It’s been a busy week in both my professional and personal life. We’re seemingly bursting at the seams at the facility getting everyone ready for the upcoming baseball season. Many of the college guys who are home on their breaks will be heading back to school starting next week though, so it should slow down a bit and allow us an opportunity to come up for air.
Likewise, in a few short weeks, many of our pro-baseball guys will be making their way south (or west) for Spring Training. It’s hard to believe that it’s only like four weeks away, but there’s still plenty of intense work and sweat to be had.
What’s more, many of our high school and general population clients are working equally as hard. Yesterday alone we had a few people set some deadlifting PRs – Congrats to Lisa V!
On a more personal level, I have some pretty cool things in the works:
1. In about a week or two, you should see some changes to the website. Now, I’m not going to go all Facebook on you and add some lame scrolling ticker that everyone hates – RELAX!! Rather, I’m just making some aesthetic changes to site while upgrading some of the social media, in addition to………..DRUM ROLL PLEASE…………….
…….implementing a newsletter!
EC, Smitty, Kevin Neeld, and pretty much everyone else I know has been busting my chops for eons for not having a newsletter in place, and I’ve finally decided to put my big-boy pants on and run with it.
2. It seems that my resolution to do more speaking engagements has caught fire. Currently, I have 3-4 events tentatively lined up, and more in the works. Sweet! I’ll keep you posted. Or, better yet, once it’s available, you can sign up for my newsletter (hint hint).
3. I’m going on vacation!!!!!! Lisa and I booked a flight for Florida in March, and it can’t come soon enough – I’m about as white as a Coldplay concert right now.
There are some other things going on as well: I started a creative non-fiction writing class earlier this week (Note to my editors: I can’t promise less grammatical errors), I pulled 500×4 last night AFTER eight hours of coaching, my cat is sitting on my lap as I type this post (such a cute kittie!!!), and I brushed my teeth like ten minutes ago. So there you go. You’re caught up.
Coaches need to coach, and NOT get too caught up in this whole concept of “corrective exercise.” Too often, trainers and coaches get cute with their assessments and programming and fail to do the ONE thing that’s most important: cue and coach their clients!
I thought this was a fantastic video blog by Nick, and is something we try to instill on our interns at Cressey Performance on a routine basis.
Assessments are mandatory, no doubt. Corrective exercise – when indicated – IS important, obviously. But more importantly, having the ability to demonstrate, cue, and coach a client through any given exercise is kind of a big deal, and is a characteristic that’s often overlooked.
You can’t be a rock star everyday. Sorry, it’s just the truth. This is never more evident than in the weight room. For a vast majority of trainees out there, many are under the impression that “more is better,” and that even if they feel like they’ve gotten run over by a mack truck of fail, they should still train through it.
This is dumb.
I’ve touched on this topic before in the past, but here, my good buddy PJ elaborates a little further and provides some killer circuits to boot. Check it out!
A few months ago I wrote an article for t-nation.com titled Squatmeggedon – All Things Squatting, where I discussed several different thought processes I had as it relates to SPOILER ALERT: squatting.
One topic that struck a chord with me (which is why I wrote about it), as well as with many people who read the article, was the differentiation I made between box squats and squats TO a box. While some may feel it’s borderline redundant – dude, aren’t they the same thing? – I’d argue they’re anything but.
Sure, they both have the word squat in their title, and yes, they both incorporate a box. You got me there. But outside of those two obvious things, that’s where the similarities end. You see, for me, it comes down to WHY you would use one over the other. What’s the rationale for having someone box squat compared to having them squat to a box?
Simple. Watch the video, and find out.
A few quick notes beforehand:
1. This wasn’t meant to be a dissertation on how to squat. While I do go into a little detail on the proper set-up and things to look for on the descent, the real meat and potatoes lie in the separation between a box squat and a squat to box. Besides, the video is six minutes long, so cut me some slack for crying loud.
If you want to have your world rocked, and are looking for something that goes into more length, I’d highly suggest checking out Matt Wenning’s So You Think You Can Squat series HERE.
2. A huge thanks goes out to Kennet Waale, who’s currently visiting CP on school break all the way from Brisbane, Australia. I asked him to be my squatting guinea pig on the spot and he came through like a champ.
3. Also, I want to thank one Chris Howard for the Spielberg’esq camera work.
If you found this video informative or helpful or maybe even a smidge “the best video you’ve ever watched,” please share it on your Facebook page or on Twitter. Likewise, if you can also do me a huge favor and click the “Like” button at the bottom of this post, I’ll be your BFF for like a day. Maybe even two. But only if you make me a meatloaf.
On that note, feel free to leave your comments below. I’d love to know what you think! Additionally, if there are any topics you’d like me to cover in future video blogs, let me know. I’m always looking for ideas.
1. Much of my “beef” with yoga is how it’s incessantly marketed towards women as the end-all/be-all of health and well-being. It plays a part, but some of it’s claims are grossly embellished.
Long, lean muscles? Sorry, but unless you’re Professor Dumbledore (which would be awesome) and can somehow change the attachment points of a muscle on a bone, you’re not lengthening anything.
Getting less fat? Probably. Lengthening a muscle? Muhahahahahahaha. That’s a good one.
2. Given what most (not all) women are looking to accomplish with their bodies – lower body fat levels, increased bone density, increased LBM, to name a few – strength training trumps yoga in every aspect.
3. I’m a strength coach, and as such, I’m going to advocate that people strength train. Well, duh!?! Still, I’d be remiss to turn my back on the many benefits of yoga, and I’ll come to a compromise and state that it’s a component of a well-rounded routine……..
…..but not a whole.
4. While I didn’t state this originally, I’d like to point out that as much as I may poo-poo on some aspects of yoga, much of the same can be said about any realm of fitness – whether we’re talking about massage therapists, manual therapist, strength coaches, or “celebrity” trainers.
There are plenty of personal trainers out there who don’t know their ass from their acetabulum that have their de-conditioned clients jump around on a BOSU ball.
5. And finally…….WTF! I took a freakin yoga class! That’s saying something, right? I mean, there are plenty of internet warriors out there not using their real names who talk a big game while sitting in their parent’s basement that never do or take part in whatever it is they’re trashing.
I don’t want to be one of those people.
Today, to change the pace, I’d rather steer clear of any bashing or anything else that may be misconstrued as “anti-yoga.” Instead, I want to discuss – in an informal and conversational manner – my overall experience taking a yoga class.
A little back tracking is in order, however.
In a lot of ways a large reason why I took a yoga class in the first place was because my girlfriend, Lisa, happens to be a member of the website Groupon.com. For those unfamiliar, it’s essentially a website that offers discounted “groupons” from local restaurants, taverns, spas, etc.
In a nutshell here’s how it works: a local restaurant offers a $25 “groupon” for $50 worth of food. Assuming “x” number of people (group) purchase it, the deal is accepted, and everyone walks away happy.
We’ve used Groupon.com (as well as sites like LivingSocial.com and BuyWithMe.com) to eat at numerous restaurants around Boston we otherwise would never check out. Likewise, last fall, Lisa jumped out of a plane and went sky diving using a similar service.
I skipped that one.
Nevertheless, one day Lisa saw that there was a Groupon for ten Yoga sessions at a local yoga studio. She looked at me, hesitantly, and asked if I’d be interested?
I remember an article Dan John wrote awhile ago on how he and his wife took a yoga class every Sunday. He loved it. In addition, he noted how amazing he felt and how it was something that he and his wife looked forward to doing together after a stressful week.
“Sure,” I said, while thinking to myself, “If Dan John can take yoga classes, I can too.”
Besides, much in the same vein, it would be an excellent way for the two of us to do something different and “active” together other than just going to the movies or making a cameo appearance at Target.
Upon further reflection, though, it’s not like I’ve NEVER done yoga before. Speaking truthfully, many (if not all) of the movements we include in our dynamic warm-ups have their foundation in yoga.
So in a sense, I have done yoga – albeit indirectly.
That said, like everyone else, the holiday season was chock full of parties, social gatherings, and being dragged – sometimes kicking and screaming – shopping. So, up until last weekend it had been a challenge to find the time to actually go to a class.
Early last week, though, we checked the schedule online and noticed that there was a vinyasa class at 10 AM Sunday morning.
We marked the calender, committed ourselves (ie: Lisa bribed me with an omelet brunch afterwards), and waited for Sunday to arrive.
Sunday Arrives
With my testicles cupped in my left hand, Lisa and I walked 20 minutes to the studio. Once there, I took this picture before heading up.
If there was ever a time I felt like I was going to shit a yoga block, this was it. I was completely out of my element.
At the top of the stairs, Lisa and I turn the corner and are immediately surrounded by a raging fume of estrogen. Not that it was a bad thing, I was just the ONLY dude, and felt like a bull in a China shop.
Comparing by contrast, I couldn’t help but think to myself that this must be what it feels like for women to walk into a weight room full of dudes who smell like rotten Ax Body Spray grunting, breathing heavy, and making any number of innumerable noises. To say I was a wee bit intimidated and outside my comfort zone would have been an understatement.
Where do I put my shoes?
Am I supposed to grab a mat?
Do we have to pay for it?
What happens if I sweat all over the place?
Am I going to be judged?
Jesus christ…..where do I put my hands!?!?!?!
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. *jumps out a window*
Lisa slapped me across the face (actually, that didn’t happen), told me to chill, and to just follow her lead.
We walked into the studio and I observed that most of the women were lying on their back, feet together, with their heels up towards their tushes and arms spread out to their sides. Lisa mentioned to me that this was called the Goddess pose.
Needing to elevate my testosterone levels in some fashion, I jokingly referenced the movie 300 and said “well, what’s the Sparta pose?” She turned, gave me the look of death, and I sat on my mat and did the Goddess pose.
We laid there for like five minutes before the instructor – a youngish, tall female – made her way towards the front of the room.
As I noted yesterday, she started the class by asking if there was anyone new to yoga.
I sheepishly raised my hand, and that was about the extent of her interaction with me. But more on that in a bit. She then proceeded to ask the class if there were any injuries she needed to be aware of, blah blah blah, so on and so forth, and class began.
What followed was, to my knowledge, your typical vinyasa class. Unlike hatha styled classes – where you hold specific poses for an allotted time – vinyasa incorporates more movement and you learn to “flow” with your breath.
I have to say, I liked it! I was glad that we weren’t just sitting there in one spot holding our poses while twiddling our thumbs. If anything, and as I alluded to above, many of the movements we used I was vaguely familiar with. We performed a TON of warrior poses, which are right on par with a few dynamic drills we like to use at Cressey Performance
Furthermore, one of our “home base” poses was very similar to what would be considered a goblet squat in strength and conditioning circles:
Of course, I avoided those poses I deemed either too advanced (for me) or simply knew my spine would throw me the middle finger if attempted them in the first place.
The wheel pose, for instance:
For me, the wheel is just asking for trouble and would turn any spine into a walking ball of fail.
The strength coach in me couldn’t help but observe how many of the women moved, and at the expense of coming across like a douche, that pose would have been the LAST thing I’d have any of them perform. But I digress.
At one point, the instructor grabbed one of the other students to have her demonstrate some random pose that, while impressive, was equally as likely to make my eyes bleed. Not wanting to miss the show, I just held my goblet squat pose and observed.
As the class came to a close, the latter ten minutes were spent lying supine on our backs, breathing deeply and letting our thoughts drift while listening to some dude chant over the stereo. I was thinking about the omelet I was going to dominate, but nevertheless, it was a relaxing way to end things.
And that was it. The music was shut off. The instructor got up, and the students followed.
All told, it was DEFINITELY worth going. Shocker right? I bet you didn’t think I was going to say that, huh? I left feeling refreshed, rejuvenated, and ready to seize the day.
Moreover, I don’t think my hips have felt that “open” since I was like 23, as evident by the picture I took upon leaving class.
My only issue was with the instructor. And this is something that bothered Lisa as well. While the class was well taught, as I mentioned above she didn’t acknowledge me ONCE. Not a “hey how are you doing?” or a “is there anything you need further explanation on?” or a “excuse me, but can you please put your shirt back on?” Nothing.
She walked around, correcting various students. She corrected Lisa, who was seated to my right. And she corrected the random girl who was seated to my left. Me? Unless I’m the world’s most baller yoga newbie, I was a little taken aback by her lack of interest given I openly admitted – to the entire class no less – that I had never performed yoga before.
I mean, how would it come across if someone walked into my facility and I didn’t give them one second of my attention whether it was correcting their technique on a deadlift or simply asking how they’re doing?
What would that say about me as a fitness professional? They’d probably not think too highly of me, and the likelihood they’d come back would be fairly slim.
Now, I realize not all yoga instructors are like that, and maybe my experience was just an anomaly and she wasn’t used to working with men. Either way, it was disconcerting to say the least, and I doubt Lisa and I will return to that specific class in the near future.
We WILL be returning, however.
And that’s saying something.
In the grand scheme of things, I lift heavy stuff upwards of five times per week. In addition, I work in an environment that immerses me in a vortex of constant stimulation – coaching, cuing, yelling, listening to Rage Against the Machine all……the……..time – and I’d be lying if I said that spending a solid hour every week just relaxing and being in the moment doesn’t sound blissful.
I’m going to attempt to make a yoga a weekly “diversion” for myself. I still believe it’s an over-hyped phenomenon that caters to the fears and negative connotations that a vast majority of women have towards strength training; and I do feel it can put people into compromising positions that can be dangerous.
Concurrently, as it relates to ME, it would be ignorant to turn my back on the obvious benefits it has to offer.
So with that, all I can say is……….yoga doesn’t mostly suck anymore.
“Is there anyone here who’s new or who’s never done yoga before?” the tall, lean, yoga instructor asked.
Taking a glance around the room, with my girlfriend sitting directly to my right, and surrounded by a roomful of women, I reluctantly raised my hand. Slowly. I gave a nervous, meager chuckle and that’s how it began.
Yes, I took a yoga class yesterday. No, pigs aren’t flying in hell.
………at least not yet.
Given my past transgressions towards yoga and most of what it stands for, I know this is blowing people’s minds as they read this. A few years ago, when asked my thoughts on yoga, I was quoted as saying:
Yoga mostly sucks
Admittedly, I was young, immature, and maybe even a little pigheaded in saying that. Still, at the time, and even now, many of my “grievances” with yoga do have merit (in my eyes, at least). Namely, I just hate how it’s marketed towards women. How it’s somehow this panacea of fitness and health. Women are promised long, lean muscles. Strength. Power. Even improved bone density. You name it and yoga is the answer to all your prayers.
A trimmer waistline? Maybe.
A date with Brad Pitt? Lets not get carried away.
A Coach hand bag? Hahahahahahahahaha.
Don’t get me wrong, there ARE many benefits to yoga. First off, if someone enjoys doing it, and it gets them off their ass……great! The more women NOT watching The Real Housewives of Whereeverthefuck, the better.
Speaking more succinctly, however, you’d be hard to dismiss benefits like an increased harmony in the mind-body connection, improved blood flow, improved state of well-being, learning one’s breath, flexibility, so on and so forth.
Still, as with ANY form of exercise (yes, even strength training), it has it’s limitations. And, again, I just HATE how it’s marketed.
Given the claims the majority of Yoga “gurus” tout, it’s no wonder many (not all) women are under the assumption that Yoga will do everything from help them lose weight and increase strength to bringing sexy back.
The fact is – and I realize I’m a bit biased in saying this given I’m a strength and conditioning coach – when it comes to general fitness and body compositional goals, most females want and/or need the following:
Decreased body fat
Increased strength.
Improved daily/athletic function
Increased bone density
Increased flexibility
Each one of these, I’d argue, can be improved – almost tenfold – through resistance training. Yoga can’t hold a flame to good ol’ fashioned lifting heavy things.
Note from TG: I didn’t want to re-invent the wheel, so what follows is an excerpt from an article I wrote for Figureathlete.com titled 4 Things Your Girlfriend Should Know. I’d provide the link, but unfortunately, the site doesn’t exist anymore. Bummer.
Lets break each one down individually.
Decreased Body Fat
It’s no secret that in order to decrease body fat, you have to provide some sort of caloric deficit either through dieting or through increased caloric expenditure from physical activity (or some form of both). I’m going to leave the dieting component alone for now (I think women tend to drastically UNDER eat as it is), but I do want to elaborate on the latter component.
Yoga does not cause a high (or acute) or post-exercise calorie expenditure, which is one of the main factors in fat loss. Many people (not just women) equate sweating to burning a lot of calories. Sorry ladies, but just because you sweat a lot while taking a class in a 105 degree room, doesn’t mean you’re burning a lot of calories. You wouldn’t say you’re burning that many calories sun bathing on the beach would you?
How many calories do you think you can burn standing or sitting in one spot for an hour, which is essentially what you do in a typical Yoga class? Numerous studies have shown that resistance training elevates EPOC (Excess Post Exercise Oxygen Consumption) for upwards of 24-48 hours AFTER you’re done training.
Simply put, not only will you burn more calories during one hour of resistance training compared to one hour of Yoga, but you will also burn MORE calories even when you’re not in the gym. More calories burned equals more body fat lost. I have yet to see one study which shows that Yoga does anything to increase EPOC significantly (if at all).
Additionally, Yoga does not provide resistance sufficient enough to increase or preserve lean body mass (LBM), which is directly correlated with metabolism, and thus the rate at which you burn calories. Yes, “beginners” might see transient increases in LBM in the beginning, but that is mainly because most women who go from doing nothing to participating in Yoga classes a few times per week are so de-conditioned, that their body weight elicits enough of a stimulus to cause the body to change.
Increased Strength
As Vladimir Zatsiorsky states in his book “Science and Practice of Strength Training,” muscular strength is defined as “the ability to overcome or counteract external resistance by muscular effort; also, the ability to generate maximum external force” (1). In order to generate maximum force (get stronger), a trainee needs to incorporate one of three methods:
Maximum Effort Method: lifting a maximum load (exercising against maximum resistance).
Repeated Effort Method: lifting non-maximal load to failure (albeit still taking into consideration the rule of progressive overload. Relying on one’s body weight will only take you so far).
Dynamic Effort Method: lifting (or throwing) a non-maximal load with the highest attainable speed.
The fact is yoga is not easily “modifiable” to facilitate constant adaptation for strength gains, unless of course, you want to gain weight (highly unlikely). Yoga will in fact develop strength to a point, but soon thereafter, you’re just training strength endurance. If bodyweight is constant, then progressive resistance is not possible without adding an external load.
Increased Bone Density
This is especially important for women because they are significantly at higher risk of developing osteoporosis compared to men (especially if they’re Caucasian, Asian, and slight build.).
In terms of stimulating new bone formation, what is needed is something called a minimal essential strain (MES), which refers to a threshold stimulus that initiates new bone formation.
A force that reaches or exceeds this threshold and is repeated often enough will signal osteoblasts to migrate to that region of the bone and lay down matrix proteins (collagen) to increase the strength of the bone in that area.
Furthermore, physical activities that generate forces exceeding the MES are those activities that represent an increase in intensity relative to normal daily activities.
For sedentary or elderly individuals, this could very well be where yoga could be enough of a stimulus to cause an MES and new bone formation (bodyweight exceeds the threshold). However you still have to take into consideration the rule of progressive overload (bodyweight will only take them so far) and for younger or more active people, higher intensity activities will need to be included to exceed MES – such as sprinting, jumping, and heavy resistance training.
Regardless of one’s training history or lifestyle, it’s clear that the activities chosen to increase bone density need to be WEIGHT BEARI NG in nature, and progressive. Yoga does not do this.
Improved Daily/Athletic Function
This will be short. During a Yoga class, you’re sitting and/or standing in one spot for 45-60 minutes.
This will NOT equate to better efficiency or performance in daily life or on the athletic field. As an athlete your time is better spent elsewhere.
Increased Flexibility
This one I will concede to Yoga. It DOES help to improve flexibility, which is a good thing (sort of). Unfortunately, it tends to promote flexibility/mobility in areas of the body where it doesn’t need it.
If we were to take a joint-by-joint look at the body, popularized by Mike Boyle and Gray Cook, one would notice that there is a delicate balance between mobility/stability:
Joints that “need” to be trained with mobility in mind: ankle, hips, t-spine, scapulae
Joints that “need” to be trained with stability in mind: knee, lumbar spine, scapulae
I have worked with many clients with extended histories of lower back pain who start participating in Yoga classes through the recommendation of a friend or worse yet, and uninformed physician. Their rationale: “all you need to do is stretch out your back.” Quite possibly the worst piece of advice to give.
As you can see from above, the lumbar spine (lower back) generally needs to be trained with stability in mind. Many of the poses in Yoga promote HYPER-extension of the lumbar spine, which is the last thing that it needs. Many back issues are extension-based, which just means that an individual is getting more ROM (Range of Motion) at the lumbar spine due to lack of ROM at the hips. Essentially with Yoga, one is promoting more ROM (and thus, instability) in a place where it needs LESS ROM (more STABILITY).
Furthermore, what good is it to have all this extra mobility or ROM if you can’t stabilize in that ROM in the first place? Having excessive ROM (in the wrong places) without the strength to stabilize that ROM actually predisposes people to injury. So while Yoga does enhance flexibility and mobility, RESISTANCE TRAINING actually facilitates movement through that range of motion, and provides the dynamic control to allow you to utilize the range of motion safely.
Now Before I Get the Hate Mail
Even though I wrote the original article like four years ago, I wholeheartedly feel every point I made still has merit today. Yoga IS NOT the end all – be all of everything that it’s often proclaimed (or marketed) to be.
I’m NOT saying it’s dangerous (although it can be: click ME), or that it’s a waste of time. All I’m saying is that it would bode well to try to step away from the yoga Kool-Aid, and take a little more of an objective look.
I understand that many yogi’s are going to want to defend their craft, much like I’d go ape shit if someone said that deadlifting was dangerous or somehow inferior. Again, I get it, I’m a little biased.
To that end, have at it! You’re entitled to your opinion……..as am I.
That said, tomorrow I’m going to talk about my experience. Now that I’ve actually taken a yoga class, I think you may be surprised at what I have to say.
Till then……..I’d be interested to hear what everyone else thinks. Am I off base? Do I have a point? Sound off below.
On a “good” day at Cressey Performance we average around 55+ clients/athletes. During this time of year, however – a time when all three of our major demographics (professional baseball players, collegiate athletes, as well as all the high school athletes we train) seemingly collide – that number bumps up to roughly 110+ per day.
To say that we’re busy would be an understatement. As such trying to come up with unique content on a daily basis for this blog can be cumbersome, especially when you consider the fact that I walked into my office this morning and saw this:
At first count, that’s 39 programs that need to be written within the next seven days between three coaches. And that doesn’t even take into account the 10-12 “updates” that Pete will inevitably add by the end of the day.
And yes, if you look carefully, I took the liberty of adding one Kate Beckinsale to my list. Hey, it could happen.
With that in mind, today I’m taking the easy way out and just posting a video I shot yesterday of CP athlete, Becca R (whom many of you are already familiar with), crushing barbell supine bridges………….again.
I know it may come across as a bit redundant given I posted a video of her doing the same thing yesterday, but that video was taken like two months ago.
Yesterday the gym was packed and the environment was infectious, and Becca being Becca, wanted to try to up the ante.
Performing bridges with 405 lbs for reps would be impressive for ANYONE. Becca is 16. And, I’m pretty sure she’s going to hit like 54 home runs this year.
…………..In 12 games.
As an aside: I posted that video last night on my Youtube page, and woke up and had the following email waiting for me from a fellow coach based in NYC:
I saw your video of Becca on my YouTube feed and had to write you an e-mail. I’ve been working with a number of guys and a few girls at the new place. Most of the guys are either baseball or football athletes. Well when I program in glute bridges and hip thrusts and they whine about 225 I show them videos of Becca. I CAN’T WAIT TO SHOW THEM THIS HAHA!!!! Awesome stuff!!!
A few weeks ago, when I asked my readership what they wanted me to change/keep the same in 2012, I had a resounding number of people mention how they really enjoyed the Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work series.
This was fabulous news to me for a couple of reasons:
1. It saves my fingers from having to type.
2. And more importantly, it allows me the opportunity to expose you – my loyal reader – to articles and blog posts from other really intelligent and passionate coaches/trainers/general badasses that you otherwise wouldn’t have come across. Or maybe you have. In that case, you clearly have impeccable taste.
Nevertheless, this is the first installment for the new year………enjoy!
Not too long ago, before Christmas in fact, one of our younger female clients, Becca (who’s been training with us since she was 14), performed her first unassisted, dead hang, chin-up.
Becca’s a HIGHLY motivated athlete, and she’s pretty strong as it stands now. She’s (trap bar) deadlifted 280 for three reps, can bang out push-ups like it’s her job, and she’s also loaded her supine glute bridges to 365 lbs…….for reps.
Here she is banging out 345 lbs, without even breaking a sweat.
One thing that has been a little more of a challenge, however, is the chin-up. It’s taken a lot more time and a lot more effort to pull it off…………….
But she did it.
And, not to brag or anything, I can safely say that EVERY female client above the age of 16 who trains at Cressey Performance can perform at least one chin-up. If not more.
I think that’s pretty cool.
That being said, I have a sneaky suspicion that for many females reading, you’re equally as frustrated as Becca once was. While she’s now up to two reps, for multiple sets, it was just a matter of getting past that initial obstacle of doing ONE that was the key.
In this article, Neghar expounds on some simple (but not easy) ways to help YOU get over that proverbial hump.
Considering my proclivity for deeming everything awesome – deadlifts, sun dried tomatoes, The Daily Show, Brooklyn Decker (see above), my farts – I found this article to be highly entertaining, and somewhat of a reality check – especially considering the title of yesterday’s post.
I’ve been a fan of Krista’s work for a long time, and I’ve consistently recommended her articles and website – www.stumptuous.com – to many of my female (and male) clients because I like her no-frills, no BS style of telling it like it is.
I came across this FREE e-book last night, and already read the entire thing. And while I’m doing the book an injustice by only offering a smidgeon of what it has to offer, here are a few examples of things that struck a chord with me:
How you eat is more important than what you eat.
And
“Fortifed” means “We took good stuff out so we have to put it back in.”
Buy the best quality food you can afford. Food is an investment, not a cost.
And
Dozens of factors affect the energy you can get from food – the soil it’s grown in, the processing, the way your body handles it, the health of your intestinal bacteria…
The calorie count on the food package itself may be off by as much as several hundred calories.
Dozens of other factors affect the energy you put out: your hormones, your daily activity, your age, your health, your bone density…
So you can never know for sure what’s coming in or going out. Focusing solely on calories also encourages you to tell yourself lies such as “I didn’t have breakfast so it’s OK to eat this cake” or “This piece of sugared wax is only 100 calories so it’s good to eat.”
Use a bit a of caution, though. Unless you work in the coolest place ever, your boss may frown on the colorful language. As if the title didn’t give it away, it’s probably NSFW. It’s a FANTASTIC read, nonetheless.
Note from TG: Today’s blog is the epitome of not having an agenda. I just opened my laptop and wrote. I hope it doesn’t suck.
1. Whenever I write a program and I really (REALLY) want to make someone hate life, I usually throw in some clusters. What are clusters you ask?
Essentially, clusters are an easy way to get more ‘work’ done with heavier loads. Taking it step further, clusters can also be thought of as more of a rest-pause variation where you perform a heavy single – or heavy double – with shortened rest periods in between each rep. In a way, it’s a form of interval training, except done with weights. And it’s infinitely more badass.
There are a million and one ways to perform clusters, but using a simple example lets say your best 5RM back squat is 225 lbs. With clusters, you would use the same weight or maybe even up it a smidge (5-10 lbs) and then perform FIVE singles with 10-20s rest in between.
That’s ONE cluster. Rest 3-5 minutes, and do that 3-4 more times. By the end you’ll either want to puke or stab someone in the face. Either way, like I said, you’ll hate life.
2. Stretch. Seriously. Just stretch. I know it’s about as exciting as watching an episode of Golden Girls, but suck it up and do it.
For the record: those cute little arm circles and hamstring stretches you do don’t count. In fact, I’m willing to bet your hamstrings are fine, and the only reason you’re stretching them in the first place is because it’s the only part of your body that doesn’t need a crowbar to do so.
For most (actually everyone), stretching the hip flexors is the name of the game. As a society, we essentially live in flexion, with some people spending a good 15 hours of their day sitting at home, sitting during their commute to and from work, sitting at work, and for some, sitting even more while they “workout.”
And while it can be argued that all stretching really does is increase our tolerance to stretching (and doesn’t really do anything in terms of increasing the number of sarcomeres in the muscle), I don’t care, stretch those hip flexors anyway.
The video above is more of a mobilization, but it stands to reason you can use it to “stretch” your hip flexors throughout the day.
Oh, and since we’re on the topic, you see that foam roller over there in the corner that you bought last year? Use it. Times infinity.
3. Cut yourself some slack and perform an unconventional workout. In other words, do something different. Chances are, if you’re like me, you generally train the same way day in and day out, month by month, and year by year. More or less.
At the end of the day if you’re a powerlifter, you powerlift, and your training revolves around the squat, bench press, and deadlift. Similarly, if you’re an Olympic lifter, you Olympic lift; if you’re a bodybuilder, you body build; and if you’re a CrossFitter, well, you do whatever……….deadlifts, cleans, kipping pull-ups, push a car, juggle a few chainsaw. It’s all good. You’re doing something, it’s getting you to move, and who am I to judge?
That said, people get set in their ways and oftentimes pigeonhole themselves into training a certain way 100% of the time. They perform the same exercises (in the same order), for the same sets and reps, using the same rest periods or tempo over and over and over again.
I get it. Something works, you get results, you then get comfortable. That’s commendable, but sometimes that can be dangerous.
We get complacent with our training, and before we know it, we’ve spent the last six months not making ANY progress because we’re always doing the same………thing………all………the……….time.
Speaking personally, for the past few months, I can say this describes me to a “T.” Training has been more of a chore – like being told to take out the garbage – rather than something I look forward to doing on a daily basis.
With that in mind, in writing this past month’s staff program, I decided to change it up a bit and make training fun again. Sure, the staples are still there. We’re still squatting, deadlifting, and otherwise focusing on the compound movements, but I also threw in some exercises that I haven’t done in years. Yesterday, for instance, this was our B1-B2 superset:
B1. Dips 5×10
B2. TRX Inverted Rows 5×10
And take a look at the C1-C2 supeset:
C1. Barbell Shrugs 3×6/12/24 (strip sets)
C2. DB Scaption 3×10
I haven’t done dips or shrugs in probably three or four years. I also haven’t had a pump like that, or had as much fun training in a loooooooong time. And you know what? It was worth it.
Was it the type of workout I’d normally chastise and roll my eyes at? Yep. But at the end of the day, sometimes you just need to say F-it and have some fun.
With that in mind, do yourself a favor and change it up a bit. If you’re the type of person who benches three times week, throw yourself a curve ball and squat today. You know, for shits and gigs. Conversely, if you’re like me, and seem to be stuck in your own ways, don’t be scared to
4. Stop slouching. Now, drop down and give me ten.
Seriously, why not? Stand up in your office/cubicle/living room/dorm room/or where ever you happen to be reading this, drop down to the floor, and bang out ten push-ups right now.
Go a head , I’ll wait……………….
See. That wasn’t so hard was it?
Do that again in an hour or two. Set an alarm or email notice, and do that several times per day. It’s an excellent way to increase your caloric expenditure throughout the day and increase your NEBIRIEPA (Non-Exercise But It Really Is Exercise Physical Activity).
You can use any body weight exercise you want for all I care. Perform some squats, or even lunges. Throw a TRX in your office and perform some inverted rows. Better yet, purchase an Iron Gym and bust out some chin-ups in your dining room hallway. Shirt optional.
And for the ladies reading, if you can’t perform ten body weight push-ups. First off: stop saying you can’t do it. All the negative self talk isn’t going to help. Secondly: Try to do 1-2 eccentric only push-ups (lowering yourself as slow as you can to the floor), several times per day. By the end of the month, I can almost guarantee you’ll be crushing push-ups.
Likewise with chin-ups, if you can’t perform one dead-hang chin-up, try to “groove” technique with one eccentric rep every 1-2 hours. By the end of the day you’ll have performed close to 6-10 chin-ups you otherwise wouldn’t have. By the end of the week: 42-70. By the end of the month: I don’t know, use your calculator and figure it out.
I could probably think of four more equally awesome things (make an omelet, drive a tank, go for a walk, cuddle with a kitten), but these should suffice for now. Now, go perform some clusters!
1. Normally when I do an Exercises You Should Be Doing post, I give only one recommendation. Today, however, I’m giving you TWO!
2. In addition, not only do you get two new (to you) exercises to try out, but you also get to see me in all my high definition sexiness, because I used my new iTouch to film the videos.
Actually, scratch that. There’s nothing remotely sexy about filming myself demonstrating videos after a brutal eight hours of coaching on the floor.
My arms look gunny though. So that’s a plus.
Anyways, for those who have been reading this blog for an extended length of time, you know that I have a few obsessions:
Ninjas
Matt Damon
Eggs
Might as well throw beef jerky in there, too
Star Wars and Lord of the Rings (or any other fantasy/sci-fi movie that was equally as likely to not get me laid in high school and college).
Boobies – yeah, they’re pretty awesome!
And, Pallof presses
The latter, of course, is something I’ve written on extensively here on this blog. For those you need a refresher or haven’t the faintest idea what the hell I’m referring to, it may help to read this:
Needless to say, I love me some Pallof presses, and I’d argue that they’re the most versatile “core” exercise you can implement into a program regardless of one’s training experience or history. If you’re a complete beginner, you can perform a standard Pallof press to teach the whole concept of anti-rotation and core stability.
Conversely, for those with a little more experience under the bar, Pallof presses can easily be progressed to more challenging variations like the ones below.
Band Pallof Press Squat
Who Did I Steal It From: No one. I think. I may actually be the first on the interwebz to combine a Pallof Press with a squat. Genius!
What Does It Do: As with any Pallof press variation, the name of the game is training core stability. As you extend your arms out – and thus, increase the lever arm – the more you have to RESIST the pull of the band inward. Adding in the squat is just a great way to make the movement more challenging (since you’re implementing movement into the mix), and well, it just looks pimp.
Key Coaching Cues: Don’t try to be a hero and start with the thickest band possible. This exercise is deceivingly harder than it looks, and I’d highly recommend doing what I did and start with a 1/2 inch band.
Furthermore, make sure that you LOCK YOUR ELBOWS out to start. From there, assume a basic squat position and have at it. The narrower the stance, the harder the exercise becomes.
Focus on sitting back, while pushing the knees out as you descend towards the floor (maintaining more of a vertical shin angle). Perform 8-10 reps/per side.
Band Pallof Press Split Squat
Who Did I Steal It From: I’d like to take credit for this one, but Jim “Smitty” Smith blogged about this bad boy not too long ago, so he gets the credit.
What Does It Do: For those looking to kick it up a notch, the Band Pallof Press Split Squat is a beotch! Again, start with a 1/2 inch band. That’s what I was using in the video, and as you can readily see, I was struggling.
I love this variation because it allows us to pattern the lunge, which is important, but it also hammers the external rotators of the forward leg, which is equally as important because pretty much everyone has weak external rotators from sitting on their keesters all day.
Key Coaching Cues: Seriously, start with the 1/2 inch band. Don’t be an a-hole. Likewise, the pull of the band is going to be significantly greater here because your base of support is narrower. As such, try to be more cognizant of taking your time with this one. Don’t rush, and control the movement.
And there you have it. Yet a few more Pallof Press variations you can throw into your exercise repertoire. Try them out today, and let me know what you think!
UPDATE: come to find out, my iTouch isn’t in high definition after all. My bad. Sorry ladies.
Welcome to 2012! I hope everyone reading had a safe and eventful New Years, filled with friends, family, and if you’re like me….an epic piece of Oreo cheesecake.
Unlike past New Years together, Lisa and I opted to eat dinner early (in Boston’s historic North End), and head home to watch the ball drop on television. Neither of us made it that far, though, and we were both passed out in insulin coma by 10:30.
And they say romance is dead?
Nevertheless, it’s a new year, and as a result, it’s resolution making time.
It’s a bit cliche, I know. And maybe even a touch rudimentary. But at the end of the day, people tend to stay more accountable when they write things down, myself included.
So, with that, assuming the Mayans aren’t right and we’re all going to perish in a firestorm of Apocalyptic epicness, here are my resolutions for the upcoming year.
1. Stop Using the Word ‘Epic’ So Much.
I used it twice in the introduction alone for crying out loud, and that’s just unacceptable. I think the best way to approach this is to set some rules for myself and lay out some general guidelines for it’s usage.
Eating cheesecake = no so epic.
Salma Hayek’s cleavage on the other hand = epic epicness to epic degree.
From now on, unless something rivals Salma’s cleavage, it’s not epic. Point. Blank. Period. I……can’t……stop…..staring
2. Operation Hydration!
I don’t drink nearly enough water throughout the day, and there’s no doubt in my mind that it effects my performance in the gym, as well as my energy levels throughout any given day. Water comprises 75% of our body and 85% of our brain, and it’s borderline criminal how little of it I drink. While there are a million and one benefits to staying hydrated, the one’s that pop into my mind right off the bat are:
Drinking water enhances fat loss
Water helps to lubricate joints and ease joint pain
Look Younger – Drinking water hydrates your skin
Reduce Blood Pressure
Improve Bowl Movements
Improve performance. Even low levels of dehydration have physiological consequences. A loss of 2% bodyweight (just 1kg for a 50kg person) causes an increase in perceived effort and is claimed to reduce performance by 10-20% A fluid loss exceeding 3-5% bodyweight reduces aerobic exercise performance noticeably and impairs reaction time, judgement, concentration and decision making – vital elements in all sports.
In addition to the above, water also: acts as a solvent for nutrients; aids in digestions and absorption; transports materials throughout the body; eliminates toxins and waste products; and regulates body temperature.
In short, it’s kind of a big deal to not only get hydrated, but to STAY hydrated.
Worse still, I’m constantly telling our athletes and clients how important it is to get enough water, and here I am barely drinking enough to keep a hummingbird alive.
The tipping point came a few weeks ago when I went to deadlift and couldn’t perform three reps with a weight I normally crush for 6-8. Not only that, I went to the bathroom in the middle of the day and my pee looked like battery acid. Not good.
To that end, in 2012 it’s my goal to be one hydrated bastard, and bring a whole new meaning to the term “pissing excellence.” HA! See what I just did there? CP’s (unofficial) slogan is pissing excellence. And if I drink more water, I’m going to have to pee a lot. Sooooooo, yeah……..that’s what I like to call word play.
For starters, every morning, the first thing I’m doing is pwning a 32 ounce glass of water with a scoop of Athletic Greens.
Secondly, Lisa got me a ginormous kanteen that I can fill with water and bring to work with me everyday.
Here’s a picture I took of it this morning. As a frame of reference, I set my little ninja powerstick thingamajig next to it so that you could see how big the kanteen actually is.
1-2 of those per day, on top of my morning water consumption, and I should be all set. Bring it on!
3. Improve My Writing Skills
To quote Napoleon Dynamite: girls only want boyfriends who have great skills. You know, like nunchuck skills, bow hunting skills, computer hacking skills…….
Likewise, girls want boyfriends who can write coherent sentences and can differentiate between stuff like you’re/your, to/too/two, there/their/they’re, effect/affect, and throw in a few fart jokes here and there for comedic effect (<—– see! Effect. I got it right!).
As it stands now, I’ve been writing this blog for about four years (closing in on 900 posts) and have written like 50 or so articles for various websites and magazines. And while I can safely say my writing style has improved in that time frame, I still feel there’s room for improvement.
Writing is something that’s very therapeutic for me, and is something I thoroughly enjoy doing. Too, it’s also something that drives me batshit crazy, and can also be incredibly frustrating at times.
As an example, it’s not uncommon for me to nitpick over every sentence (sometimes every word) I write. I’m one of those writers who has to finish one paragraph before moving onto the next, and it’s not uncommon for me to want to throw my face into the keyboard when I can’t make things “jive” or come together the way I want them to.
As a result, I’m constantly trying to find ways to make my writing process more “organic,” and it’s definitely been a labor of love in doing so.
Moreover, even if I proof read and try to weed through the “clutter” with a fine toothed comb, I always end up with any number of grammatical errors or boo-boos that make me look like an idiot.
Note: case in point, I’m writing this very sentence about eight hours after posting this blog, and already found like five major mistakes.
As such, I’ve taken it upon myself to start reading more books on writing. Some gems that I recently finished:
The latter of which I’m currently reading, and it’s rocking my world! Absolutely amazing.
Additionally, and even more exciting, is the fact that I also signed up for a Creative Non-Fiction writing class that starts in two weeks.
There’s a really popular community education center here in Boston, and on a whim one day, I checked out one of their pamphlets and saw they offered numerous writing classes for a reasonable price. I figured “what the hell,” and signed up for an eight-week class.
I’m nervous, but also really excited to see what I’ll learn. I’m pretty sure I’ll have the Pulitzer in the bag this year, easy.
4. Train My Glutes to the Point Where They Have Their Own Area Code
This one is pretty self explanatory.
5. Spread My Wings
Whenever I’m asked whether or not I’m going to write an e-book or do more speaking engagements, I usually just say something along the lines of, “hahahahahahaha. Me? Write a book? hahahahahaha.”
I’ve been perfectly content writing articles, and taking part in a business that’s constantly growing. Sure, I’ve done a few speaking engagements here and there. But speaking in general terms, public speaking – at least for me – is about as much fun as washing my face with broken glass.
Most of the problem, however, is just me being lame and being afraid to step outside my comfort zone.
This year, I plan to REALLY take it to the next level and throw myself into the ring. I’ve already committed to heading up to Canada later this year to speak alongside my MIRU cohorts – Dean Somerset, Rick Kaselj, and Dr. Jeff Cubos.
Likewise, while it’s still in the initial stages of planning, I’ll also be presenting at a “yet to be named” Fitcast event alongside Kevin Larrabee, Jonathan Fass, Leigh Peele, and Cassandra Forsythe.
Whether or not I’ll actually pony up and attempt a solo project remains to be seen. Regardless, 2012 is shaping to be an EPIC year (sorry, I couldn’t resist).
Alright, now it’s YOUR turn. What are your resolutions for the New Year?
