JI: Around 2008, I was working with alot of golfers (still do). Alot of these guys were working at the investment firms, private business, or playing bridge all day and then wanted to hit the course. Well, many of them were having major back pain and it was affecting their swing.
If you can’t swing, you can’t play golf. If you suck at golf, no one is going to ask you to meet them for 8:30am tee off.
So, I went to work researching Dr. Stuart McGill and Shirley Sahrmann’s books. The info I found was fascinating and once I put it to practice with my golfers, they began to tell me how their backs felt better. As a trainer, you have to realize that everyone knows someone that has some sort of low back pain. Some people hide it, some people disregard it, and some people take medicine or have surgery for it.
The job of the trainer is to help people alleviate the symptoms of low back pain and restore optimal function. When it came time for me to teach a workshop for new trainers, I put together a slide-show that would encompass everything I had learned from the authors, along with my own findings–including videos with my golfers. The participants in the workshop were amazed at how much help they can provide (as trainers) to their clients simply by designing exercise programs more carefully and utilizing the drills in the video.
TG: On that front, what do you feel are the biggest mistakes trainers and coaches make with regards to working with clients who suffer from acute or chronic lower back pain?
JI:Mistake #1: Trainers ignore client’s complaints of low back pain. Personal trainers tend to ignore the small, subtle comments people make about low back pain and continue on with a strength training program. Or they tend to think a plank will fix everything. These trainers need to research more about mechanical low back pain and possibly learn the benefits of massage therapy, ART, and corrective exercise.
Mistake #2: Trainers shy away from giving clients challenging workouts because of low back issues. It is a double edged sword. New trainers–especially–tend to give clients very subtle, boring isometric exercises or tubing exercise that really make a client want to gag and leave
Truth is, most people that suffer from low back pain are probably overweight, sedentary, and lack adequate core strength. Trainers tend to be “too careful” because they don’t know how to approach and design an exercise program that can include drills to strengthen the core and relieve low back tightness, improve hip mobility, and add flexibility. Hence, they do nothing and the client gets nothing.
TG: Great points on both fronts John. Elevator Pitch: who will benefit most from this product?
JI:Shatterproof Spine, Eye of the Trainer, and 5 Practical Drills eBook are really designed with the personal trainer or strength coach in mind. That’s not to say that your average exerciser can’t benefit from the drills demonstrated in the hands-on portion of the workshop.
TG: Thanks John. For those interested in more information on John (and his products), visit his site HERE. In addition, for those interested in Shatterproof Spine, what are you waiting for GO!!!
In an effort to increase our web presence (and take over the world), we’ve been making more of a concerted effort to take daily videos of clients getting their lift on at the facility and then posting them up on either our respective websites (CresseyPerformance.com, EricCressey.com, or TonyGentilcore.com) as well as CP’s Twitter account.
HINT: you should follow us. We’re kinda cool
A few weeks ago I shared a video of high school junior, Becca, crushing a set of barbell bridges with 405 lbs, and making every guy within a two mile radius question his manhood.
It was awesome, and the cool part was that I got feedback as far away as Japan where a strength coach showed that video to his track athletes in an effort to motivate them and demonstrate how weak they are.
In keeping with the “girls can lift heavy things, too” theme, today I want to share a video of CP client, Whitney G performing a set of ONE-HAND CHIN-UPS.
This is Whitney’s second off-season training at Cressey Performance. I say “off-season” because her husband, Tim, who plays in the Cincinnati Reds organization, also trains with us, and is the main impetus behind Whitney coming to CP as well.
Long story short, Whitney loves to be challenged, and it’s always fun to write her programs because:
1. She’s loves to train, and has really embraced the lifestyle since coming to CP.
2. I can pretty much program anything I want with her. Which is to say, we both get a chuckle out of making Tim feel inferior. Although, to be fair, Whitney can’t throw 95 MPH.
………I think.
Anyways, she shows up everyday with Tim and trains right alongside 25-30 other professional baseball players – easily holding her own. She’s a huge fan of Jamie Eason, and as such, has been toying around with the possibility of competing in a figure show down the road. For a visual reference, this is Jamie Eason.
Almost daily, Whitney will spout off some random fact about Jamie – to the extent that we now have a running joke around the facility of WWJD (What Would Jamie Do?) – and then, without breaking a sweat, walk over and crush a set of deadlifts like it ain’t no thang.
I’d argue, however, that the exercise that she excels at the best are chin-up variations. In fact, it’s because of Whitney that many of our other female clients have vowed to improve their chin-up prowess.
1-Hand Chin-Up Pwnage
Whaaaaaaaaaat. How cool is that?
About the only thing that would be more badass, is if Whitney repelled from a Stealth bomber and scissor kicked a pirate in the throat.
Giving full disclosure: Whitney does have an extensive background in gymnastics, competing until the age of 17 while growing up in Georgia, but that doesn’t negate the fact that she’s doing a set of chin-ups with one freaking arm!!!!
My good buddy John Romaniello just released a FREE 31-page report detailing some of his thoughts on the incredibly controversial topic of intermittent fasting.
Speaking truthfully, I’ve never done it, but I know a lot of good friends and colleagues who have (and have done really well with it).
Here, John helps to dispel many of the myths and misconceptions surrounding the topic, and did I mention it’s FREE? Well, it is. For more information, click below:
It’s been a few weeks since I’ve written one of my miscellaneous posts, so I figured this would be the perfect way to start what I hope will be a full week of blogging.
1. It’s no secret that I heart movies. I’ve always joked that if I were ever independently wealthy, all I would do is train, finance my own gourmet omelet restaurant/bowling center, and hang out with Matt Damon and give each other high-fives while we watch movies – like, all the time.
There are only a few shows on television that I like to watch: The Daily Show, the Red Sox (when it’s baseball season), Top Chef, and House Hunters. Namely, with regards to the latter, Lisa and I just like to have fake arguments with the couple’s that are on the show.
I mean, how asinine is it that someone walks into a room, and can’t look past the color of paint on the walls?
Anyways, I don’t watch a lot of tv, and would much rather walk down to the theater and catch a movie.
In the past few weeks alone, we’ve seen Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (awesome), The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (I read the books AND watched the original foreign films, too, but the American version was like whoa); Sherlock Holmes (first one was better); A Dangerous Method (Keira Knightely shows her boobies); Melancholia (Kirsten Dunst also shows her boobies, but it was the worst movie I’ve ever seen); The Descendants (good, but overrated); and lastly, Haywire, which Lisa and I saw yesterday.
I’ve been anxiously waiting for this movie to come out since I first saw the trailer back in November. Directed by one of my favs, Steven Soderbergh – of Erin Brockovich and Ocean’s 11,12,&13 fame – and starring Gina Carano – of MMA, she can totally kick your ass fame – Haywire, in simplest terms, is basically the female equivalent of the Jason Bourne films.
While Carano won’t be winning any Best Actress awards anytime soon, she more than held her own, and it was clear, from the start, that the film was all about showcasing her fighting skills.
What I liked best was that the movie wasn’t enhanced with silly sound effects or over-the-top music during the fight scenes. Instead, it was raw, unadulterated, awesomeness.
What was interesting, and this was something that Lisa brought up on our walk back home, was that Carano’s physique was covered up. There was no doubt that the film makers showcased Carano’s, um, assets. But you couldn’t help but think that they were purposely holding back and blatantly covering up her pecs, shoulders, and upper back throughout. Possibly to make her seem more feminine?
Either way, like I said, it was great to see a (believable) female character kick some ass. I get so tired of watching female characters who weigh like 87 lbs toss around dudes three times their size like a paperweights. Conversely, Carano looks the part. And she ain’t too shabby on the eyes either.
All in all, when you combine the action, writing, directing, as well as the supporting cast (Michael Fassbender, Michael Douglass, Antonio Banderas, Obi Wan Kenobi Ewan McGregor), it was definitely worth seeing.
I gave the movie a solid B.
2. Speaking of strong female characters, HERE is an awesome interview done with MariAnne Kane from the Girls Gone Strong crew.
I LOVE what these women are doing for the industry. Guys have always had the likes of Arnold, Ronnie Coleman, Dave Tate, and numerous others to look up to. Now, thanks to Girls Gone Strong, women have someone to look up to for inspiration. And it’s a beautiful thing.
3. Here’s a question that I received in the mail the other day:
Q: Tony is it ok to switch from doing regular deadlifts and do deficit deadlifts as a different variation for training deadlifts? What are the benefits of doing deficit deadlifts… do they still work the same muscle groups ?
A: It’s definitely okay to switch from “regular” deadlifts to deficit deadlifts. While there are a few benefits, the main one to consider is that deficit deadlifts help to increase the ROM, which for those who are slow off the ground, can bode in their favor.
In short, when you return back to standard height, the weight should feel lighter.
The key thing to remember, though, is that you DO NOT need a huge deficit to perform these. Anything from 1-4 inches is plenty. Placing a plate underneath each foot should suffice for most.
Additionally, and maybe even more important, is that deficit deadlifts aren’t something you’ll want to include in your programming for a prolonged period of time – ESPECIALLY if your technique isn’t up to par.
As noted previously, you’re going to increase the ROM of the movement which by default, will make it more challenging. And hence, maybe more deleterious to the spine (if done incorrectly).
Having said that, even if you’re technique is flawless, I’d still be reluctant to do this for more than 3-4 weeks at a time. Honestly, four weeks is pushing it in my eyes.
To that end, deficit deadlifts are a worthwhile variation to include in your programming – I just wouldn’t use them exclusively for a long period of time.
4. On January 2nd my girlfriend, Lisa, started a little experiment on herself. She’s always been interested in nutrition and the effects that certain foods can have on the body. After doing a little research and talking to a few people, she picked up The Paleo Diet.
It really resonated with her (she read the entire book in a day), and so, she decided she’d give it a try for 60 days.
Now, I understand that there are a lot of detractors out there who will chime in and say something along the lines of “Tony, Tony, Tony…..you do realize that we have no idea what our Paleolithic ancestors ate, and it’s all based on speculation and not fact, right?”
Indeed, I do. Who cares!?! I also realize they didn’t eat Dunkin Donuts for breakfast. To each his own.
Nonetheless, it’s not like Lisa cowers into the fetal position every time she encounters a carb. She has her allotted “off” meals on the weekends. But all told, she’s been following the diet verbatim, focusing her efforts on lean meats (beef, buffalo, chicken, ground turkey,etc), tons of greens and various fruits, and limiting her salt and sugar intake.
After three weeks, she feels amazing! She’s more energetic and it takes her waaaaaaay longer to get pissed off whenever I leave dirty clothes on the couch. It’s a win-win if you ask me.
Being the supportive boyfriend that I am, I’m doing a Paleo’ish type diet, too. Albeit, I’m still allowing myself more wiggle room like oatmeal, sweet potatoes, yogurt, Ezekiel bread, and grass fed dragon.
So far, I really like it, and it definitely supports my lifestyle. I can’t say for sure whether or not I’ll follow it long-term, but for now, it seems to be working.
I’ll keep everyone posted.
5. And lastly, sitting sucks. Read THIS article if you don’t believe me.
I’ve been toying around with writing a post providing tips and insight for new and upcoming trainers/coaches on how to become a better fitness professional for a while now, as I feel the ‘new class’ coming in often has an overwhelming sense of entitlement.
Not all of them, of course. But a fair share.
For some, they feel that just because they’ve spent the last four years in school and completed a few internships, they’re entitled to a killer job that has them training professional athletes eight hours a day and provides them with full benefits and a Lamborghini. Hell, throw in some stock options, too!
Sorry, hate to break it to you, it doesn’t quite work that way.
For others, they feel that all they need to do is find the perfect 15,000 sq. foot location, sign a lease, and the people will just magically appear readily handing over their money.
Again, you’re more likely to ride a unicorn to work this morning than that actually happening.
For a select few, however, they “get it,” and understand that it often takes YEARS of incessant studying, honing their craft, attending seminars and workshops, developing interpersonal relationships, building professional networks, and putting in some VERY long hours writing programs, scheduling, building a client list, and otherwise building their business (whether they’re a one-person show or part of a group or team of trainers/coaches) to become successful.
As luck would have it, Pat Rigsby dropped it like it’s hot last week, and shared some of his thoughts on the topic at his website: www.fitbusinessinsider.com.
HINT: if you’re a fitness professional and NOT subscribed to this site, you’re really missing out on a ton of FREE information that’s helped not only myself and countless others.
Rather than reinvent the wheel, I figured I’d re-post Pat’s thoughts here, and then expound of them a bit with my own musings and diatribes.
Enjoy!
6 Tips On Becoming a Better Fitness Professional
If you want to become the best fitness professionals and run the best business in your area, here’s what you need to do:
1. Study Your Craft.
You need to be studying continually. Becoming the best is a dynamic thing as every day you need to keep improving to either climb to the top or stay there. Study everything you can that will assist you in getting your clients better results.
TG: We had a staff in-service yesterday where myself and Chris Howard took all six of our interns and had them name a muscle that attached to the scapulae, as well as name an attachment point (distal or proximal), as well as name an action (as it relates to the shoulder).
Upon looking at some of their faces when put on the spot, you would think we asked them to swallow the red pill
I’m not gonna lie and say that I passed with flying colors (I held my own), but it was definitely a testament on how important it is to take it upon yourself to get better.
I’ve worked with people in the past who hadn’t picked up a book in years. YEARS!!! I can remember one instance where a male trainer I worked with a few years ago said to me during a casual conversation about attending a seminar, “I’m not going. I’ve learned all I need to know.”
He was a douche.
2. Practice What You Learn.
There are a bunch of internet jockeys out there that read enough that you’d think they could become PhDs, but reading or watching isn’t enough. You need to put what you learn into action.
TG: It seems that anyone with a digital camera and a Youtube channel can mold themselves into a fitness celebrity nowadays. In reality, for many, it’s nothing more than a facade of BS.
One of the best ways to get better is to actually take what you learn, and apply it to a real…..live……person. Unfortunately, as much as I love the internet, it seems that anyone who’s read Zatisiorky (and has 10,000 posts on some random forum) thinks they know what they’re talking about.
I’ve witnessed firsthand trainers who had all the book smarts in the world and could give Doogie Howser a run for his money, but when it came to actually coaching and applying what they learned to a real person, they were a walking ball of fail.
3. Become An Implementer.
It doesn’t matter if we’re talking about a marketing strategy or a cue for an exercise – learning it does no good if you’re not implementing. Once you implement something, you can track the outcome and determine if you want to keep doing it or discard it. But it starts with implementation.
TG: Pigging back on my point above, what good is it to increase your knowledge base if you’re not going to use it? For some reason, there’s often a disconnect between what we read and how we apply it.
I was talking with another trainer last week who was in town for a week observing, and he mentioned how many of the coaches at the facility where he works are complacent. He reiterated to me that they were all very bright guys, but that they rarely ever implemented what they read or watched into their programming.
Using an example: he stated how they work with a lot of basketball players who, for the most part, are notorious for having poor t-spine mobility.
He suggested implementing the side lying windmill to help.
Nothing. Nada. No one listened. The worst part: many of the coaches KNOW that t-spine mobility is crucial for shoulder health (they all read the likes of Mike Robertson, Eric Cressey, Mike Boyle, Gray Cook, and maybe even myself), yet, they do nothing to implement what they learn.
I don’t get it.
4. Commit.
Being the best requires making a commitment – it doesn’t happen by chance. You have to be willing to do the things others won’t. You have to be willing to study not just training, but business too. You have to be willing to find solutions to the things holding you back rather than settling for less. You have to decide to be better than everyone else and do what it takes to get there.
TG: This is something I wish I would have adapted sooner rather than later. Early in my career, I read nothing but t-nation, and various other websites/books/DVDs on training and nutrition. Basically if it didn’t help me attain knowledge to make people more badass, I didn’t read it.
Then, I slowly started to realize that I wasn’t really making a lot of money despite getting all of my clients results. I had NO idea how to sell myself. Worse, unlike the paperboy from Better Off Dead (arguably the best movie of the 80s), I HATED asking people for money.
It wasn’t until I started reading more books on personal development, business, behavioral economics, and the like, that things started to click.
Likewise, the sooner you realize that this industry is not just a 9-5 endeavor, the better of you’ll be.
No one gets to the top on their own. No one. Mentors, Mastermind Groups, Business Partners, Strategic Alliances – there is no faster way to get to where you want to be than to get help.
TG: I owe much of my success as a trainer and coach to people like Eric Cressey, Dr. John Berardi, Dan John, Mike Roberson, Mike Boyle, Optimus Prime, Bret Contreras, and numerous other people whom I know I’m forgetting (sorry!).
Make it a point to visit other facilities and watch other coaches. Ask for help! Better yet, help people yourself.
I’ve always been under the mindset that I’m NEVER that big of a deal that I can’t answer people’s emails. Weirdly enough, I’m always surprised when, after taking the time to respond to their email, people email me back just to say ‘thank you’ for responding.
I took it upon myself to reach out to random people early in my career – to the annoyance of a few – but more often than not, they WANTED to help. So don’t be intimidated to ask.
6. Attend Live Events.
They provide 5 incredibly valuable things: A learning opportunity, Motivation from being around successful, dedicated peers and leaders, networking opportunities with people who can make you
better and understand where you’re at and a chance to get away from your business and work on it rather than in it.
TG: Listen to the man…..attend live events. It’s that simple.
Do those 6 things and you’ll set yourself apart from the crowd, guaranteed. I can promise you that most of your competition will never do more than 1 or 2 of those things and only a few will do as many as 3-4. Commit to doing all six and you’ll quickly be on the path to being the best.
Q: What, if any, supplements do you actually take? I know you’re a whole-food-before-supps kind of guy, but I also know that you get your goody basket from Biotest every month. Just curious as to what stuff you find worthwhile.
A: I’ve discussed my stance on supplements in the past, so at the expense of sounding like a broken record, those interested can click HEREto read more about it.
Admittedly, it’s a bit old (I wrote it like four years ago), but all in all my views on the topic still stand.
Which is to say, much like Dr. John Berardi, I like to divide my supplements into two categories:
1. Supplements that help you get your dieselfication on.
2. Supplements that increase the likelihood that someone of the opposite sex will want to hang out you. Sometimes, if you play your cards right, even with your clothes off. What whaaaaaaaaaaat.
Okay, just kidding. Those aren’t the actual categories. If you really want to know, just click on the link above and find out! Do I have to do everything for you?
………Fair warning, though: the actual categories aren’t nearly as boss.
Anyways, since the question is about ME and what supplements I take, I’ll preface everything by being as clear as possible:
REAL food is the best supplement out there.
Yes, I feel REAL food takes precedence over ANY supplement you can get your hands on.
Supplements are exactly that……..SUPPLEMENTS. They supplement your current diet or way of eating.
For instance, if we’re going to be honest with ourselves, the limiting factor of why we have an ever growing obesity problem in this country isn’t because we’re not taking enough supplements (it’s a multi-multi BILLION dollar industry after all). On the contrary, it may be due, in no small part, to one of two scenarios:
People have no idea what REAL food actually is.
People can’t seem to step away from the damn cookie jar.
The latter seems pretty intuitive if you ask me. It’s no secret that crushing a row of Oreo cookies while watching The Price Is Right probably isn’t doing your waistline any favors.
It’s the former – not knowing what real food is – that throws a monkey wrench into things.
A stack of five chocolate chip/banana pancakes covered in syrupy goop, topped with whipped cream and a pint of ice-cream for breakfast? Cool. Bring it on.
Ask that same person to eat five whole eggs using a vat of butter? Most will look at you as if you asked them to club a baby seal. Someone call the cholesterol police!!!!
It’s astounding how much callous disregard most people have towards their bodies. It’s not uncommon for some to be more concerned about what type of gas they put into their car than what type of fuel they put into their own body!
I know when I have a night of less than exemplary eating (last night, actually), I feel like complete garbage the next day. Seriously, as I type this sentence, my stomach is one massive ball of gluten, and I’m pretty sure I’m going to give birth to a food baby any minute now.
I can’t help but think to myself, “this is what A LOT of people out there feel like every…….single…….day.” This is normal to them. This overall sense of lethargic, groggy, insulin coma, all I want to do is sit on the couch and watch tv…….is baseline.
YUCK!
Worse still, for many, they feel that by taking “x” supplement, which they have no idea what it actually does – without changing their dietary habits, no less – is the key to covering all their nutritional bases.
Is that REALLY the missing link? Answer: you bet your ass it isn’t!
Sadly, they have no idea what it’s like to feel energetic, lively, or any other adjective that’s the exact opposite of “dude, I feel like complete ass”……….without popping a pill or spending an exorbitant amount of money on supplements.
I can’t stress it enough……………………EAT REAL FOOD.
Trust me, for most trainees that’s the only supplement they’ll ever need.
If only this was how politicians REALLY talked.
That said, concurrently, it’s impossible to think that one can cover ALL their nutritional needs through food alone.
In this sense, supplements do have a time and place. Sometimes – whether it’s due to allergies, various food intolerances, religious beliefs, or maybe someone is prepping for a figure competition or bodybuilding show – supplements do play an important purpose and role when trying to achieve a certain goal or look.
Welcome to the Part You Probably Skipped to Anyways
To that end, firstly, I actually do practice what I preach and do go out of my way to eat food as much as I can. If you don’t believe me, check out my fridge.
Secondly, and more to the point, there are several supplements that I take on an almost daily basis. Some I take because the Biotest Fairy drops them off every month.
Most of the supps I take, however, have no bells or whistles attached to them. They don’t promise 417% more muscle growth, or say they’ll turn my chest into diamonds. Instead, the ones I do take, I choose for the health benefits alone.
Daily Supplement List
Flameout – Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past ten years, you’ve undoubtedly heard of the many health benefits of fish oil. Literally, you name it and fish oil probably cures it. Except gonorrhea.
But seriously, everything from reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease, helping reduce inflammation, joint health, to improving blood/lipid profiles – fish oil has all the bases covered.
I won’t belabor the point here, but suffice it to say, Flameout is easily one of the best fish oil products on the market.
Vitamin D – This won’t matter as much for those who live in warmer climates, but for those us who aren’t as fortunate, vitamin D supplementation is almost a necessity (less exposure to direct sunlight). Behind fish oil, I’d rank vitamin D as my “go to” supplement as it plays a role in alleviating/reducing things like chronic fatigue, depression (seasonal affective disorder), joint pain, osteoporosis, and uncontrollable weight gain (to name a few).
And don’t let the haters fool you. Direct sunlight isn’t the end of the world. As little as 20 minutes per day will more then meet your vitamin D requirements. For those who live in colder climates, though, supplementation (especially in the winter months) is paramount.
Greens Product – while I think it’s important to listen to you mother and eat your fruits and vegetables; sometimes there just isn’t enough time. The best alternative is having the ability to toss a scoop or two of a greens product into one of your shakes.
Protein Powder – This one is pretty easy. We all know that protein (or more specifically, amino acids) is the building block of muscle. When we lift heavy things, we break muscle down, and it’s important to take in ample protein to ensure proper recovery, and in the long-term, growth, of said muscle.
Most often, eating various cute, furry animals will easily do the job – but like everyone else, I’m busy and sometimes it’s more convenient just to pound a shake and be done with it.
Ideally you’d want to try to find a brand that have little to no artificial sweeteners. I like Grow. But I know there are plenty of other brands out there that are equally as high quality, and may have a smidge less sweetener added.
Dandelion Root – after reading Jonny Bowden’s 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth a few years back, and how much he RAVED on dandelion root, I hopped on that train ASAP.
Clearly, I wasn’t about to head out to my yard and pick dandelions and eat them, so I opted to supplement instead.
While the health benefits are many, the most important is arguably dandelion’s affect on the liver. To quote Dr. Bowden:
Since the liver’s job is to detoxify every chemical, pollutant, and medicine that we’re exposed to – according to some experts it performs more than 5,000 enzymatic reactions – keeping it strong and functioning smoothly is of prime importance to our health.
Probiotic – in the past, I’ve supplemented with a pill. But now I’m obsessed with kefir as well as with this wholemilk yogurt (made from grassfed cows) that I buy from Whole Foods, which provides more than enough “good” bacteria to keep my intestinal tract (and digestive system) healthy.
I add about 1/2 cup to one of my shakes and I’m good to go.
Spike – taken intravenously through the left ventricle. I need to try to ween myself off of caffeine at some point, but when I’m coaching upwards of 7-8 hours per day, sometimes I just need that added kick.
At least I’m not THIS bad (an old video of one of our powerlifters warming up)
ZMA – I find this helps me with recovery. And more importantly, it definitely helps with my sleep quality. It doesn’t help with getting to sleep (I have no issues there anyways), but it does help me attain a deeper sleep. Moreover, if I ever want to dream about, I don’t know, riding a dinosaur through the hallways of my old high school or something equally as wacky, ZMA is where it’s at. It gives me the most vivid dreams. It’s awesome.
And that’s about it. Pretty boring in the grand scheme of things. Every now and then I’ll throw in some creatine, but for the most part, that’s my supplement list.
To reiterate, most of the one’s I take, I take for the health benefits they provide, and not to offset anything I’m not doing with my regular eating habits and training.
It’s been said supplements are progress enhancers, not progress starters. If your current diet and training program isn’t getting the job done, then taking “x” supplement probably isn’t going to be the answer.
I know, I know. Normally I scoff at any exercise that suggests using a limited ROM (leg press, anyone?), and I typically have to resist the urge to throw my face into a brick wall. But today, since I’m in a little bit of a rush (and because there’s currently a HUGE fire in the apartment building across the street from mine, and I can’t turn away from watching it.*), I’m throwing everyone a bit of a curve ball.
Today’s exercise you should be doing, is one that I’ve used numerous times myself as well as with my athletes and clients, so it’s not like it’s a complete oddity as far as programming is concerned.
And what’s more, it appeals to the meat-head that resides in all of us – yes, myself included. As a quick reference, look at the picture to the left. <—– No, your other left
Now, THAT’S a meat head.
What is it: Standing Half Press
What Does It Do: this is an excellent exercise that I like to use every now and then to hammer both the shoulders and triceps. Although, to be fair, using the half press places a bit more of an emphasis on the triceps. I remember the first time I did these…..my triceps hated me for like a week!
Additionally, since you’re standing while doing this, it’s an excellent FULL body exercise, as you have to fire your glutes and anterior core like crazy to prevent hyper-extension of the lumbar spine.
And lastly, using the pins to come to a FULL stop provides a bit more of a “starting strength” component otherwise deficient in a regular, full-ROM press.
Key Coaching Cues: place the pins of your rack at eye level so that the bar rests right in line with your forehead as you set up. Bracing your abs and squeezing your glutes HARD (again, to prevent excessive lumbar extension), press the bar over your head until your arms are fully extended.
Slowly lower the bar back down to the pins to a complete stop. No bouncing! Gather yourself if you have to, re-brace, and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
High fives and fist pumps afterwards are optional.
Ideally, this would be used as an accessory movement to the bench press for 2-3 sets of 8-12 repetitions. Try it out today, and let me know what you think.
* = This is a picture of the fire, taken from the homepage of Boston.com.