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Chin-Up Progressions for Women (The One Rep Hump) – Part III

Last one, I promise.

By now, I’m sure there are some reading who are thinking to themselves, “alright Gentilcore, lets turn the page for crying out loud!,” or feel as if Charlie Brown’s teacher is talking to them:, “Wannk, wannk, wannk………”

I didn’t think it was possible, but what started as a quick blog post on some simple chin-up progressions for women, quickly turned into my version of War and Peace.

For those just joining in on the fun, I’d highly encourage you to check out the previous two parts, HERE and HERE.

In keeping with the momentum from yesterday – where I talked about the efficacy of performing eccentric only chin-ups –  another viable option would be to perform…….

Loaded Eccentric Chin-Ups

As a brief review, we’re much stronger during the eccentric (lowering) portion of any movement compared to the concentric (overcoming/lifting) portion.  For the guys out there reading, this is why it’s sometimes advantageous to include some dedicated eccentric-only benching variations to help improve overall strength, as well as induce some pretty significant muscle gains.  Pecs for days!!!!!!

Bringing this back to the topic at hand, for women, eccentric only chin-ups are a definite STAPLE in terms of getting over that 1-rep hump.  What’s more, you can also make them even more challenging by adding an external load in the form of a weight vest or maybe a weight belt with a dumbbell or plate attached.

The same principles would apply:  you’d jump up and lower yourself as controlled as possible.  Except here, the awesomeness factor is increased by roughly 312% because of the additional external load

Granted, there aren’t going to be a lot of instances where I’m going to LOAD an eccentric-0nly chin-up – especially if we’re still vying for that one full, unassisted rep – but it’s something we can keep in our exercise toolbox nonetheless.

Chin-Up Isometric Holds

What I love about isometric holds is that there’s going to be a carryover to the 10-15 degrees (above and below) the joint angle being held.  Meaning, I can have someone perform an isometric hold in or around their “sticking point,” and there will be a noticeable carryover.

Of course, for many women, you may remember those dreadful flex-arm hangs that your PE teacher used to make you do back in the day, and I apologize if I brought back any bad memories.

That said, they’re actually a valuable tool that you can implement almost instantaneously.  I like two options:

1.  At the start of a training session – when you’re the most fresh – jump up and hold for a specific time frame.  I generally like to start with anywhere from 20-30 seconds (and build-up from there) for 4-5 sets.

2. Conversely, at the end of a training session – when you hate life – hold in the BOTTOM position and try as best you can to pull yourself up from a dead-hang.  Grab the bar, jump up, lower yourself controlled, and when you come juuuuuuust short of locking your elbows out, HOLD!!!!!!

It seems counterproductive, but I feel there’s some merit in adding a few grinders into the mix and attempt to “muscle” yourself out of the starting position. Of course, I’m not interested in you looking as if you’re having a seizure in mid-air.  The less “body english” the better.

Keeping your shoulder blades retracted and depressed, try as best you can to pull yourself up from a dead hang.

Remember, even if you don’t budge, there’s going to be a certain degree of carryover (above and below) the joint angle being worked.

Pull for 10-15 seconds.  Stop.

Do this for a total of 3-5 “sets.”

Band Assisted Chin-Up

This is probably the most well known variation, and arguably the least understood.  I’ve had several TRAINERS argue with me that they see no difference between a counterbalanced chin-up machine and their band-assisted counterparts. Not surprisingly, these are the same trainers who haven’t picked up a book in five years and think watching The Biggest Loser counts as continuing education.

Sad, but true.

The reason why I prefer band assisted variations is that they take advantage of the strength curve. In about as non-scientific as I can make it: the band “assists” you where you’re most weak – in this case, at the bottom of the chin-up when the arms are full extended.  Conversely, as you pull your body towards the bar, and the joint angles are more in your favor, the band assists less and less and you start utilizing more of your own strength to complete the movement.

In this way, depending on one’s ability, we can use varying set-ups and/or thicknesses of bands to progress or regress the exercise in a much more conducive way.

Miscellaneous Thoughts

1. Remember:  attitude is king. Stop thinking that you can’t do something, and instead, dominate it.  Sure, it’s going to take time and a lot of hard work, but you CAN DO IT!!!!

2.  Frequency is kind of a big deal.  Now, one thing to consider is that for females (and males for that matter) who can’t perform one chin-up, ANY chin-up is going to be a max effort lift.  That said, I’d still recommend shooting for “x” number of reps per day, albeit spread out.  Perform 2-3 eccentric reps in the AM, 2-3 at lunch, and 2-3 at dinner time, no matter what.  Anything more than that is just gravy on top.

3.  Seriously, get an Iron Gym. Arguably the best $27 you can spend on yourself.  Mascara included.

4.  As far as programming:  if performing a chin-up is a priority for you, then you need to make sure that you start each training session with a chin-up variation.  Yes, EVERY session.  So, for example, if you train three times per week….

Session One:  start with one of the TRX progressions highlighted in Part I.

Session Two:  start with eccentric only chin-ups

Session Three:  use one of the band-assisted variations showcased in the video above.

And there you have it. I’m sure I could elaborate a bit more, but in all honesty, if you’re still reading, you deserve a Nobel Prize.

Armed with these suggestions, you should be more than ready to conquer the chin-up.

 

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Chin-Up Progressions for Women (The One Rep Hump) – Part II

Okay, before I continue with second part of this post, two things need to happen:

1.  If you haven’t already, you need to check out PART I. I’m not going to sit here and say it’s the best thing ever written on the internet (although it’s pretty close), but it definitely sets the tone for the entire piece as a whole, and well, not reading part I before reading part II is kind of like watching The Empire Strikes Back before A New Hope.  It’s just crazy talk!

2.  And since that was an obvious attempt at a segue for me to briefly talk about the Oscars last night, I’m rolling with it.

  • It was great to have Billy Crystal back hosting.  The man is a class-act. Sure, there were some awkward silences when a joke or two (or seventeen) didn’t work; but whatever.  I was entertained, and that’s all that matters.
  • Angelina needs to eat something for the love of god! In fact, while watching the show, both Lisa and myself commented on how Skeletor skinny many of the women appeared.  Granted, she’s now spewing out nonsensical dieting tips like eating apples only grown underneath rainbows or anything like that, so who am I to judge? But is it any wonder why there’s an on going image war in our society on what’s the ideal “look” for women to aspire for?
  • I was really happy to see that Hugo won for Best Cinematography as well as Art Direction.
  • J-Jo was bringing it last night.  Like whoa!

  • In general, 2011 was a pretty weak year for movies.  I mean, sure, The Artist was a good film, and I’m “okay” with it winning for Best Picture, etc.  But lets be honest:  come this time next year, NO ONE is going to remember that it won, and it’s certainly not going to linger in people’s minds.  When they showed one of the numerous montages of past films, I couldn’t help but feel that NONE of the films that were nominated for Best Picture this year would ever be included in such a montage alongside classics (and not necessarily Best Picture winners) like GoodFellas, The Godfather, Jaws, Shawshank Redemption, Forrest Gump, so on and so forth.  Here’s hoping that 2012 is a little more spectacular.

Okay, on to matters at hand:  how to rock your first chin-up.  Unfortunately, not every woman is like Linda Hamilton in Terminator 2 busting out chin-ups in a psyche ward.

Then again, not everyone banged a dude from the future and is preparing for the end of the world run by machines. To each his own, I suppose.

Nevertheless, the point here isn’t to necessarily compare yourself to John Connor’s mom (although that’s pretty badass), but rather to show you some strategies you can implement to help take yourself from from Point A (you want me to do what now?)…………

……to Point B (I can do a chin-up, bitches!).

As you may recall, in part one, I went out of my way to suggest that having a little attitude is a good thing, as well as described some unique TRX progressions one can use to help “grease” more of a vertical pulling motion.

Of course, this begs the question:  what happens if you don’t have access to a TRX unit?

Well, you could always purchase one (hint hint, wink wink). For what it would cost to buy a knock-off Coach bag, you can get a TRX.

Just sayin……

In addition, you could also try these other modalities that we like to use with our female clients at Cressey Performance.

Eccentric Only Chin-Ups

Put in simple terms, the eccentric (or the yielding/lowering portion of the movement) is a fantastic way to help build specific strength within that ROM.

Getting geeky for a second, in terms of the actual mechanism, the muscle lengthens while under tension due to the opposing force (body weight) being greater than the force produced by the muscle. Unlike a concentric contraction, where the joint is pulled in the direction of the muscle contraction, in an eccentric contraction the muscle acts to decelerate the joint at the end of a movement.

What’s more, and this is pretty cool:  the body is a shit ton (<– that’s a lot) STRONGER eccentrically than it is concentrically.  Put another way, it’s much easier to lower yourself (controlled) from the chin-up bar than it is to lift yourself from a dead-hang, where you have to “overcome”  the weight of your own body.

Depending on one’s height, you may have to play around with how high of a box you use to stand on to jump to the bar.  A little piece of advice, however:  set the box a little more forward so that when you do jump up, the body won’t sway back and forth as much.

From there, the concept is pretty self-explanatory.

  • Jump up to the bar so that your sternum touches the bar.  Remember, too, to keep your shoulder blades together AND depressed (shoulder blades in the back pocket).  No shrugging.
  • As controlled as possible, lower yourself until your arms come just short of locking out. The “controlled” part is what’s important.  This shouldn’t be a dive bomb towards the floor, but rather a nice 5+ second descent.  Don’t worry if you can’t get a full five seconds – again, it’s the controlled part that’s important.
  • Hop down, jump back up to the bar, and repeat.

Now, of course, how many reps one can do is going to be highly individual.  Grip strength is going to be a limiting factor, not to mention one’s strength levels from the get go.

To that end, I like to use several options.

1.  For the stronger females (one’s who can easily control the eccentric), I’ll shoot for straight sets.  Typically sets of 5-6 reps.  Eight if I really feel like being a masochistic bastard.

2.  Another option I like is to shoot for a specific number of repetitions.  For instance, I may say in their program “25 reps.  Get it done.  No complaining.” Which, if that’s the case, they have to hit that number regardless of how many sets it takes.  If I’m feeling really ambitious, I’ll go as high as 40-50 and I’ll just pair their chin-ups with something else (preferably with a exercise that won’t challenge the grip).

A1.  Chin-Ups (50 reps) – sets of five
A2.  Goblet Squats (x8), Push-Ups (x8) – alternate between sets of chin-ups.

***Meaning, they’ll perform a set of five eccentric chin-ups, and pair it with a goblet squat.  On their next set of chins, they’ll perform a set of push-ups.  From there, they’ll alternate back and forth until all required reps are completed.

3.  For those who are a bit weaker and can’t really perform five (controlled) reps, I’ll utilize more of a rest/pause approach.

So, in this case, I’ll still have them perform sets of 3-5, but with a little “break” in between each rep.  It may look something like this:

Perform 1 Rep
Rest 10-20 seconds
Perform 1 Rep
Rest 10-20 seconds
Perform 1 Rep
Rest 10-20 seconds
Perform 1 Rep
Rest 10-20 seconds (most likely give Tony the look of death)
Perform 1 Rep
Rest 2-3 minutes (flip Tony the bird)

4.  Another point to consider – and this is something that a female reader brought up in the comments section on Friday – is the whole “embarrassment factor.”  Understandably, some females are just intimidated and feel like the spotlight is directly on them when performing anything in the weight room.

As such, sometimes it’s more prudent to give them “homework” and have them perform “x” number of eccentric only reps throughout the day…….on their own……at their own discretion…..in the comfort of their own home.

I’m completely cool with that.

That said, go HERE and buy an Iron Gym.

With this option, again, the objective is to shoot for “x” number of reps throughout the day – 5, 10, till you can’t feel the left side if your face, whatever.  So, whether you allot a specific time to train, or you just happen to walk past the bar on your way to blow dry your hair, and you want to bang out a rep or two, it’s your call. The bar is there and no one is watching.  Have at it!

I’ve used this “homework” approach with several of our female clients, and they LOVE it.

Okay, that should keep the palette wet until tomorrow where I’ll discuss a handful of other options I like to use to get over that one rep hump.  Till then, as always, feel free to share your thoughts below.

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Chin-Up Progressions for Women (The One Rep Hump) – Part I

I’ve noted in the past that, outside of maybe a handful (who are working their tails off to get there), every female client that trains at Cressey Performance (above the age of 16) can do a real, dead start, arms fully extended, sternum to the bar, non-spastic looking, legit chin-up.  Usually for multiple reps.

In recent months it’s been almost epidemic. Seemingly every female client is on a mission to conquer the chin-up, and the fruits of their labor are blossoming like never before with teenage girls as well as 50+ year old women – some of which who have been training for more than half their life – achieving something that they never thought possible.

You see, they had always been told by friends, family, the bulk of women’s magazines (or more than likely, told themselves) that they could never, not in a million years, do an actual chin-up.

Oh no you didn’t!!!!!!!!

As you can imagine, I think that’s a bunch of silly talk, and nothing is more satisfying than proving each and every one of them that they’re flat out wrong.

Truth be told, it’s amazing what can happen when you cut through the BS, stop making excuses, hold people accountable, and place them in a training environment that doesn’t cater to their fears.

That latter point is something that really bugs me sometimes.  How often have you heard a woman say she’d really love to perform a chin-up, and then her trainer points her in the direction of one of those counterbalanced chin-up apparatuses, or worse, the seated lat pulldown machine.

Full disclosure:  I’m not entirely opposed to those machines.  There’s a time and place for them, just as there’s a time and place for a leg press (hahahahahahaaha.  Just kidding).

But in all seriousness, if I’m starting with someone who’s woefully weak – to the point where gripping a bar and holding their body weight is too challenging – and relatively inexperienced in the weight room, I have no issues whatsoever introducing them to exercises like lat pulldowns or counterbalanced chin-up/pull-up variations to help build strength within that movement pattern and “grease” proper technique:

  • Keep chin tucked
  • Pull through the elbows
  • Keep shoulder blades together and down (retracted and depressed).  Another cue I like here is to keep the shoulder blades in the back pocket.  This helps prevent any shrugging.
  • Finish at the sternum and squeeze!
  • Lower controlled, and come juuuuuuuuuuust short of locking the elbows outs (maintain tension).
  • Repeat and when done, cue Goose and Maverick high five.

Moving forward however, if you want to get more proficient with chin-ups (or pull-ups) it stands to reason that, eventually, you need to gravitate towards the actual chin-up/pull-up bar.  And, if I am to speak frankly, I really feel that utilizing the lat pulldown and counterbalanced machines, exclusively, is just putting a band-aid over an obvious strength issue, if not something more relevant altogether.

To me, serving as the umbrella of all of this – and certainly not to be understated – is the mentality that a vast majority of woman carry heading into such a task.

That they just can’t do a chin-up. Period.

STOP THIS!!!!

It’s counterproductive and all the negative self talk isn’t going to help matters.

[Takes deep breath]

I tried to figure out a way to say what I’m about to say in a more PC fashion, and after fiddling with a few different sentences, talking it over with several other females, and letting my thoughts stew for a few days, I just decided to go with it.  Here it is:

If you have the ability to grow a human being inside your body and push it out, you undoubtedly have the ability to bang out a chin-up.  And might I add:  in MUCH less time than nine months.

Understandably, I recognize how the statement above may rub some the wrong way (but hopefully most of the people reading “get” the context) – but it’s high time we stop making excuses and stop sugar coating things. Quit with the excuses.

That said, what follows are some of the exercises (and progressions) we like to use at Cressey Performance with many of our female clients to help them get over that 1-rep hump……….

TRX Progressions

Giving credit where credit is due, I actually “stole” these from Ottawa based strength coach Elsbeth Vaino, after a distance coaching client of mine directed me in her direction.  I thought these progressions were brilliant and rather than reinvent the wheel, I thought I’d pass them along and share them with you.

A few things to note beforehand:

1.  Before attempting these, it’s assumed that you can perform a regular TRX inverted row flawlessly.  If not, please don’t try these as it’s probably not going to look pretty.

2.  There’s a bit of trial and error involved in setting up the apparatus as you have to wrap the TRX around the bar in order to get the handles at the proper height.

3.  In the videos, I realize that Whitney is using more of a neutral grip rather than a standard supinated (underhand) grip while demonstrating the exercises.  It’s okay, I understand the difference between a chin-up and pull-up, so for those who were inevitably going to get their panties all up in a bunch and call me out……..relax.  I called myself out.  So there!

TRX Chin-Up Progression I

The main point to highlight here, is that Whitney is starting from her knees and then pulling herself up while using her feet to kinda “assist” herself up towards her chest. I don’t mind a little bit of “rocking” at the bottom as all I’m really concerned about here is grooving a more vertical pattern which carries over very well to the actual chin-up.

All the same rules apply in terms of proper technique:  shoulder blades in the back pocket, pull through the elbows, keep the chin tucked, control the eccentric (lowering) portion of the lift, increase your general level of awesomeness.

From there, we can progress the exercise into a more seated variation.

TRX Chin-Up Progression II

This does two things:

1.  Increases the range of motion.

2.  Forces Whitney to pull more of her own body weight.

Still, the objective is to grease more of a vertical pulling pattern, which can’t necessarily be down with a conventional inverted row.

TRX Chin-Up Progression III

Kicking it up a notch, we can then elevate Whitney’s feet onto a box (or stepper) and increase the ROM even further.

Simple, albeit very effective.

Among much else, these variations serve as an awesome way to get the ball rolling and to help better prepare the trainee for pulling her own body weight rather than relying on a machine to do so for her.

Of course, there are numerous other progressions (and even regressions) I like to implement, such as  band assisted variations as well as eccentric only variations, but those will have to wait until next week when I dive into part II.

Till then, feel free to share your thoughts below and offer your own insight into the matter.  I’d love to hear them!

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Cressey Performance is Hiring!!!!!

And I even used extra exclamation points, so you know it’s kind of a big deal.

You read the title correctly; we are currently in the process of setting things in motion to hire a new strength and conditioning coach at Cressey Performance.

This is the first time we’ve ever posted a job externally, as all previous hires have been from our internship program. In this case, we’ll be opening this opportunity up to the masses.  A few quick notes:

1. The application deadline is March 10.

2. We’ll be selecting a candidate by April 15, and the position will begin on May 15 (this date is negotiable).

3. Please, please, please read the application instructions carefully!

We have a specific email address in place for all job-related submissions and inquiries, and it will be a big bottleneck if applicants start emailing and calling us directly via our normal business email and phone number.  Thanks for understanding in this regard.

You can learn everything you need to know by downloading the application instructions and job description PDF at the following link: CP Job Description and Application Info

Hope to hear from you soon!

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Miscellaneous Miscellany Monday: Aragorn, Steak, and Hill Sprints

1. One of the cool parts about the neighborhood that I live in – other than Traders Joe’s, Starbucks, Panera Bread, and the bookstore all being within a five minute walk from my apartment – is the fact that one of the most badass, independent movie theaters is like four blocks away.

It’s no secret that I’m a movie nerd.  I mean, how many dudes try to talk their girlfriends into going to see The Artist?.  For those not in the loop:  The Artist is up for Best Picture this year (as well as a slew of other awards including Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Most Likely to Force Tony to Hand In His Mancard, etc), and not only is it filmed in black and white, but………..

………………….it’s a SILENT film.

No explosions. No light sabers.  No ninjas.  Not even a gratuitous side boob shot.  No nothing, except for a cute dog, lots of dancing and stuff, and one of the most uplifting, feel-good, movie experiences of the year.

Anyways, I became a member of The Coolidge (the name of the theater) shortly after moving into our apartment last year.  As a member – they have different tiers of membership – I get discounted tickets during the week, as well as FREE tickets Fri-Sun.  What’s more, I get free popcorn no matter what!!!!

Furthermore, I also get email notices of special events and happenings that take place on a weekly basis. For instance, every week they have special midnight showings of past movies like Back to the Future or Indiana Jones. They also do their fair share of promoting things like the Sundance Film Festival, and it’s not uncommon for them to premiere certain movies or host advance screenings with an open discussion afterwards.

Even cooler: in two weeks they’re honoring actor Viggo Mortensen with their annual Coolidge Award. Meaning, freaking Aragorn is going to be in the house……..for an entire day……..chilling.

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG THEPRECIOUS

Leading up to the event, The Coolidge is playing a a bunch of Mortensen movies – A History of Violence, The Road, A Walk on the Moon, and even holding a Lord of the Rings marathon this weekend, playing all three extended-cut editions back-to-back-to back starting at 11 in the morning.

See?  I told you this place is pretty baller.

Then, on March 5th, after showing Eastern Promises (a film which Mortensen was nominated for Best Actor for a few years back), Viggo will be there in the flesh to discuss his life and career, and most likely  have to file a restraining order against me.

Holy shitnuts this is going to be so epic.  I can’t wait, and I’ve even started to prepare a few drafts of what question I’m going to ask him.  So far I’ve got this:

Hey, what’s up Viggo?

Needless to say, it’s a work in progress and I can’t even express how excited I am to go to this, and………

…….wait, what was that babe?  We’re going to be in Florida on vacation that week?  I won’t be able to go to it????

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

Well, I guess there’s always next year.  Fingers crossed they’ll invite Kate Beckinsale or something.

2. And while we’re on the topic of movies, a few weekends ago, after being told by numerous people that I HAD to watch it,  I finally sat down to watch Fat, Sick, & Nearly Dead.

Admittedly, going in I was a bit skeptical.  I knew there was going to be a “meat will kill you” vibe, and it’s actually a topic I touched on not too long ago HERE.

That said, it was a really, really, really, eye-opening documentary, and I can’t express enough how everyone should take the time to watch it. For the record, you can watch it for free on Netflix streaming.

For what it’s worth:  I’m thiiiiiiiiiiis close to possibly purchasing a juicer in the near future. I’m still eating dead, furry animals of course.  But I certainly don’t see the harm in adding more nutrient dense fruit/veggies juice into the mix.

Something to think about at least.

3.  I just finished reading an interesting book on how to improve your memory titled Moonwalking with Einstein – The Art and Science of Remembering Everything.

 

If you ever wondered why you seem to forget where you put your keys and why you can’t remember what you had for supper last night, yet, there are some people who have memorized 50,000 number of pie, then this book is right up your alley.

4.  Okay fellas (and girls too), I need your help.  Well, my cousin needs your help, actually. She’s the Director of Photography for Maxim, and she informed me that they’re currently planning their annual Maxim Hot 100 list – otherwise known as the best day of the year.

Anyways, she informed me that they’re opening up the voting process to the general public and she asked that I share THIS link, which will take you to their voting page.

You’re welcome.

5.  Like most couples, Lisa and I celebrated a belated Valentine’s Day this past weekend.  As is the case, a few weeks ago she explained to me that she was taking care of Valentines this year, and that all I had to do was take a shower make sure to block out the Saturday night AFTER actual Valentine’s Day.

Done.  Easy peezy.

Going into it, I had absolutely NO CLUE what we were going to do.  The only hint I got was that it would be decadent and that we had to dress up, which basically ruled out a Star Wars Convention.

Leaving out the details we got on the T, headed into the city, and ended up getting off near the waterfront, which is an area that we don’t visit nearly enough.  We turn a corner and BAM……………..it’s a steakhouse!!!!!!!!

And not just ANY steakhouse:

Morton’s Steakhouse!!!!

Okay, now some stuff that’s actually training related.

6.  For all those people out there who make every excuse imaginable not to train:

It’s too crowded

I’m just not in the mood

I have a headache

I have a hang-nail

NCIS is on tonight

You should take a page out of Ben Bruno’s book.  The guy had freaking KNEE SURGERY a few weeks ago, yet he’s still getting after it training on a consistent basis.  He’s made a few cameo appearances at CP the past few weeks to train with our staff, and it’s pretty cool to see that, despite only having one working leg at the moment, he’s not using it as an excuse to “lay low” or “take some time off and rest.”

In fact, if anything, he’s using it as an excuse to prioritize other things – like chin-ups.

While he still has his list of rehab exercises to do for his knee, he’s not letting the monotony bring him down.

In fact, I’d argue that he’s still training harder than most “healthy” people.

As an example, the other week after each set of a rehab exercise, he’d walk over to the chin-up bar and bang out ten reps.  In one session alone, he did over 200 chin-ups.  Pretty sick if you ask me.

Moreover, he’s still training his non-injured leg fairly aggressively with various exercises like 1-legged step-ups, 1-legged squats, and 1-legged goodmornings:

So, I guess what I’m really trying to say is……..stop being a pussy.  Quit making excuses why you can’t train.  No matter what, you can ALWAYS train around an injury.

7.  Nia Shanks is going to love this.  Hill sprints are the bees knees.  I don’t care who you are or what kind of shape you “think” you’re in, hill sprints will suck the living life out of you.

I’m lucky in that I have a fairly long (and steep) hill right behind my apartment, and I take advantage of that fact at least once a week.

Hill sprints serve as an excellent conditioning exercise for me because 1) like I said, I have decent sized hill right behind my apartment so it’s waaaaay convenient, and 2) they’re easily one of the more “knee friendly” modalities I can implement.

Try not to make it any more complicated than it has to be.  There’s no set “program” I follow, or some super secret Russian algorithm I utilize.  All you need to do is find a hill that will make you hate life, run up it (15-20 seconds), walk down, and repeat.

Shoot for anywhere from 6-10 total sprints, 1-2 times per week, and you’ll definitely see why those cute elliptical sprints you do every week are a joke.

And that’s about it.  I’m heading into the facility now to film what should be a pretty cool video blog for tomorrow: chin-up progressions for women. BOOM!

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Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 2/17/12

I’ve been spending the majority of this week working on (and tweaking) my presentation that I’ll be giving in a few days at the Downtown Crossing Boston Sports Club to a group of 30 or so trainers.

Needless to say, I’m really excited for the opportunity, and it should be a great presentation.  I’ve even prepared a shadow puppet show and everything!

…..Okay, not really. The bulk of it is going to center around assessment, which is an area I feel many personal trainers need to step up their game in. Of importance, though, is reiterating that assessment DOES NOT mean seeking out dysfunction.  Far too often I feel trainers go into “corrective mode,” and fail to recognize one crucial factor:  PEOPLE NEED A TRAINING EFFECT!!!

Adding to that, realizing that coaching proper exercise technique (as well as having a rationale for choosing “x” exercise) ranks high on the list of “stuff you shouldn’t suck at.”

Okay, deep breaths Tony.  No point in getting all fired up just yet.

Did I mention I included a reference to Optimus Prime AND He-Man in my talk? BOO-YAH!

Take 2 ZMA, Dress as Harry Potter, and Kill Darth Vader – James Garland

Inspired by a wall post I placed on my Facebook page last week, a friend of mine and fellow strength coach, James Garland, wrote this article which I felt did a great job of describing the benefits of supplementing with ZMA.

Vivid dreams aside, you might be surprised.

6 Tips from 6 Coaches – Ben Bruno

I always enjoy reading articles that elucidate on the thought processes of different coaches on varying topics, and I was fortunate enough to be included into the mix of some top-notch dudes in this one.

Some Myths About “Toning” – Todd Hargrove

‘Toned,” “sleek,” “trim,” or whatever the word of choice, they’re all equally as likely to make a small piece of my soul die every time I hear a woman utter them.

In this fantastic post, Todd cuts through the BS and offers some insight as to what “toned” really means as well as debunking other shenanigans.

[insert slow clap here]

CategoriesUncategorized

How to Write For Fitness Mags

Q: Tony…love the blog!

Real quick, what would your suggestions be on how to get featured in magazines like Mens Health? I have a blog and am going to be writing locally in Philadelphia.

I wrote a Masters Thesis on Golf Biomechanics…and now I love to write about physiology and fat loss….any advice is much appreciated!

A: Great question, and it’s a topic that I’ve been meaning to dive into for quite some time now since I receive one of these emails every few weeks or so.

In light of this, and before I offer my own thoughts, two of my good friends – Mike Robertson and John Romaniell0 – recently wrote similar posts that I feel would be great starting points.

HERE Mike offers some sage advice to a young up and comer with some lofty goals.

And HERE, Roman writes an amazing response to someone who clearly made a major boo boo.

Now, I am in no way insinuating that either of the two scenarios above are relevant to YOU – I checked out your blog and you seem like a good dude who’s approaching things the right way, and with a sense of humbleness I might add. A rarity nowadays – but I felt it was a nice way to open up the conversation to other fitness professionals who may be reading this and wondering the same thing:

How can I become more of a bigger deal?

In all honesty, it comes down to one simple fact: When it’s ready for you, the industry will let you know. In other words, when you’ve put out enough great (good doesn’t cut it here) content, and have put in the time and effort to hone your craft, the higher ups in the industry will seek you out.

Contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t happen over night. I had my first article published on t-nation.com in the spring/summer of 2006 (a big deal in it’s own right) after having been rejected a handful of times.  Before that, I had been writing articles FOR FREE for various websites in an effort to just get my name out there.

In fact, my first article ever published was a two-parter titled You Are What You Eat that appeared on a small, no-longer existing website called RuggedMag (which, coincidentally enough, was run by a few dudes you may have heard of:  Joel Marion, Eric Cressey, and John Romaniello).

Trust me, don’t read it.  It sucked.

Which brings me to my first piece of advice.  While a blog is a nice start (more on this below), it’s in your best interest to reach out to other sites/publications/local newspapers/etc to write for them…….FOR FREE.  Editors are ALWAYS looking for unique content, and if you approach them with some solid ideas, you’ll undoubtedly garner some attention.

An important note however: PLEASE actually take the time to familiarize yourself with whatever publication you’re going to pitch to. The last thing you want to do is pitch an article idea on How to Swolify Your Biceps when their target demographic is middle-aged women who train on BOSU balls.

That said, above all, content is king. Having a blog that’s informative and consistent is important!!!!  People need easy access to YOU and what you have to say. In my case, I did it backwards.  I was published on t-nation before I started a blog.

I think I had a handful of articles published before I put two and two together and realized that everyone who read them had no way to contact me.  Yeah, that was a brain-fart moment if there ever was one.

I started small, opening an account on blogspot. On a good day I had like 30 views.  I wouldn’t be at all surprised if 25 of them were my mom.

Soon thereafter, an opportunity came up where I “graduated” to The Boston Herald (a client of mine worked for them and she reached out to me when they needed someone to write their fitness/health blog).  Those who are long time readers of this site may remember the good ol’ Step-Up Blog days.

And this is where Men’s Health comes in.  You see, not surprisingly, you don’t just say “Hey, Men’s Health, I want to write for you!”  It’s not quite that easy.  Remember what I said above:

When it’s ready for you, the industry will let you know.

I had been writing a blog for close to two years (and had a handful of articles on t-nation) before MH even gave me the time of day. I liken it to the hot chick in high school whom I sat next to in “Home Room” for four years, but never had the balls to ask out.  Then, one day, I had a “get your damn hands off her” moment.

Except, that’s a horrible analogy and instead of punching Bif in the face, all I did was respond to an email one of their writers sent asking me if I’d provide a short blurb on an article he was writing on gynecomastia (AKA:  man boobs).

I know, not the sexiest topic in the world……but I was in baby!!!!

Apparently their then fitness editor, Adam Bornstein, had been reading my stuff for a while and eventually reached out and asked if I’d be down with providing some expert insight? Does Dolly Parton sleep on her back?  Hell yeah I’d be down.

What started as a blurb here and there (holy shit, my name is in the second paragraph of page 57!!!!) turned into writing a handful of 15-Minute workouts, which then turned into my first full-blown article that should appear in the mag in a month or two.

The key points to remember, though, are that when you ARE given the opportunity, you need to do a few things:

1.  Be concise and, I can’t stress this enough, know the target audience.  For instance, how I write on t-nation (as well as this blog) is completely different than how I write for publications like MH or Livestrong.  You won’t find me making any references to poop or drop kicking kittens with the latter examples.  Believe me, I tried. They weren’t fans.

2.  When given a deadline, do your best to meet it – especially in the beginning.  I’m sure both of my editors – Adam Bornstein (now at Livestrong) and Bryan Krahn (for t-nation) are LOL’ing right now, because I’m notorious for procrastinating.

But they also know I’m coaching 8-10 hours per day as well as have other responsibilities like writing programs, running my own side business (blog, consulting, other writing endeavors, crushing protein shakes), as well as being the best boyfriend in the history of the world.

Needless to say, they’re both VERY accommodating and understanding (not to mention ungodly good looking and smart).

Of course, all of that is jumping the gun a bit.  The real question is how do you get your foot in the door in the first place?

  • Keep up with the blog. The only way to get better at writing, is to write.  At the expense of sounding like a broken record, content is where it’s at.  If you write amazing content, people will find it and read it.
  • Again, write for free. It seems you’re already doing that, so run with it.
  • Moreover, it never hurts to reach out to editors. Hey, you never know! Pitch them ideas that you feel would be a good match for their respective publications, but at the same time, you need to be unique and as to the point as possible.  Remember, they get dozens (if not hundreds) of inquires a day.  So, in the end, you need to somehow separate yourself from the masses.
  • If you choose to go down that road, though, I’d highly encourage you to be professional, to-the-point (don’t write a dissertation), and maybe most important of all, don’t make any grammatical errors. As an example, nothing turns an editor off more (and makes you come across as a little douchy) than not knowing the difference between their/there/they’re or you’re/your.
  • Do a search on Google for “query letter,” and start there.
  • As well, as far as ideas are concerned, make sure you have several to share rather that just one or two. Editors like to have several options to choose from.
  • Additionally, in terms of exposure and how it relates to income, LOCAL media trumps national media any day of the week.  The fact that you’ve already got an “in” in the Philly area is pretty freaking baller.  This isn’t to say that MH isn’t something to strive for, but don’t underestimate the power of local media and the exposure that that can bring you.

And that’s about all I have to say at the moment.  My apologies if my thoughts were kind of all over the place on this one, but hopefully I was able to shed some light and point you in the right direction.  I’m sure there are some major points I forgot to mention, and maybe others would like to chime in, but like I said, you’re definitely on the right track, and you’re doing the right things. Hopefully, in the end, it will all work out.

CategoriesFemale Training Motivational

A Girlfriend’s Response To the Atrocity That Is Women’s Fitness Marketing

UPDATE: said girlfriend who wrote this post is now my wife. Holla!

It seems I ruffled a few feathers last week when I re-visited my 4 Things Your Girlfriend Should Know article.

For those who need to catch up:

1.  I wrote an article five years ago.
2.  It got sucked into some sort of internet blackhole, and no longer exists.
3.  I used part of the article for another blog post HERE.
4.  I had several people contact me to ask where they could find the rest of the article.
5.  Since I had the original draft saved on  my laptop, I decided to re-post the article on my blog.
6.  Apparently, to some, I’m a chauvinistic a-hole who thinks women are dumb, and don’t deserve the right to vote.
7.  Wait a second…..women can vote?????????
8.  Just kidding.
9.  See what I just did there?  That’s called sarcasm.

Anyways, even though it was a piece I wrote a while go, it was obviously new to a lot of people, and I was surprised at how extensively it made its rounds throughout the blogosphere.

All told, the article was received very well. But as to be expected, there was some backlash, and that’s cool.  I certainly don’t expect everyone to agree with me.

Some women felt I was insulting them and they didn’t like my tone. Well, to be honest, the article wasn’t originally intended FOR women; it was intended (as another reader commented) for the men who hear a lot of the same complaints from poorly-informed women all…the…freakin…time.

More to the point: my goal was to convey that, when all is said and done, lifting heavy things = sexy (or whatever adjective you prefer), regardless of whether you’re a Victoria Secret model or just someone who likes to train for the hell of it.

Nonetheless, my girlfriend and I had a really great discussion about all of this over the weekend during our Saturday “date night.” As far as conversations are concerned, it definitely ranked up there as one of our most intellectual (poop).

Afterwards, we kept the momentum and went and saw a subtitled film. Totally not kidding.

She’s kind of smart, finishing up her doctorate in sports psychology in a few short weeks, so I asked her if she’d be willing to write down her thoughts and share them here.

This is what she said.

[Smoke bomb, smoke bomb, exits stage right]

Unplugged From the Matrix

Women’s fitness is controversial. Women’s fitness is confusing. Women’s fitness may or may not even exist. Learning that women and men should be doing the same basic movements to be fit, healthy, and in shape is the same as being unplugged from the “Matrix”, if you will.

For those non-sci-fi-readers, it is the same as learning that the earth is round, when you have been told your entire life that the earth is flat. Tony’s article on 4 Things Your Girlfriend Should Know is controversial because it unplugs us from the Matrix – it exclaims that the earth is round!

The beauty of the article, aside from its truth, is the passion and controversy it provokes. I say bravo, in small part to Tony, but more so to the men and women who responded to the article – who have feelings about ‘women’s fitness’ – and who, most importantly, are insulted by ‘Women’s Fitness’.

To ‘Yuck’, I am glad that you are insulted…. Say more! What language does the industry have to speak to women? To educate women? To help women to be healthy and efficacious in their fitness endeavors? At present, and in my humble opinion, the language of bullshit. Women, and men, harangue us on television, in magazines, and on the internet with promises of “toned” “thin” “longer” muscles and body parts.

‘Yuck’, are you insulted by Strippercize? By Yoga Booty Ballet? By the Pussycat Dolls Workout? I am. I am insulted that the industry has tried to convince me all my life that steady-state, low-impact, sexualized strutting is the key to me becoming healthy, sexy, and thin.

I am insulted that I am bombarded with false information at my every turn, and I am angry that I believed and followed bullshit advice for so many years. What I love about your comments, and your message, is that it is insulting to be spoken to as if we are “stupid”.

What it means to be a woman, and what is acceptable for a woman to be, has changed dramatically in the eyes of both society and the fitness industry since the 1960’s. Unfortunately, not enough. We may not sit back and wait for popular culture to hand us true, evidence-based, ulterior-motive free information. We must ask for it. We must demand it. And we must make it known that we are pissed off, indignant, and insulted when we are given otherwise.

“NOBODY EVER TAUGHT US!” I applaud “Ambition” for putting it so plainly, and truthfully. In light of the language of bullshit that pervades the fitness industry, how can we expect the average American women to respond differently?

I agree with Kelsey’s suggestion that Tony submit articles to Shape and Fitness magazines – several sources that insist, month after month, that the earth is flat.

Note from TG:  I’ll actually be making my first cameo appearance in Women’s Health this Spring!

Indeed, there are more effective and nicer ways to unplug women, and fitness-ignorant men, from the Matrix.

Christine, I agree that Tony, boyfriends everywhere, and fitness professionals alike could all catch more fitness “flies” with sugar, than with vinegar – But that is another topic altogether.

Sweet or sour, women need to hear the truth

We deserve to hear the truth. How truth is served to us, is up to us, to flavor. “Yuck”, “Well”, Christine, and other readers, tell Tony and the rest of the fitness industry what you want – and how you want it. Don’t stay quiet. Influence the information you receive, and demand what you deserve!

One of the great blessings of my life is that somebody taught me. My father, a bodybuilding, protein-shake-drinking, Arnold Schwarzenegger-admiring man, taught me about and included me in his most beloved hobby for as long as I can remember.I loved him, and in turn, I loved lifting weights.

I was always interested in being strong, in looking strong, and in pulling, pushing, and pressing more. I was never intimidated in the gym, and was often labeled intimidating. I realize that my experience is outside the norm. Most women have never been taught how to take care of and strengthen their bodies, and that is a shame.

Lisa V. suggested that it is shameful for women to be intimidated to lift weights, but the reality is that many are, and that’s not their fault – it’s the fault of society and the fitness industry. We can judge intimidated women all we want, but until we influence them, and until we empower them, we are only part of the problem.

Judgment doesn’t make change… education, communication, and action make change. Bravo to Lisa V., and many other women, for getting to Cressey Performance to train (and Amen that many men are as ignorant as women about how to train!), but the fact remains that you are a beautiful, powerful, exemplary exception – not the rule.

 

 

 

For Lisa V., and “Ambition”, “Yuck”, “Well”, “Speed”, Kelsey, and all of the other women out there who are not intimidated by weights and strength training, who are hungry for the truth, and who are insulted by stupidity and Bullshit – I implore you to keep saying it! It is only through writing, talking, confronting and considering that we can evoke the evolution of the fitness industry – and in turn, of women’s fitness… Whatever that is.

Confront Tony, other fitness professionals, the media, and the images, programs, and bullshit that we are bombarded with.

“Well” expressed her belief that the pictures of the women on Tony’s article were horrible – and I think she may feel this way because these are thin, idealized models who do not appear physically muscular. However, the point of the pictures is to demonstrate that thin and thick women alike lift weights and strength train.

No matter what we look like, or what we want to look like, being fit and strong is elementary to our goal. Personally, I feel that Serena Williams has the hottest, sickest, most amazing body on earth. Will I ever look like her? Unfortunately for me, no. Do pictures of her speak to me? Encourage me? Inspire me? Hell yes.

Whether it’s Serena or Giselle, seeing images of women who weight train is important to women of every shape and size, who aspire to change their body into any shape or size.

Bodybuilders and others who make a career out of their musculature aside, in my opinion, there is no such thing as too muscular. If seeing lots of muscles on a lady is too much for you, than that is you. If a woman wants to kill it in the gym, build muscle mass, and create a physique “outside the box” of acceptable female appearance, good for her! I celebrate her. I admire her. I think she is a badass.

She is healthy, fit, and she sure as hell feels fabulous. As far as I am concerned, saying a woman is too much of an athlete, too masculine, or too far away from the societal standard is chauvinistic, and judgmental. It’s no different than suggesting we should all look like Victoria’s Secret models.

Prakash, and all the others frustrated by the topic of ‘Womens’ Fitness’ – don’t give up! We can create and change the language of the fitness industry – but only if we are active, only if we voice our opinions, and only if we are willing to say over and over again (sweetly or otherwise) that the earth is round!

There is so much more to say on this topic. Thank you for being some of the few who have unplugged from the American Fitness Matrix that is ineffective and insulting.  I hope we will all keep talking – and criticizing, comparing, and kvetching. It is the only way to make change. To make it better. To make us stronger.

CategoriesUncategorized

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 2/10/12

Earlier this week my good friend, John Romaniello, released his opus to intermittent fasting (IF), Fat Loss Forever.  For those who missed it, John was kind enough to stop by and answer a few questions regarding IF – what is it?, who is it for?, is there any science behind it?, will it make me grow a third nipple? – as well talk about the specifics behind the product itself.

In passing, too, I had mentioned how I experimented with IF a few years ago, but didn’t really realize it at the time.  Yeah, I was smart like that.

Nevertheless, when John sent me an advance copy, I read it – in one sitting – and was thoroughly impressed.  So impressed, in fact, that I am now on day #3 of my own intermittent fasting extravaganza.

Okay, extravaganza is a little bit of an indulgence. Really, all I’ve done is push my breakfast back a bit in the morning (essentially taking myself through a 12-16 hour fast), and then pwning my first meal after I’m done picking heavy things up and putting them down – which, is generally around 12PM

I’ve always had the tendency to crush a HUGE breakfast every morning, and often wondered whether or not that affected how I felt heading into my workout.  I have to say, after a few days, I feel spectaculous!!!!

I can’t say for sure whether or not I’ll do it long-term, but at the very least, I wanted to try it out.

Fat Loss Forever  – John Romaniello and Dan Go

Anyways, today (2/10) is your last chance to purchase Roman’s opus to intermittent fasting at the discounted rate of $50 OFF the regular price. He’s has gone out of his way to include a TON of sweet bonuses – including a training manual and supplement guidelines, to name few – but I’m going to sweeten the pot.

1. This kind of got lost in the shuffle earlier in the week, but for anyone who purchases FLF from this site, and emails their receipt to me (tgentilcore18@yahoo.com), I’ll send you a TG written and Roman approved strength-based, 2-day-per-week workout that acts as an adjunct to the program.

2.  In addition, I’ll also throw anyone who emails me their receipt into a raffle for a free DIGITAL copy of Muscle Imbalances Revealed – Upper Body. And, if you play your cards right, maybe a bologna sandwich.  Winning!

Performance Training:  Adaptations for Femoral Acetabular Impingement (FAI) – Kevin Neeld

This was an excellent post by Kevin detailing the intricate and complicated mechanisms behind FAI – how to recognize it, and more importantly, how to go about implementing training modifications.

While it’s generally accepted that FAI is more prevalent in the athletic population, it’s something that we’ve witnessed creep into other less common populations as well – including your typical gym rat population.

If you’re a fitness professional, I HIGHLY suggest you give it a read, and don’t ignore the other links in the article as well, as Kevin as a TON of information to share on this topic.

5 Questions with a Girl Gone Strong:  Julia Ladewski – Trey Potter

Continuing his series interviewing the amazing Girls Gone Strong crew, here Trey speaks with Julia Ladewski, wife, coach, mother of two, and formerly the world’s #1 ranked female powerlifter in the 132 lb weight class.  Yes, she’s probably stronger than you.

CategoriesUncategorized

Exercises You Should Be Doing: DB Reverse Lunge to 1-Legged RDL

This is an exercise that’s been in my programming repertoire for a while now, and every time I place it into someone’s program, I either get one raised eye brow of intrigue or a chuckle; as if to say, “dude, really?  This?  Come on….I need something more challenging.”

Then, of course, those who fall into the latter category wake up the next morning and realize their hamstrings feel like they were put through a meat grinder.

*strokes evil strength coach beard*

Muhahahahahahahaha.  I win.

Anyways, getting right to the point, there are quite few inherent benefits to this exercise.

1.  It’s a single leg movement.  People need to do more single leg work. Nuff said.

2. Thing is, single leg work can be about as exciting as watching Gossip Girl. More to the point, it’s a hybrid single leg movement, combining both the reverse lunge and the 1-legged Romanian deadlift, so I’ve found it’s a nice change of pace, and a bit more palatable for most trainees.

Note:  I will say, though, that this is a more advanced variation so I’d be reticent to encourage newbies to throw this into the mix right off the bat.

3.  With regards to the reverse lunge component, it’s more knee friendly compared to forward lunge variations.  With forward lunge variations you have to decelerate the body, which can be problematic for those with a history of knee pain.  Conversely, with the reverse lunge, it’s more accelerative (I think I just made a word up) in nature, and thus less stressful on the knee joint in general.

4. On the flip side, with respects to the 1-legged Romanian deadlift component, I just like it because it trains the lateral sub-system, and it really forces the trainee to focus on his or her hip stabilizers.

5.  Maybe a little less obvious, but nevertheless an important point to consider, is that this exercise – being hybrid in nature – kicks your ass! It’s not uncommon for peeps who perform this exercise for the first time to be fairly winded by the end of their set.

So, what does this bad boy look like?

Key Coaching Cues:  First and foremost, don’t be a hero.  You won’t need a ton of weight with this particular exercise, and given most people butcher the 1-Legged RDLanyways, I’d be more inclined to start conservative with the weight selection.

Secondly, while the reverse lunge part is pretty self explanatory, the 1-legged RDL is a different animal altogether. That said, I’d HIGHLY encourage you to click HERE to get a little more insight on how to be less sucky at it.

I generally keep the reps in the lowish range and shoot for 5-6 per leg, which is really 10-12 reps per leg because you’re doing two exercises in one.

AC/DC in the background is optional.

Try it out today, and let me know what you think