CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 8/31/12

Can you believe it’s almost September!!?!?!  I was writing our rent check this morning and I couldn’t help but think to myself, “WTF….September starts, like, tomorrow.”

It seems like yesterday I was excited about summer starting, and now it’s almost freaking over.  The worst part?  I can count on one hand the number of times I had the opportunity to take my shirt off.  That’s just completely unacceptable.

The positive in all this is that 1) I planned a special weekend “getaway” with Lisa and the weather is supposed to be amazing, sooooooooo basically, my shirt is coming off.  And 2) Autumn is my favorite time of year.  Being from the Finger Lakes region originally (in central New York), I grew up appreciating the contrast of colors that would surround the lakes during this time of year.  Luckily New England is just as beautiful in a lot of ways, and I think every person out there with a Y chromosome agrees that nothing beats the smell of college football season right around the corner

Nonetheless, it’s going to be brief today. Here’s some stuff to read to tide you over between rounds of Angry Birds.  It’s Friday, I know you’re not working.

The Hidden Truth about Calories – Rob Dunn

This was sent my way via Twitter, and while I know there are parts of this article that could easily be dissected and ripped to shreds by the nutrition nerds out there, I thought this was a pretty thought provoking piece overall.

Creatine – Examine.com

We get asked quite often about supplements at the facility.  While we first go out of our way to instill in our athletes (especially the younger, more impressionable ones) that eating real, whole, minimally processed foods is the best avenue to travel, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that we do view supplements as part of the equation.

Note: We never push supplements onto our clients, but if the topic ever manifests itself, we feel it’s important to provide as much factual, concise, and relavent information as possible.

With our athletes, it usually comes down to helping them filter out the stupid and help them understand that supplements are just that….supplements.  They can serve a purpose, but won’t trump a solid training and nutrition plan.

More importantly, with the parents that entrust us with their kids, it’s about educating them that supplements <=> steroids.

This is never more prevalent than when the topic of creatine pops up.  While it’s the most researched supplement in all of human history – and yes, it’s safe and effective – you’d be surprised as to how many parents, usually as a result of some bloated cautionary tale from their family doctor, are under the impression that creatine is a steroid and causes global warming.

And to their credit, they should be leery and pessimistic.  There’s a lot of shady stuff out there.

I just chuckle and tell them that, no, polar bear farts cause global warming, and that  creatine is completely safe and then hand them a very abbreviated version of the link above (which is arguably one of the most thorough reviews you’ll find anywhere).

60+ Lessons from the 2012 Midwest Performance Enhancement Seminar – Mike Robertson

I was bummed I couldn’t make it out to Indy for this seminar as the line-up was an All-Star cast of  who’s who in the industry. Nevertheless, Mike does a fantastic job of recapping some of the highlights from what seemed to be an amazing weekend.

CategoriesUncategorized

6 Keys to a Successful (Fitness) Blog: The Stuff I Didn’t Get To Yesterday

Yesterday I spent a little time marinating around the topic of fitness blogging, and discussed a handful of characteristics (or tips) I felt would help anyone interested in starting their own blog.

To recap:

  • Serving as the umbrella over this whole conversation is the notion of experience. I feel it’s important to have a few years of experience under your belt actually training people – and getting good at what you do – before you start writing about it and “disguising” yourself as an expert.
  • It’s a bit old school, I know (especially considering the digital age we currently live in).  But there’s something to be said about practicing what you preach.  Sadly, there are many (MANY) fitness professionals out there who don’t even train people, yet because they’re a prolific writer (and good for them if they are), are seen as an expert.
  • This isn’t to say, of course, that one can’t start a blog just for the hell of it to help educate friends or family members (and to gain valuable writing experience), but in general, it helps to gain real life experience.

With the “ranty” stuff out of the way……..

  • Just start.  Quit procrastinating and talking about stating a blog and DO IT!

 

  • Set a schedule and be consistent with it. You know how when your girlfriend gets mad at you for not taking out the trash when you’re supposed to, and then she gets all pissed and you don’t get any action for like three days?  Well, not sticking with a consistent blogging schedule is roughly the same thing.  Except not really.  You get the idea, though.
  • Content is king. People recognize s*** when they see it.  You can use all the snazzy graphics, fonts, bells, and whistles you want, if you don’t write good content, people won’t want to read what you have to say. Period.

In case you missed it, you can go HERE and read in more detail what I had to say.

Full disclosure:  I should have known better than to dedicated two full days to blogging specific content.  Yesterday’s post wasn’t as popular or “shared” as much as I had hoped, which makes sense given that there’s only a small percentage of people who read this blog who actually blog themselves.

Nevertheless, I need to finish what I started, but I’ll try to keep this one as succinct as possible.

 4. Be Patient

When I first started blogging 30 unique views/vistors was considered a good day.  If I somehow hit 50, I was immediately outside doing cartwheels and kissing babies.

Building a successful blog that garners a decent amount of traffic (and if you’re lucky, results in some additional side income) takes a while.  Usually years.

The cold hard truth is that you’re NOT going to become an overnight blogging sensation.  Despite what many will have you think, you’re not going to have thousands of people flock to read your latest post fledgling on every word and exclamation point you write.

I don’t think I reached 1,000 unique views until 2009 (three years after I initially started blogging). Today, my more popular posts hover around 2000-2500 visitors and my Alexa.com ranking (a free web based analytics ranking site) is 307,303, which ain’t too shabby considering anything under a million is considered respectable.

I’m not saying this to brag. Rather, I’m just saying that it takes a looooong freaking time to build a popular blog.  Unless you’re an analytics Terminator like Jon Goodman.  That guy knows how to do it, and do it right!  He’s built the PTDC into a very successful, very popular site in less than two years.

Now, this isn’t to say that there aren’t ways to do so faster – you’re not handcuffed to Mediocreville forever.

Admittedly, I was a little behind the curve back in the day and didn’t understand the power of social media, but there are some tried and true ways to help increase traffic:

– It bears repeating……..write good content.  If you’re stuff is good, people will find you.

– Write for free.  Offer to write free posts or articles for other sites to help get your name out there.  Their “payment” to you is a link back to your site.

– Write guest posts.  This is probably my first choice as it serves a purpose for both parties.  1.  You get your name out there.  2.  The other guys (whom you’re writing for) don’t have to write a post that given day.  It’s a win-win.

That said, there’s a right way and wrong way to approach the whole guest blogging thing.

What not to do:  Hi, my name is Douchy McDouchyington and I want to write for your site.

I get requests like this ALL….THE….TIME, and I can tell you that those types of emails go straight to my trash folder.

Cold emailing someone out of the blue and asking them for a pretty big favor – when they don’t know you from a hole in the wall – is a ballsy thing to do.

What to do:  Try something like this.

Hi, my name is “Eva Mendes” and I’m a huge fan of your work.  I always love your stuff on T-Nation, and I make it a point to check out your blog on a daily basis. I work as a trainer in “x town or city” and I’m trying to reach out to those people whom I look up to and respect just to say hi and to see if there’s anything I can do to help them out.

And, if I might add, you’re exceptionally brilliant, witty, and good looking.

Okay, that last part isn’t necessary, but something like this is bound to get you on one’s “good side” more so than the first example. Building some semblance of rapport at the beginning is just common sense and will go a longs ways in reducing one’s bullshit meter exponentially.

Speaking firsthand, eventually if he or she offers to write a guest post, I’m usually more than happy to help out assuming what they have in mind is a good fit.

5. Be Yourself

I think a lot of what makes my site so “successful” is because I’m not scared to be me.  I think it’s safe to say that how I write is how I am in person.  I’m not afraid to use a little self-deprecating humor, talk about my cat, and then turn right around and discuss the intricacies of the deadlift.

In his book Writing for Fitness, Rob Fitzgerald  mentioned how some people are internet tough guys, some are nerdtastic and want to quote research, and others play the motivational coach card.

The key, though, is just to be yourself.  Don’t be someone you’re not.

By that same token, have a little fun and don’t take yourself so seriously all the time. Poop!

 6. Interact With Your Readers!

What’s the point of writing if you never interact with your readers!?!?  I always try to respond to all the comments I receive here on this blog (as well as those on Facebook and Twitter).  By doing so, I convey to my readers that I actually care what they have to say (and I do!) and that I value their support.

If you’re going to build the brand of “YOU,” it only makes sense to recognize those who go out of their way to not only comment, but share your work as well.

Shunning or ignoring them is the last thing you should be doing.

And there you have it.  Six keys to building a successful fitness blog.  Were they earth shattering secrets?  No. But I do feel they’ll point people in the right direction.

Have any of your own insights?  Feel free to share them below!

CategoriesMotivational

6 Keys to a Successful (Fitness) Blog

Within any given week I get a handful of emails from people asking me how they can go about building a “successful” fitness blog. In today’s ever increasing digital world (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, The Matrix), it’s readily apparent that if you’re not up to snuff with technology – and all it has to offer – you may be left in the dust.

Do people have actual conversations anymore?

Believe me, I’m far from what you would call a technology geek. My cell phone would be considered an antique by today’s standards, I’m deathly afraid of Excel spreadsheets, and I can barely run a toaster without setting off a 5-stage fire alarm.

But one thing I do know – or, at least have a general grasp on – is blogging, and how fitness professionals can implement and use one to their advantage.

While a simple blog post couldn’t possibly come remotely close to explaining all the ins and outs of blogging, here are a few simple strategies/insights you’ll need to get the ball rolling.

Before we begin, however, let me address the elephant in the room.  Is having a blog even necessary? No.  Does having one mean you’ve finally made?  Um, no.

I can’t reiterate enough my sentiments that one should gain ample experience before (s)he worries about starting a blog.

More important than having a popular blog is actually getting good (really good) at what you do – and actually coach people for a few years – before entering the blogosphere.

Just because you trained five people last week and read a book doesn’t mean you should start a blog about how to train people.

I mean, I made a meatloaf last night, I don’t consider myself an expert.

It’s just my personal opinion of course. And some may roll their eyes at me for being so “old school,” but I really feel that one should have 2-3 years of training experience under their belt before starting a blog.  As a frame of reference, I started as a personal trainer in 2002.  I didn’t start blogging until the fall of 2006. I spent a solid four years honing my craft, trying to get better before I even thought about spreading my knowledge to the interwebz.  That, and blogs didn’t even really start gaining popularity until 2005.  But whatever.

Anyhoo, lets get on with it.

1. Take the Initial Step

I understand this is the Captain Obvious thing to say, but you’d be surprised at how many people don’t quite “get it.”

The first thing to consider is why do you want a blog in the first place?

Some people start a blog because they have a lot on their mind. Others use it as a source of venting.  While others use it to build a brand and get their name out there.

Whatever the case may be, you have to start somewhere. Just saying you’re going to start a blog and then not doing anything about it isn’t going to get you anywhere.

Secondly, just write.  About anything.  One of the major deterrents as to why people are hesitant to begin with is that they feel they have nothing to say. More to the point, they feel as if everything has already been said and that they couldn’t possibly have anything more to add.

Let me let you in on a little secret:  nothing is new, and everything has already been said.

But not in your voice.  And not in your own context.  Using myself as an example: I’m not like Nick Tumminello, or Jim “Smitty” Smith, or Dean Somerset, or any number of other bright guys (and women) who are thinkers and have an innate ability to come up with new(ish) ideas.  I’m more of an interpreter.  I’m able to read what others say and teach and parlay that info to others in an entertaining fashion.

Tracy Anderson is a quack, doesn’t know her ass from her acetabulum, and is about as intelligent as ham sandwich.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HK_A-A7PBXc

 

See how easy it is!

That wasn’t an original thought.  Many have thought the exact same thing before me, and many will think the exact same thing years from now. In fact, I’m willing to bet that even when aliens visit Earth – when we’re all dead –  they’ll somehow come across that video, scratch their heads, and think to themselves, “who the hell was that idiot?”

Suffice it to say, much like we would tell someone the hardest part about training is actually showing up, the same can be said about blogging.  Just start.  Go to blogspot.com, or blogger.com, or WordPress.com (which is what I would recommend), sign up for free, choose a template, and write.

2. Set a Schedule (and Be Consistent).

Once you are blogging, it’s important that you set a schedule and actually stick to it. Traffic isn’t going to come right away (more on this below), but one of the biggest traffic killers – in other words: deters people from visiting your site – is inconsistency.

This is going to be highly individual depending on one’s schedule. Pick a frequency.  2x, 3x, 4x per week?  Whatever it is stick to it.

I strive for 4-5 posts per week, 3 minimum, and the fruits of my labor have paid off because I’m consistent.

Nothing turns people off than someone who blogs like a champ for a few weeks – providing killer content, increasing people’s level of awesome – only to disappear for a week.  Stuff happens, life gets in the way, and there’s nothing you can do about that.  Giving your readers a heads up (hey sorry everyone, I’m going to be away for a bit fighting terrorists) would go a long way as far as keeping them on your radar.

But if you just disappear, and it’s a running trend, you’re going to have a hard time building a successful following.

3. Content is King

We all know the saying:  if it looks like s***, and it smells like s***, then it’s probably s***.

Don’t write s***.

[Read THIS for some excellent ideas on how to write killer content]

I know a lot of “experts” will say that you need to pick a niche and run with it.  There are plenty of fitness blogs out there which focus solely on fat-loss, some on nutrition, and others on how to go about training bomb sniffing dolphins.

Just go with it.

I like to blog about getting people stronger.  It’s what I know, and it works for me.

Whatever you choose to write about and focus on, you better make sure it’s damn good content.  You need to own it!

To that end a few thoughts:

– Grammar counts too.  I’m no Shakespeare, but I can tell you that if you’re mis-spelling every other word, confusing proper usage of there/their/they’re, and otherwise just showcasing slipshod work, people will call you out on it.

As much as I hate grammar Nazis, there comes a point where you need to call a spade a spade.

NOTE:  I’ll call myself out and state there’s  a handful of misspelled (or even missed) words in this very post. Whatever. Give me a break. It’s blog, not a dissertation. And, I’m not wearing my glasses.

– ALWAYS give credit.  Like I said above, nothing is new out there, but if you’re taking credit for things you didn’t say or do, you suck. And someone will figure you out sooner or later.

–  Not every posts needs to be Atlas Shrugged. Lengthy posts – while cool for showing off your writing chops and definitely warranted when you’re writing about something you’re passionate about – will bore the crap out of people after awhile.

In his book Rise to the Top, Jon Goodman mentioned how you should have a schedule of short, to the point posts (400-500 words) that are easily “shared” and help to generate more traffic, and long(er), more elaborate posts to help “keep” your current readers.

An example of the former would be something like a quick mobility exercise, or a brief quip you learned from a DVD.  An example of the latter would this very post which, approaching 1200 words, is probably long enough for today.

Check back tomorrow for some more insight on what makes for a successful fitness blog.

CategoriesUncategorized

Registration Open for the 1st Annual Cressey Performance Fall Seminar

Do me a favor and mark Sunday, October 28th on your calendar. Write “MUST GO TO THIS” with a bright neon colored highlighter if you have to. Better yet, use glitter paint.

Why?

No, it’s not opening weekend of Michael Buble’s new concert tour or the release date of the next chapter in the 50 Shades of Grey hooplah (ladies). And no, it’s not the same weekend as the Victoria Secret wet t-shirt contest or the next Star Wars convention (guys).

As cool as all of those things are (with the exception of the first two), what’s actually going down that weekend is much, much more more awesomer (yes, I just used incorrect grammar). That weekend marks the first of what we hope will be an annual Cressey Performance Fall Seminar.

This event will showcase both the brand new Cressey Performance, as well as the great staff that helped build it, and our outstanding sponsor, New Balance.  We want to make this an affordable event for everyone and create a great forum for industry professionals and fitness enthusiasts alike to interact, exchange ideas, and learn.

Here are the presentation topics:

Understanding and Managing Congenital Laxity

Presented by Eric Cressey

In this era of semi-private training, boot camps, and group exercise, it’s not uncommon for coaches and trainers to try to train all athletes and clients the same. This can quickly lead to injury in a population with significant congenital laxity.  In this presentation, Eric will teach you how to assess for laxity and safely train with it to improve how people feel and move.

The Food Freakshow: What Will You Be Eating in the 21st Century?

Presented by Brian St. Pierre

Burgers grown from dinosaur DNA?  Tomatoes carrying a delicious basil lemon gene?  Red meat with the fatty acid profile of an avocado?  Science is starting to change the way we look at food.  And in the coming years our food will be very, very different.  Want to know what you’ll be eating?  What your kids will be eating?  What your grandkids will be eating?  Let Brian untangle the mystery.  In this talk he’ll discuss what’s on the horizon for those of us who like to eat, and like to eat healthy.  Join him for a fascinating exploration of the future of food – and for useable, practical strategies you can put into action immediately.

“Out with the Old” – A new model for preventing injury and improving performance in the throwing athlete.


Presented by Eric Schoenberg

The system is broken!  Injury rates at all levels of baseball are alarming.  Despite improvements in research, technology, and sports medicine principles, the numbers continue to rise.  Each year, teams work tirelessly and spend millions to recruit, draft, and sign the best talent from all over the world.  However, only a small percentage of that money is invested to keep these athletes healthy and allow them to showcase their talent on the field.  This presentation will help to debunk some common myths, identify disturbing problems, and provide solutions to help keep athletes on the field and out of the training room.

How “Strong” Does An Athlete Need To Be?

Presented by Gregory Robins

In this presentation, Greg will discuss how various strength qualities contribute to an athlete’s power potential. Each sport requires a slightly different blend of these strength qualities to provide for high-level performance.  Learn which qualities athletes need to improve and how to get the job done.

Current Trends in Manual and Manipulative Therapy

Presented by Nathaniel Tiplady

Nate will present a review of Active Release Technique, Graston Technique, Fascial Manipulation, and joint manipulation.  He’ll cover what we know, what we don’t know, and present his thoughts and experiences on the best methods to get people pain-free.

Program Design Considerations for the Young Athlete

Presented by Chris Howard

In this presentation, Chris will discuss important considerations one must take into account when designing and implementing programs for young athletes.  Topics to be covered are exercise selection and progression, creation of a fun training environment, and the role of the strength coach in educating young athletes.  He will stress the fact that young athletes can be trained similarly to adults, but that there are distinctions that need to be made.

How to Get “Fight Club” Abs Deep Squats: Are They Worth It?

Presented by Tony Gentilcore

In this presentation, Tony will highlight research on the squat under various conditions and discuss population-specific considerations one must take into account when programming squat variations.  He’ll discuss improving the squat pattern, as well as exercise recommendations for those who should avoid squatting altogether in their programs.

Location: 

Cressey Performance,
577 Main St.
Suite 310
Hudson, MA 01749

Cost:

Regular – $99 early-bird (before September 30), $129 regular, $149 day of the event
Student (must present current student ID at door) – $79 early-bird (before September 30), $99 regular, $129 day of the event

Date/Time: 

Sunday, October 28, 2012
Registration 8:30AM
Seminar 9AM-5:30PM

Continuing Education:

NSCA CEU pending (seven contact hours)

Hotel Information:

You’ll receive hotel information in a PDF information packet following registration.

Click Here to Sign-up (Regular)

or

Click Here to Sign-up (Students)

We’re really excited about this event, and would love to have you join us! However, space is limited and each seminar we’ve hosted in the past has sold out in less than two weeks, so don’t delay on signing up!

If you have additional questions, please direct them to [email protected]. Looking forward to seeing you there!

CategoriesUncategorized

Cressey Performance Facility Tour

This past Saturday we celebrated the grand opening of our brand spankin new facility. As you’ll see from the video below, we’ve grown throughout the years.  What started as a rinky dink 2200 sq. foot space in the summer 0f 2007, has grown to a current 15,000+ sq. foot mecca of awesome.

The most surreal part? Our new lobby/greeting area is larger than the ENTIRE footprint of the original CP. If you can imagine, at one point, Eric, Pete, and myself shared an office.

Nonetheless, I just wanted to thank everyone who showed up this past weekend to offer their support and to help inaugurate the new space. While many of our athletes, parents of athletes, clients, and ex-interns showed up to get their lift on, there were also a fair amount of fitness friends and colleagues who made a cameo appearance as well including John Romaniello, Sean Hyson, Ben Bruno, Jen Sinkler, David Dellanave, Neghar Fonooni, Alli McKee, and Dick Talens to name a few.

In fact, we all got a pretty epic training session in at the end of the day complete with BBQ. Just to give you an idea of some of the shenanigans that went down here’s Roman and Bruno doing their best Ace and Gary impersonation teaming up on a set of Jefferson deadlifts.

Okay enough of the shenanigans.  Here’s the video. SHA-ZAM!

NOTE: Credit to myself for the Steven Spielberg’esque camera work!  Man, I’m good.

Thanks again to everyone for all their help and support.

CategoriesUncategorized

Moving Day at Cressey Performance

Yesterday was spent moving Cressey Performance from one space to another located roughly 100 yards at the other end of the building.  Surprisingly, we got A LOT more done than initially expected and all that’s left is putting down the new turf and then some aesthetic touch ups here and there (which may or may not include a massive shirtless mural blasted on one of our walls of me taking the bull by the horns, ala Ben Stiller from Dodgeball).

For those who need a visual reference – take a gander up and to the left.

Pretty sweet, right?

All kidding aside, I just wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone who helped out yesterday (and today) for busting their asses start to finish without ever once being asked to do so.  It’s times like this where we feel so blessed and honored to have such awesome clients, colleagues, and friends willing go out of their way to lend a helping hand.

As you might expect, my hands are pretty full today, but I wanted to share a funny video that CP coach, Greg Robins, filmed from yesterday’s chaos starring Eric Cressey’s old desk.

The new Cressey Performance opens up tomorrow (August 25th) at 9 AM.  Yeah buddy!!!!!!!

From the sounds of it, there’s going to be quite the showing of fitness peeps making a cameo appearance: John Romaniello, Sean Hyson, Jen Sinkler, Neghar Fonooni, Alli McKee, Roger Lawson, and Ben Bruno to name a few.

I’m still waiting to see if Alicia Keys got the invitation.

Video tour of the new facility will be posted on Monday!

 

CategoriesExercises You Should Be Doing

Exercises You Should Be Doing: Barbell Reverse Lunge – Front Squat Grip

Today we’re starting the CP expansion, and the staff – along with the interns and other helpers – are going to be moving equipment, rubber matting, and god knows what else, over to the new facility for the next 12-16 hours

I didn’t want to leave all of you hanging, so here’s a quick post on one of my favorite exercises I hate.

Enjoy (wish us luck)!

Quick, off the top of your head pick a handful of exercises you absolutely hate.  Exercises that, if you had to choose between doing one of them or throwing an ax into your face, you’d seriously consider the ax.

I know “hate” is a strong word. Speaking from a personal standpoint there are plenty of exercises that I hate doing, but LOVE how they make me feel and the results they elicit on my body.

– Bulgarian split squats and bench pressing come to mind (the latter making the list because I’m an absolutely abysmal bencher).

– Turkish get-ups really come to mind.

– And yes, sometimes I even dread my beloved deadlifts – particularly when I have to pull from a deficit.

If we were to pool everyone’s answers, though, I’m sure we’d get a hodge podge of exercises and movements ranging from the OLY lifts to rotator cuff drills. Still, if I were a betting man I’d be willing to wager that two exercises could easily make it into the Top 5 Exercises We Hate But Love Them Anyways:

Single leg work (in any form) and front squats.

NOTE: Just so we’re clear, in this context “hate” doesn’t mean people don’t do them.  It just means there’s a teeny tiny part of them – a molecule! – that would rather swallow a live grenade than head to the gym that day and perform what’s on the paper.

So it only makes sense to combine the two!

Barbell Reverse Lunge – Front Squat Grip

What Does It Do: As with any single leg variation, we’re getting a crock-pot of benefits:  increased single leg strength, improved hip stability, increased core  strength and stability, ankle mobility, glute activation, blabbidy blah, blibiddy boo, you’ve heard it all before.

By that same token, what I really like about this variation – reverse lunge – is that it tends to be a little more “knee friendly,” as there’s very little deceleration involved compared to things like forward lunges or walking lunges. In other words, compared to the latter, reverse lunges don’t entail you having to step forward and slowing down your entire bodyweight.

As such, this variations bodes well for those who have cranky knees.

Something else to consider is the bar placement.  With the barbell loaded anteriorly (in front of the body) there’s a fairly aggressive anti-flexion component of the torso, which will encourage a bit more thoracic extension.

Key Coaching Cues:  I prefer the cross body grip as shown in the video, but if someone has ample wrist flexibility to do it, I’m not opposed to using the clean grip.  I just find that those people are few and far between, and generally opt for the cross grip.

The bar should rest on the “meaty” part of the shoulders – I like to tell people to find their shelf – right up against the neck.  Yes, it’s uncomfortable.  Yes, you’re just going to have to suck it up.

Elbows should point straight a head, and NOT towards the floor.  I like to tell people, “chest up, elbows up” throughout.

With your eyes also looking straight a head, un-rack the bar and take two steps back to set up.  From there, extend one leg back to perform a reverse lunge.  The back knee should GENTLY tap the floor, and then, pulling through the front heel of the front leg, you’re going to return back to the starting position making sure to “finish” with that same side glute. Squeeze that bad boy!

God you’re sexy.

Try this one out and let me know what you think.

 

CategoriesMotivational Strength Training

It Doesn’t Need To Be So Complicated

Regardless of the guru, my answer’s always the same, “It doesn’t need to be so complicated” I’ll tell them.

That’s a quote from one of my favorite bloggers, Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, who always seems to have a knack for keeping it real and telling it like it is.

Even though the good doc specializes and resides more on the nutritional side of things, fighting the good fight against obesity (and many of the asinine policies surrounding the food industry), he’s someone whose insight I respect a ton and it’s not uncommon for me to see value in his message and how it permeates into the strength and conditioning community.

Take this shining example taking from a blog post of his not too long ago:

Even if the nutritional gurus and zealots were absolutely, 100%, scientifically bang-on with their edicts and commandments, I’d still stick with that message.

Not because I necessarily know better about nutrition, but rather because I work with actual people, real life folks who go to work, who worry about their finances, who shuttle their kids back and forth to hockey, who are trying to do their best. And while there’s no doubt that it’s possible one of these nutrition gurus will actually, indisputably, get it right, it won’t change the fact that real people need to like the lives they’re living, even if they’re not nutritionally perfect.

Real life folks? Here are my recommendations:

  • Cook more.
  • Use whole ingredients.
  • Eat out less frequently.
  • Cook together as a family.
  • Eat together around a table.

And while those instructions may not satisfy the gurus and zealots who demand perfection, I’m guessing they’ll take you a very long way health wise.

It doesn’t need to be so complicated.

How many times as trainers and coaches have we worked with a client or athlete who refuses to accept the notion that they’re completely average and that the basics don’t apply to them?

Unless there’s some fancy algorithm involved or some Russian’s name attached to it, they can’t be bothered.

What do you mean just squats?   My last trainer had me doing cluster sets of band resisted squats vs. chains off a BOSU ball using a 5114 tempo with exactly 88 seconds of rest in between each set.  On one leg.

Please, I know how to squat.

And then your eyes start bleeding because their squat is just god awful, and you have to break it to them – tactfully, of course – that, “no, your knees aren’t supposed to cave in on the descent.” And, “no, 225 lbs isn’t really all that impressive.”  And, “um, yeah, are you going to finish the rest of those reps later, or are you actually going to squat to depth?”

I’m guessing many of you reading who are trainers and coaches are nodding your heads in agreement as you read this.

It’s frustrating to say the least when you have to remind people that there’s nothing wrong with mastering the basics. That they’re not above paying their dues. In fact, 99% of the time if one masters the basics and stops making things so overly complicated, they’ll probably see infinitely better results – regardless of whether their goals are strength and performance based or fat loss.

So, in keeping with the doc’s theme above, for REAL people, here are my recommendations:

– Focus on compound movements that force you to integrate the entire body: squat, deadlift, chin-ups, bench press, military press, lunge variation, row, etc.

– For the love of god, step away from the Smith machine.

– And would it kill you to wash your gyms shorts on occasion?

– Stress QUALITY over quantity. I’d rather someone go to the gym and perform 5×5 deadlifts (making sure technique is solid on each rep) than spend an hour doing god-knows-what.

– 3x per week, full-body, is a solid approach for most people.

– Throw in a day (or two) of interval based training and you’re golden.

– Please don’t skip your soft tissue or mobility work.

– Walking shouldn’t be considered exercise.  It’s called life.

– How much weight should you use?  If you can easily hit all your reps, bump the weight up 5-10 lbs.  It’s not rocket science.  And no, you won’t get big a bulky.  Stop thinking you’re going to turn into Arnold Schwarzenegger in a week.

– Just to mix it up a bit, save “bench day” for any day other than Monday. Trust me, the world won’t end.

– Training sessions should be no longer than 45-60 minutes (75 minutes, tops if you include SportsCenter highlight breaks).

– The bulk of your exercises should be barbell and dumbbell based.

– If you can’t perform at least five bodyweight chin-ups (man or woman), you have no business performing 46 sets of bicep curls.

– Do some push-ups (or TRX rows) instead.

– Find a good training partner.  It makes all the difference in the world.

– Less is more.  Try to limit yourself to 3-5 exercises per session.

– Don’t be intimidated to ask for help or to be coached.  Even the best in the business ask for help from time to time.

Obviously some of these are said tongue-in-cheek, and in no way exemplifies a complete list.  But in the grand scheme of things, it’s no coincidence that none of the above are earth shattering or new or are going to start a fitness revolution.  That’s the point.

It Doesn’t Need to be So Complicated!!!!!

CategoriesNutrition

Supplement (In)Sanity

A few days ago I responded to an email where I was asked my general thoughts on supplements:  do I find them useful?, which ones do I take?, which ones do I feel are useless?, so on and so forth.

Now, I’ve written similar posts in the past – HERE and HERE – but since I ended up writing more than I thought I would, I figured I might as well use my response as its own impromptu blog post.

It’s my blog, I can do what I want!

Compared to many, I take more of a simpleton approach to supplementation.  For me, and I’m completely stealing a line from Alwyn Cosgrove here – “supplements are progress enhancers, not progress starters.”

More often that not, if someone’s not making any progress – whether it’s strength related, fat loss, or performance based – you can usually chalk it up to sub-optimal training, nutrition, or both.

I’m sorry, maybe it’s the cynic in me (although I like to think it’s common sense) but taking some super-duper-crystallized-dragon’s breath-protein-synthesizer-mass-bulking formula supplement which promises things like packing on 30 lbs of muscle AND increasing your bench press by 100 lbs (while instantaneously turning your abs into a bulletproof vest) – all by next Wednesday – is utter nonsense.

I had an athlete of mine ask me the other day what supplements he should be taking to add a little weight.

I said, “calories.”

After a few awkward seconds of starring at one another, he realized I was serious and then we had an awesome ten minute conversation on how he could go about including more quality calories into his daily repertoire.

This isn’t to say that I don’t think supplementation isn’t efficacious or worthwhile for some – it absolutely is!

I just feel that far too often people resort to some mythical “magic pill” that’s going to get them results, when in fact, it’s nothing more than putting in their time under the bar (and doing so consistently) and actually giving a shit what they put into their bodies in the form of REAL, natural, minimally processed, nutrient-dense food.

Bringing this full circle, I feel supplementation is highly overemphasized by some.  But I can also appreciate that certain supplements are invaluable in what they have to offer as far as general health benefits are concerned.

Moreover, I’d be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge those supplements that undoubtedly help people take their training to the next level.

Which Leads Us To This

Pigging back off my comments above, and despite the contrary, I actually do personally take (and advocate that others do as well) some supplements.

For their health benefits alone, I take:  fish oil (heart health, reducing inflammation, and a encyclopedia’s worth of other benefits), Vitamin D (deficiency in this vitamin is almost universal), a powdered Green’s product (I think of it as mineral/vitamin safety net), and dandelion root and ginger (both for their role in reducing inflammation and promoting liver health).
On the performance side of things, I think anyone who lifts weights on a consistent basis (and not the pink dumbbells) should include two supplements:  protein powder and creatine.

Granted protein powder may be a moot concept assuming someone ingests ample protein in their diet (grass fed beef, chicken, eggs, fish, yogurt, cottage cheese, Bambi’s mom, etc), but you can’t argue with the research which routinely demonstrates that downing a protein drink shortly after – or even better, before – training helps to promote protein synthesis and recovery.

Likewise, creatine is the most researched supplement in the history of the world, and I’m always amused at those people (sadly, even physicians at times) who claim that taking it is going to make your kidneys explode or give you a third nipple.

While there’s a small portion of the population who are “non-responders,” I think it behooves anyone who weight trains not to consider including creatine into their daily mix, as it’s been routinely shown to increase strength, performance, and recovery.

And sometimes increases your chances of seeing someone of the opposite sex naked.   It’s a win-win.

Supplement Hijinks

Embarrassingly, I don’t keep up with the latest supplement superstars.  Every now and then I’ll notice one of our athletes walk in with some flashy container with the typical flashy words on the label and roll my eyes.

I’m sure if I walked into my local GNC store I’d find a plethora of related supplements that will just as equally make a small piece of my soul die.

I especially love those souped up creatine formulas that promise all the bells and whistles and end up costing what mounts to a student loan payment for a month’s supply.

Fun fact:  just stick with plain ol’ creatine monohydrate which costs like $15 for a three month supply.  It’s just as “effective” as the more expensive brands, and you’ll save yourself a bit of money in the long run.

Having said all that, there have been several times where I used myself as a
guinea pig and tried a few supplements – some of which I KNOW have some solid research behind them – that I never really got  much out of.

The one that comes to mind the most is beta alanine.

I realize there are a lot of people who swear by it – particularly endurance based athletes or even the CrossFit diehards out there (and like said, there is plenty of research out there that backs it up) – but for me it was sorta like “eh.”

At the end of the day, I try to stick with the mantra that supplements are exactly that……supplements.

Far too often I feel many people are under the assumption that the missing link as to why they’re not getting results is because of some hidden supplement they’re not taking.  The truth of the matter is:  1) they don’t train nearly as “hard” as they think they do and 2) their diet doesn’t reflect their goals.  Think of that last point the next time you chug an energy drink (which typically contains a boat load of sugar) just to go for a walk.

CategoriesMiscellaneous Miscellany Uncategorized

Miscellaneous Miscellany Monday: 8/20/12

1.  Wow – what a weekend!  As I noted on Friday this past weekend a bunch of us guys headed up to Maine (waaaaaaaaaaaaaay up in Maine. Like, middle of absolutely no where Maine. Like, 75 miles off the highway Maine.  Like, there’s no cell phone reception and OMGICANTCHECKMYEMAILSANDITSGLORIOUS Maine) to go white water rafting for Mr. Pete Dupuis’ bachelor party.

For those wondering who the hell Pete Dupuis is, he’s the business director at Cressey Performance.

I’m not going to go into too many of the details, because well, it WAS a bachelor party (and our significant others will be reading this post), but what I can divulge is this:

– The picture to the left is what the one and only George Abele showed up in as he walked into the office on Friday before we headed out.  Ladies, he’s single.

– I’m not one for the great outdoors. I used to go camping with my family every summer up in the Adirondack mountains when I was younger, but even then we had electricity (and there was a movie theater within ten miles).  Giving myself a little credit though, I was a Cub Scout back in the day  but failed miserably when it came to tying knots.  I mastered the Sailor’s knot, but the Slippery Hitch was a tough son-of-a-bitch to crack. And, just to throw it out there, starting a fire wasn’t (and still isn’t) my strong suit.

That said, being outside with nature isn’t necessarily my favorite thing to do in the world.  But holy balls, was this past weekend epic!  Being on the raft with all my boys conquering the Kennebec River was one of the funnest times I’ve ever had and

something I’d do again in a heartbeat.  The weather was perfect, the water was absolutely amazing, and maybe even most important of of all, NONE of us fell off the raft – which we were all pretty proud of.

– I think we gave our tour guide a run for her money once we all started “spearing” one another off the raft.  Think:  Terry Tate, but instead of tackling people in an office, you tackle someone off the side of a raft into Stage Two rapids. HA!

– Making Smores with Butterfinger candy is the bomb.

– There are some other things that I could say, but I plead the 5th.

2.  Needless to say, I ate like a champ this past weekend, and basically spent the entire day yesterday detoxing myself.  Now, I’m not one of those who goes out of his way to guilt himself into thinking that he has to not eat anything for an entire day.  I guess that’s one way to approach things, and if you read a lot into Intermittent Fasting, it makes some sense.

I just like to spend the day drinking some of my patented “Earth” shakes (s0 called because it’s not exactly the most enticing looking beverage you’ll ever see, but it has a lot of “good” stuff in it and tastes amazing):

Each one contains:

– 1/2 bag of baby spinach

– 1 scoop Superfood

– 1 scoop chia seeds (2-3 tbsp worth)

– 1/2-cup almond or coconut milk (or a mix of both, cause I’m cool like that)

– 1/2 cup frozen fruit (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, cherries, etc)

– 1 scoop Grow (protein powder)

– a pinch or two of raw, unsweetened coconut flakes

– Optional:  1/4 cup rolled oats, cacao nibs, Unicorn tears (high in riboflavin).

I drink two or three of those in one day and I feel like my body is able detox itself from the insulin coma I put it through.

3.  I don’t consider myself a music junky or anything – I like my old school hip hop (Tribe Called Quest, The Roots, Wu-Tang, Biggie, Nas, etc) and I’ll throw in some techno, Norah Jones, and Ryan Montbleau for good measure – often opting for books on cd or news talk radio when I’m in my car. Truth be told, I can’t even remember the last time I put some new music on my iPod.

Anyways, I got home last night and Lisa had to show me this video her friend showed her while she was away in Europe last month.  I have to say, it’s pretty bad ass and makes me appreciate what a real musician sounds like. Too, I’m pretty sure Lisa is trying to send me some sort of subliminal message at the 1:35 mark.

Settle Down – Kimbra

4.  HERE’s a short and succinct “pictorial” I collaborated on in this month’s Men’s Health Magazine (pg. 50) discussing some of my favorite deadlift variations

Note: the link above links to the online version.

5. I had a few people send me a link to a recent study (and I use the word “study” loosely) which demonstrated that, in what could possibly be the worst analogy ever created in all of human history, eggs are as bad for your arteries as cigarettes.

You can click HERE for an abbreviated version of the story.

I’ll wait here for a few minutes while you read it/resist the urge to want to throw a brick into your face.

Seriously!  SERIOUSLY????  Eggs are now worse than cigarettes?  These guys are really trying to compare one of the most nutritious, NATURAL foods on earth to one of the most deadliest MAN-MADE substances?

Yep, that makes a lot of sense.

What’s next: comparing eggs to the Ebola virus?

I don’t quite understand why eggs are considered so evil and why so many people have a vendetta against them.

I asked my good friend Mark Young (who’s a ninja at dissecting research) for his opinion and here’s what he had to say:

I didn’t read the original article, but my understanding is that it is a purely correlational study showing a relationship between the amount of eggs that people remembered eating and artery wall thickness.  So there is no cause and effect relationship here…and there is the issue of dietary recall being pretty poor.
The authors are also apparently on the payroll from a company that makes a lipid lowering medication.
I don’t usually stress too much about funding source, but in this case I think it combines with the rest of the info to suggest this study is SHITE!

My sentiments exactly.

For those interested in a “response” article which basically pwns the original “study,” go HERE.

And that’s it.  I might be hit and miss the rest of the way with blogs since this is the week we’re making the BIG MOVE to the new facility.  I’ll try my best, but I can’t make any promises.

Word on the street is that I made some bet – which I have no recollection of doing – that I could farmer carry every DB we have in our facility to the new one (which is roughly 150 yds away).  Soooo, I may be spending my entire afternoon on Thursday hauling 4500+ lbs of DBs to the other end of the building.

I’m pretty sure there will be video evidence to follow. FML!