Just a quick talking point before I get to the stuff you should read.
1. I definitely plan on writing more on this in the near future (an article perhaps?), but I’d love to get other’s opinion on this. In the past 1-2 months, I’ve taken roughly 80% of single leg training out of my OWN training program and my knees feel infinitely better.
In it’s place I’ve been squatting upwards of 3-4 times per week – with varying set/rep schemes and intensities each day** – and the only single leg training I perform are exercises using the Prowler (with the occasional reverse lunge or bulgarian split squat thrown in for good measure).
I’m not trying to make this into a functional vs. non-functional/organic vs. non-organic/ninjas vs. zombie debate here. This is solely an N=1 example, and I am NOT against single leg training. I still use it with my clients and athletes and understand their efficacy, so anyone about to enter Defcon 1 status because they feel I said something absurd like eggs cause cancer, or I don’t know, Wolverine is the greatest X-Men ever, RELAX!!!!!!!!!
No need to send the hate mail.
I’m just trying to see if there are others out in the world who have similar experiences. I’m in the mentality that everyone is different, and what works for one person, doesn’t necessarily work for the other: single leg training included.
Discuss.
Sacrifice and Hard Work in the Fitness Industry – Mike Robertson
Mike reached out to several other coaches and trainers in the industry and asked if we’d be interested in sharing a story or experience for a post he was writing on motivation. In his own words…..
“I think some people assume that those who are “successful” (however you want to define that) have something inherently special about them.
Maybe they’re smarter, better looking, more well-connected, or they just flat-out got lucky.
Many of us enter the industry for one simple reason:
To change people’s lives via our passion for fitness.
And if you work/live in this industry, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Every single one of us has had one of those times where we feel a little beaten down and question why we do this for a living.”
I was humbled that Mike would include me on such a list, and I thought the end product was pretty cool!
Concurrent Training: Strength and Aerobic Training At The Same Time? – Patrick Ward
You can’t be an elite powerlifter and elite marathoner at the same time. This isn’t to say, however, that you can’t implement a “system” that allows you train certain fitness qualities simultaneously. You just have to understand that there’s going to be a “give and take” with regards to expected results.
Here, Patrick sheds some light on a VERY interesting topic and offers some sage advice on how to go about programming for different qualities. At the end of the day research is cool, but you still need to be able apply it to your athletes.
It Was The Best Of Times, It Was The Worst Of Times – Anthony Griffith
I saw that Roger Lawson posted this on his Facebook page, and watched it myself. All I have to say is…..Wow.
If you have nine minutes to spare, this is nine minutes well spent. If nothing else, it just makes you feel that maybe your day wasn’t quite as bad as you thought.
** Just to give people an idea of how I’m approaching this squatting experiment, my week has been looking like this:
Monday: Squat, working up to heavy(ish) triples.
Tuesday: Squat, 3×5. Nice and easy reps here. Nothing remotely strenuous or grinding.
Wednesday: Day off. Cuddle with my cat.
Thursday: Squat, 2-3×8. Higher reps here using 10-12RM
Friday: No squatting.
Saturday: Is just a “get-up-early-and-head-to-the-facility-to-move-around-a-little-bit-before-clients-show-up” day. I’ll toss in some VERY light Goblet squats in here.
Sunday: Laundry, grocery shopping, whatever else I’m told to do.
