Before we dive into this week’s list of stuff to read I wanted to remind everyone about TWO workshops I’ll be doing down in Australia in March.
The first one will be a 2-Day event held in Ballina, NSW on Saturday and Sunday, March 7-8th. Details can be found HERE.
The second one will be a 1-Day event held in Sydney, NSW on Saturday March 14th. And details for that one can be found HERE.
To say that I’m excited (and honored) to be invited down to Australia to speak is an understatement. I mean, I’ve been practicing my Crocodile Dundee accent for like a month straight. It’s going to be epic.
Also, for something a little closer to home, I’ve been invited to speak at the New England Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association Annual Spring Conference on Wednesday, May 13th (<— two weeks before my wedding!) in Providence, RI. I’m not sure if it’s open to the public (it kinda has that Harvard Final Club vibe to it)[footnote]OMG, OMG, OMG….I got a letter under my door!! <— For those who have no idea what this means, check out the movie The Social Network[/footnote], I think it is, but for more information you can contact NEHRSA.org.
Nick is one of the top fitness educators I know and someone I have a lot of respect for. His latest resource is something that, when I first watched it, made me re-think some of my own approaches to core training.
Nick’s a very forward thinking, innovative coach and I’d HIGHLY encourage any fitness professional (or anyone who takes their fitness a little more seriously) to check this out. It definitely tops my list as one of the best “core training” resources out there.
The sale price ENDS TONIGHT (Friday, January 30th) at midnight. You better hustle.
From a meathead perspective, yoga is about as exciting as watching NASCAR. I get it. Or worse, Les Miserables. But I PROMISE you this isn’t your typical yoga article.
Dana gets it.
She’s doesn’t talk about “lengthening muscles,” toning, chakras, or anything on par with those things that make a small part of my soul die.
She does talk about alignment, squats, and helping people get out of their own way and to start addressing their “real” issues. This was an excellent article.
World renowned fitness model, Greg Plitt, died tragically a few weeks ago being struck by a train while filming an exercise video.
At a time where everyone is trying to be seen and one of the only ways to separate yourself from the masses is to perform risky stunts, Jen offers some sage advice on why this is not a good idea.
I mean, can we really make a squat or deadlift easy?
Maybe a better way to state things is to say “easier to perform so that someone doesn’t shit their spine.”
As a strength coach it’s obviously important for me to help get people stronger – especially with the big lifts. Too, and maybe more importantly, a large portion of my job is to “fine tune” technique so that a particular lift or exercise is more user friendly for my athletes and clients to perform.
Almost always everyone I work with is going to be squatting, deadlifting, and performing any number of compound movements to some degree on a daily basis. This DOES NOT mean, however, everyone is barbell back squatting, squatting deep (or ass-to-grass for the brosefs reading), conventional deadlifting, and/or performing max effort anything on day #1.
Much of that will depend on one’s current (and past) injury history, training experience – not to mention goal(s) – as far as what variation of squats or deadifts (or whatever) I’ll start them on. In short: I need to figure out their “Point A” (starting point) before I can get them to “Point B” (squatting 2x bodyweight, hitting a 500 lb DL, arm wrestling a grizzly bear, etc).
Often I’ll need to break down subsequent movements into specific parts in order to groove technique and/or introduce a new exercise into someone’s training repertoire.
Which is the topic of my latest article on BodyBuilding.com. In it I discuss some simple drills I like to use to break down the deadlift and KB Turkish Get-up.
Note From TG:Today I have a treat for everyone: a guest post from world renowned strength and conditioning coach, writer, and educator, Nick Tumminello.
Nick’s someone whom I have a lot of respect for, and someone who I feel is at the upper echelon of coaches who “get it.” He recently released an excellent resource, Core Training Facts & Fallacies and Top Techniques that I feel would be an excellent addition to any fitness professional’s library (or for anyone who likes to geek out to anatomy talk and debunking a lot of misconceptions in the industry).
Enjoy!
Gajda and Dominquez first used the term the “core” in their 1985 book Total Body Training to describe all of the muscles which compromises the center of the body. So, contrary to popular misconception, the core is not just your abs and lower back; the core is all of your torso muscles (shoulders, chest, glutes, abs, mid-back, lats, etc.) minus your extremities (arms and legs). (1)
Now that we’ve got that established, we can’t talk about using core training exercise applications that will likely transfer into improved core performance until we first establish what the trunk (i.e., core) muscles do in athletics (and in general function).
In addition to its respiratory function, the core musculature does two things:
1. The core functions to transfer force by limiting movement.
This is the one we hear about a lot: The function of the trunk musculature is to remain stiff in order to transfer force between the hips and the shoulders.
As an example, during a barbell push-press, both the legs are able to work with both the arms simultaneously to drive the weight up by transferring force through the trunk via the torso musculature remaining stiff and creating a stable platform, which allows the extremities to more effectively express force.
As another example, during sprinting, the torso musculature stiffens and limits the amount of torso rotation in order to effectively allow the hips to transfer force up and across the trunk (i.e., diagonally) to the opposing shoulder, and to allow the shoulder to transfer force down and across to the opposing hip.
In short, along with running and sprinting, many of our free weight and cable-based strength training exercise applications – from squats and deadlifts to pressing and pulling movements – involve torso stiffness where your core muscles are primarily functioning to transfer force between the extremities.
This reason is why we use a variety of anti-rotation, anti-extension and anti-lateral flexion exercise applications: to potentially improve the ability of the core muscles to remain stiff and more effectively transfer force during a variety of movements.
2. The core functions to produce force by creating movement <–This is the most neglected aspect of core function in sports performance training.
What we just covered above can easily give us the false impression that our core musculature only has one kind of a passive role in performance: where the torso only functions as a stable platform that channels force between the hips to the shoulders vertically, horizontally and/or diagonally.
Hence the current emphasis the training and conditioning field has with “anti-movement” core training exercise applications.
However, the torso musculature doesn’t just transfer force, it also helps to produce force.
This reality is perfectly summarized by the researchers in a 2012 study published in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, which stated:
“Core strength does have a significant effect on an athlete’s ability to create and transfer forces to the extremities” (2).
And, it’s this aspect of core muscle function that’s often ignored and neglected by strength coaches, fitness professional and athletes, which is why I’m highlighting here in this post.
Put simply, just by looking at athletes in action one cannot deny the obvious active, movement role in power production (i.e., force summation) the trunk has in sporting actions like throwing, golfing, batting, punching, etc.
As you can see in the images above, in the loading phase (before the exploding phase) of a baseball pitch, a soccer throw, swinging a golf club, and throwing a punch, there’s movement of the trunk, which creates eccentrically lengthening (in various planes of motion), so the torso musculature can actively contribute, along with the legs and arms, to produce power.
Power is the Summation of Your Levers
It’s often said that power comes from the summation of force. But it’s your levers (i.e., your joints, which are controlled by muscles and connective tissues) that produce the force. So, producing power is really about summating your levers in a coordinated and synchronized fashion to produce maximal force.
Keep in mind that your spine is one big series of levers – each segment is a small lever. With these realities in mind, you can appreciate the trunk’s contribution to power production in sporting actions like throwing a ball and swinging a golf club or tennis racquet.
You can also appreciate the active contribution the torso has in power production by trying this simple experiment:
First, perform an overhead soccer medicine ball throw (use a medicine ball that’s approx. 4-6lbs) in the normal fashion (as it’s performed in athletics) where you extend at your spine and hips a bit (I didn’t say go to end range) in order to allow your (anterior) torso musculature to eccentrically load. ]
Then, compare that to an anti-extension soccer style throw where you don’t allow your spine to move at all. You already know which of the two throws will be more powerful. Not to mention, which throw will feel more natural and athletic.
Check out this video to see this topic being discussed in real time:
It’s important to note that what we’re really talking about here is heavily related to the “Serape Effect,” which Logan and McKinney discussed in their 1970 book Anatomic Kinesiology (3).
So, although identifying the fact the torso doesn’t just transfer force and reduce force by limiting movement, but also helps to produce force by contributing to many foundational movements to athletics, is nothing new it’s one of the most ignored, and therefore neglected aspects of core training.
Improving Core Performance
Now that you understand both aspects of core function in athletics: to transfer force and to produce force, you know that you need to train both in order to maximize your strength and performance.
You can learn the exact exercises we use in our core training system to maximizing performance and improve core function in the Core Training: Facts, Fallacies & Top Techniques 3-part video series.
These videos give you a virtual front row seat to a closed-door workshop uncovering the myths and misconceptions around core training and teach you the Full Spectrum Core Training System.
Dominguez, R, and Gadja, R. Total Body Training. New York, NY: Charles Scribner’s Sons; 7-12, 1982.
J Strength Cond Res. 2012 Feb;26(2):373-80. Effect of core strength on the measure of power in the extremities. Shinkle J, Nesser TW, Demchak TJ, McMannus DM.
Logan, G., and W. McKinney. The serape effect. In: Anatomic Kinesiology (3rd ed.). A. Lock- hart, ed. Dubuque, IA: Brown, 1970. pp. 287–302.
Most of the people reading this don’t live in Australia and (probably) won’t be interested in the details that follow. Fair enough.
So, in an effort to make up for it – and so that you don’t leave this post empty handed – I wanted to share my latest article on MensHealth.com titled How Low Should You Squat?
Okay, we good? No hard feelings, right? Cool.
With that out of the way…..
I’M GOING TO FREAKIN AUSTRALIA!!!!!!! (<— Nah, Nah, Nah, Naaaaaah)
First: I think it goes without saying I’m really[footnote]really, really, really, really, really, REALLY.[/footnote] excited for this opportunity.
Second: I’ve been hinting at it for a while now and have given some subtle “blurbs” here and there that something was in the works….but now I can FINALLY give everyone the details.
I’ll be giving TWO separate workshops in early March. The first one – a 2-day workshop – in Ballina, NSW on March 7th and 8th; and a second one – a 1-day workshop – in Sydney, NSW on Saturday, March 14th.
Ballina Workshop
When: Saturday and Sunday March 7-8th.
Where: RAW Fitness and Sports Training, Ballina, NSW.
Cost: $299 (AUD) Early Bird, $399 after February 20th.
Contact/Sign-Up: Shannan Maciejewski (info@rawfast.com.au), or go HERE to sign-up.
This will be a jam packed tw0 days where my objective will be to give the attendees as much of a Cressey Sports Performance experience as possible without actually stepping foot inside the facility.
I’ll be covering assessment, warm-ups, “corrective” exercise, program design, as well as placing a heavy emphasis on coaching the “big 3” (squats, bench press, deadlifts), as well as things like get-ups, swings, and probably bicep curls, because bicep curls are awesome.
In addition, my fiance, Dr. Lisa Lewis, will be in attendance and speaking on more of the “psychology” and behavioral change aspects of personal training and coaching, which is something many fitness professionals gloss over.
Sydney Workshop
When: Saturday, March 14th
Where: iPT, Woolloomooloo, NSW (<— say that 5x fast).
Cost: $199 (AUD) Early Bird, $249 after February 20th.
Contact/Sign-Up: James Garland (James.Garland.rapidpt.com.au), or go HERE to sign-up.
With this workshop I’ll be placing a heavy emphasis on assessment (particularly upper extremity) and also speaking to “corrective” exercise strategies and program design around many common shoulder pathologies. And, I’m sure they’ll be some deadlift talk too.
Also, my fiance, Dr. Lisa Lewis, will give a brief presentation on the “psychology” behind training athletes and clients and how we can better create behavioral change.
I’ve made it known that if I weren’t a strength coach I’d somehow try to find a way to watch movies for a living.
Okay, that’s a lie.
First I’d want to be a professional baseball player. Second choice would be an Avenger. And third would have to be starting my own taxi service using nothing but tanks. Because that would be awesome.
And then, if none of those stuck or paid the bills, I’d want to be a dude who watches movies. And get paid for it. Basically I’d be the most diesel movie critic in the history of ever.
For as long as I can remember I’ve loved watching movies. Like most guys my age (38) I grew up watching 80s classics like Star Wars, The Goonies, The Princess Bride, Top Gun, and couldn’t even begin to tell you how many times I watched Bachelor Party.
What can I say? I was 12. Boobs+swear words (x more boobs to the boobiest power) = boobs.
And then came the 90s. Which, in my opinion (and I realize everyone defends different decades as THE decade of movie basassery), was the shit.
Pulp Fiction, Saving Private Ryan, The Shawshank Redemption, Schindler’s List, Seven, Boogie Nights, Magnolia, Rushmore, Heat, Can’t Hardly Wait, Being John Malkovich, Swingers, Reservoir Dogs, Jerry Maguire, Casino, Good Will Hunting, GoodFellas, Tommy Boy, The Chase[footnote]just kidding. Or am I?[/footnote] ……
See what I mean? Movies in the 90s were so money, it didn’t even know it.
Anyways, it was starting in the 90s when I began the process of seasoning my movie going palette. It was during that time when I developed a finer appreciation for film. I mean come on: if you would have asked me to sit down and watch something like Amelie (a foreign movie + subtitles? Pretty much a guy’s worst nightmare outside of talking about feelings) prior to the 90s I would have told you to go fuck yourself.
Actually it probably would have been more along the lines of…
“What the heck! Are you kidding? He-Man is on. I’m not gonna watch that malarky!”
He-Man dominated my adolescence (take that statement as you will). That, and my mom would have had a field day washing my mouth out with soap if she caught wind of me swearing like that.
Post 90s, however? I was (and am) all about Amelie.
It’s a delightful film. You know I mean it too cause I used the word delightful. Only the snobbiest of movie snobs use that adjective to describe a movie. It’s analogous to a sports announcer saying “that will come back to haunt them,” or a girl you really, really like in high-school saying “NO I WON’T MAKE OUT WITH YOU TONY SO STOP ASKING!!!!!”
But seriously, Amelie is a movie everyone should watch.
Long story short: I like movies. I like them a lot (<— said like Jim Carry in Dumb and Dumber. Not coincidentally, another fantastic movie made in the 90s).
Drama, action, documentary, comedy, mystery, foreign, it doesn’t matter…I’m down with every genre. Even ones that don’t exist. Like Zombies vs. Godzilla.[footnote]You’re welcome for the idea, Hollywood.[/footnote]
So it’s with that I’d like to share my picks for Favorite Movies of 2014. This list will list those movies which are more universally recognized (Read: the one’s most people reading have probably seen themselves or have convinced themselves to go see because the Golden Globes and Oscars told them to).
Note: I’ll be adding another list – the non-snobby/fan boy/OH MY GOD I DIDN’T REALIZE MATT DAMON WAS IN INTERSTELLAR!!!!![footnote]SPOILER ALERT: Matt Damon is in Interstellar[/footnote] list – soon.
Note #2: I’m only going to highlight EIGHT movies on this list, because everyone does ten and ten is lame.
Note #3: Unfortunately, this list doesn’t include movies like Nightcrawler or A Most Violent Year because I haven’t seen them yet (but I’ve heard good things). It also doesn’t include The Fault in Our Stars because, among other things, I have a penis.
1. Whiplash
As it happens the week I saw this at the theater (quick shout out to my 2nd home, The Coolidge, in Coolidge Corner, Brookline, MA), I felt inclined to write my very first movie review. You can read it HERE.
Go a head read it.
I said read it!
I won’t say too much here because, you know, you can read my review (Hint: you should read it), but all I’ll say here is that both JK Simmons and Miles Teller are amazing and that if you’re not like “WTF!!!!” during the last ten minutes, then, well, I don’t know what to say other than you should read my review….;o)
2. The Grand Budapest Hotel
Without question the most visually stunning movie I saw all year. Every frame, literally every frame, comes across like it’s own painting.
That in of itself makes this one of my favs on the year. That and it’s directed by Wes Anderson, who could make a movie about two toasters banging each other (which doesn’t even make any sense!), and I’d watch it.
There are only a handful of directors where, when you watch a scene or two, you can immediately ascertain their thumb print on a movie. Tarantino, Scorcese, Lynch, etc.
Anderson is known for being a more quirky and idiosyncratic director which, admittedly, isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. But it’s definitely mine one of the many reasons why I’d recommend it.
3. Boyhood
It’s pretty hard not to give credit where it’s due on this one. It took Richard Linklater twelve years to make this movie. I know some people who can’t go twelve minutes without eating a carbohydrate.
The amount of patience, diligence, and persistence it must have taken to make this movie is astounding to me.
It’s something that’s never been done before – for a feature film at least – and I give Linklater all the credit in the world. While it’s easy to chalk this one up on a “best of” list for the novelty alone, it truly is a great piece of film making.
Also, special kudos to Patricia Arquette for her amazing job in this movie. And why not, Ethan Hawke too. I’m not necessarily an “Ethan Hawke guy,” but he was pretty damn good too.
4. Chef
This movie probably wasn’t on many people’s radar, but it should have been. This was such a fun and “feel good” movie to watch. And don’t even get me started on the food porn.
OMG…..the food!!!!
All I’ll say is that a grilled cheese sandwich has never looked so sexy.
Anyways, Jon Favreau wrote and directed this film and the only issue I had with the plot was the fact his character – a fat, ornery chef – was hooking up with smoke shows like Scarlett Johansson and Sofia Vergara.
Riiiiiiigggggghhhhhhhttttttt.
Then again: You know what they say:
If a man can cut vegetables like that……………
Actually, I have no idea where I was going with that.
This is an excellent movie. You should watch it.
5. Gone Girl
I’ll admit it: much like Wes Anderson, I’ll watching anything David Fincher directs. I mean, look at the man’s catalog of movies he’s directed: Seven, Fight Club, Panic Room, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Game, The Social Network, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Zodiac, Alien 3 (<—-okay, meh).
Plus he’s one of the peeps responsible for bringing House of Cards into our living rooms.
In my book he can do no wrong.
I tend to gravitate towards dark, non-butterfly kissey, non-rainbowey, non-warm-and-fuzzy-feelingey movies.
This was about as dark as they get and it rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. Screw them I say!
6. Birdman
Michael Keaton plays an aging actor who used to play an iconic superhero, who then gave it up, who then became a nobody, who then tries to rekindle his career by adapting a play on Broadway.
Seems fitting given he played Batman back in the early 90s. Not to understate anything, but it goes without saying he’s superb (and will most likely win the Best Actor Oscar). The rest of the star-studded cast is excellent too (Edward Norton, Naomi Watts, Emma Stone)
The real star, though, is the director, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu. The camera work in this movie is unparalleled, and gave me a boner, the likes I haven’t experienced since Alfonso Cuaron’s Children of Men.
Shot in a way where it seems like the entire movie is done in one massive take…..you’ll be like “whaaaaaaaaaaaaat!”
7. The Imitation Game
This would be the opposite of a feel good movie. Amazing (true) story about an amazing man (Alan Turing, and his quest to conquer the Nazi Enigma Code, and basically go on to invent modern computing) with a not-s0-amazing “thank you” by the British government for helping to save the lives of over 20 million people.
Khan Benedict Cumberbatch deserves recognition for his work. He’s like, really, really good. How’s that for selling it?
8. Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (Teaser Trailer)
Whatever.
It’s my list. It’s Star Wars. Deal with it.
So what about you? Have any favorites of the year to share? Come on: you know you’re inner movie snob wants to chime in! I’d love to hear what movies topped your list!
And remember: Stay tuned for my fan-boy “Best of 2014” list coming soon.
I made a cameo appearance coaching up the Cressey Sports Performance Strength Camp (formerly known as Excellence Bootcamps) this morning in lieu of head CSP Group Fitness Instructor/Strength Camp coach George Kalantzis‘ absence.
Why was George away? He had to go off and get married and have a kick-ass honeymoon this past week. As if that’s a good excuse!
Obviously I’m kidding with the whole ornery vibe[footnote]Although, getting up at 3:45 AM is about as fun as being scissor-kicked in the dick[/footnote]. Of course I’m very happy for George, and it was actually a nice welcome back, because I was once the “Friday guy” for a few months last year. It was fun to come back and coach some old (and new) faces and see people’s reactions to this AM’s workout:
Making a cameo coaching appearance at CSP Strength camp this AM. Today’s session should be fun for the… http://t.co/JxsxjHcyo1
The other benefit of coaching so early in the morning is that I get to leave early. I’m now home sitting at the table in a comfy pair of sweatpants catching up on some stuff. You know, writing this blog post, responding to emails, catching up on Season 3 of American Horror Story: Coven. The important stuff.
So, with all of my procrastination aside here’s this week’s list to stuff to read……
For years that’s how we’ve always been told to squat. Unrack the bar, arch your back like a mofo, and then drop it like it’s hot. Whether or not you come back up is hit or miss.
The cue to arch isn’t wrong, it’s just not ideal.
Not ideal for a number of reasons, and Chris does a solid job at explaining why.
Andy is known for more of his nutritional expertise (he’s one of my “go to” nutrition guys), but I felt this was an excellent piece on discussing some of the criteria that needs to be considered/addressed when figuring out which programs is the right fit for any one individual.
Before I get to the real reason you clicked on today’s post, I have two tidbits of exciting news.
1. It’s been announced that (director) Paul Greengrass and (star) Matt Damon are going to be making another Jason Bourne movie, slated for release sometime in 2016. So, ladies, you can have the limelight and enjoy your 50 Shades of of Grey movies….for now. But soon Bourne is coming to kick some sadomasochistic movie going ass!
2. It’s official: the flights are booked, Lisa and I are going to Australia!!!!
I’ve alluded to this trip sporadically the past few months, and final details are still a few days away, but here’s what I can tell you:
Tw0-Day Because Heavy Things Won’t Lift Themselves Workshop in Ballina, NSW located at Raw Fitness and Sports Training, March 7-8.
One-Day Because Heavy Things Won’t Lift Themselves Workshop in Sydney on Friday, March 13…location still to be determined.
I’ll be sure to let everyone know – soon! – all the nitty gritty details (costs, itinerary, final locations, whether or not I’ll try some kangaroo?) within the next week.
Barbell Bent Over Row Tutorial
I’m a huge fan of the barbell bent over row. Not only for the obvious reason(s) – it helps build a yoked up upper back! – but also because as an accessory movement I feel it’s a superb movement which compliments the deadlift.
You see, I think a lot of trainees have it wrong when it comes to their accessory movements.
Many (not all) kind of haphazardly toss some random exercises into their program because they’re hard or because they make them hate life. Which is fine! I like to see people working hard in the gym.
For me, however, the accessory movements you place into a program should serve a deeper purpose. For instance I’m a strength guy. And as such I place a premium on movements like the squat, bench press, and deadlift. You know, movements that get people strong.
Accessory movements, then, shouldn’t be placed into a program just cause. If that’s the case why not place a bunch of names of exercises onto a dart board and leave your programming to chance?
Instead accessory movements should address some form of technique flaw or weakness you have with one of the major lifts. That’s training with purpose!
Today I’d like to share some insights on the bent over barbell row. In the video below I’ll discuss some of the major reasons why I like this exercise as well as delve into more of the nuances of how to perform it correctly.
Look for the video-bomb by Effie the dog towards the tail-end. I was scared things were going to turn into a some sort of viral video”dog gets killed because strength coach drops weights on it” scenario.
Note from TG: Today’s guest post comes courtesy of Cincinnati based personal trainer, Collin Messer. It’s on the back bend…which, admittedly, is a topic I never would have considered putting up on this site 3-5 years ago.
I mean, if the topic didn’t revolve around deadlifts, deadlift variations, deadlift technique, or how to marry deadlifts it probably wasn’t going up on my site.
And now what? Have I gone soft posting things with a, GASP, yoga connotation!?!?!?!
To speak candidly, we as a society move like utter crap. With regards to the spine I know some trainers and coaches who avoid any spinal motion like the plague, and to be honest: their clients and athletes aren’t any better for it.
As with anything, what works and what’s a good fit for any one individual depends. For instance, the back bend probably isn’t something I’d use for the bulk of athletes I work with on a day-to-day basis who already live in extension; but I can see how it would be advantageous for the computer guy or office worker who sits in flexion all day.
[Of course, it’s hard to use a blanket statement like that. It’s ALWAYS going to be imperative to take someone through an assessment to figure out what would be an appropriate fit for them and their need and goals.]
Besides, it’s kind of hard to argue with guys like Max Shank, author of Ultimate Athleticism, who’s a proponent of lifting heavy things and yoga and gymnastics and other funky stuff. The man is a beast! And you should check out his book….;o)
Anyways I felt this was an interesting topic and something that would serve as a nice change of pace. Enjoy!
I’m not a big yoga practitioner, but if there is one exercise that I would steal from a yoga class, it’s the back bend. The back bend, or back bridge, is an impressive feat of both strength and mobility. It’s definitely not an exercise you’d see at your everyday gym, but that doesn’t mean it won’t give you an excellent training effect.
There are many benefits to being able to perform a back bend but I’ll highlight three here:
Increased Shoulder Stability/Strength
Similar to a handstand, when you’re in a back bend the majority of your body weight is placed on your shoulders. It takes a lot of effort to fully or even partially support yourself on your hands. The back bend also forces your shoulders into a full range of motion (ROM) overhead.
The combination of full ROM and loading in an unfamiliar pattern creates a big catalyst for building strength and stability. Also, if you are able to do a full back bend then you can incorporate bridge push ups and rotations for even greater strength.
Increased Mobility in the Wrists, Shoulders, Back, and Hips
Nearly everyone can do a standing toe touch to some degree. Clients never have a problem demonstrating spinal flexion. It’s when I ask them to move things the other way and go into spinal extension that things start to look ugly.
Note from TG:this, of course, is contingent on the population of clients you deal with. As I stated above the bulk of athletes I work with – baseball players – LIVE in extension, and often have extension-based back issues (Spondy, end-plate/pars fractures, etc). So for me, I have to be very careful and selective with what drills I place into their programs so that I don’t “feed the dysfunction.” Back bend drills probably wouldn’t be a good fit for them, but fine for others (like the computer guy who sits all day at work). As with anything in this industry, it depends.
The back bend is one exercise that puts the entire spine into extension. It effectively opens up the anterior chain, which can get glued down from too much sitting or bad posture. Your hips will love their newfound range of motion once you loosen up those hip flexors and anterior core muscles.
In addition to increased back and hip mobility, you’ll find an increase in wrist and shoulder mobility too.
As I previously mentioned, the advanced version of the back bend puts your shoulders into a full range of motion overhead. Better shoulder flexion and increased thoracic extension is really going have a lot of carry over into some of your main barbell lifts such as the front squat or overhead press.
Your wrists will also gain some new mobility, but fear not if it is a little too much pressure at first. One work around is to rotate your hands outward so your fingers are pointing away from your head.
It Looks Cool and Might Give You Both Gym Cred and Yoga Cred
Let’s just throw it out there, not everyone can do a back bend. So when you walk into a gym deadlift 4 plates and then drop into a full bridge, you’ll be commanding the respect of both powerlifters and yogis alike.
Warming Up
A word of caution here. The back bend isn’t for everyone. If you don’t have a healthy low back and shoulders then this would be an exercise to skip. No use aggravating or re-injuring yourself just to try a new move.
With that said, if your back and shoulders are healthy, then by all means give it a shot!
Start with some general movement just to get things loosened and warmed up. From there we’ll do some more specific warm ups for the hips and and shoulders. For the hips, I love this flow based warm up that Tony posted not too long ago.
For the shoulders you just want to make sure that you get them warmed up, moved through a full range of motion, and ready to receive load. It doesn’t need to be too complicated, this circuit should work well:
Shoulder Circles x6 each direction
Scapular Wall Slides x6
Yoga Push Ups x6
Band Pull Aparts x6
Repeat 3 times through
You should be good to go now.
If you’re able to perform the advanced version of the back bend then this is the place I would work in some of the easier variations to warm the specific movement up. If you’re still on a beginner or intermediate version then just start there.
The Back Bend Progressions
Beginner Variations
The two beginner back bend variations are the glute bridge and the table top bridge. The glute bridge will be the easiest since you don’t need to use your arms to support yourself. Once you’re comfortable with the hip extension demonstrated in the glute bridge then move on to the table top bridge. That’s where you’ll start supporting yourself with your arms.
Intermediate Variations
The two intermediate variations are the supported neck bridge and the low bridge.
With the supported neck bridge, the goal is to keep as much weight as possible on your hands so they get used to the load. You’re just keeping your head in contact with the ground to make it a little easier.
The low bridge will place more weight on your arms but you’ll need less hip and back mobility to pull it off. To summarize, if your shoulders are weak then choose the supported neck bridge, and if you’re missing hips/back mobility then start with the low bridge.
Advanced Variations
Congratulations grasshopper, you’re now ready for the full back bend. If you’re comfortable in the low bridge then it’s as simple as pushing up a little higher. Try to keep your weight evenly distributed between your feet and your hands.
Once you have the full variation down you can incorporate it into your training in a few different ways.
First, I would do isometrics, holding the back bend at the top position for 20-60 seconds. You can also do back bend pushups. This is simply pressing up to the top then lowering back down to the ground. Try to be controlled here and don’t collapse.
After a while, you’ll have the strength and mobility of a “Supple Leopard” and you can do my favorite, rotations into a high bridge.
For these, start in a squat and place your hand as far back as you can reach without falling. As you rotate back your hand will spin on the ground. Once you’re halfway through put your other hand down to balance and rotate out through the other side. It will take some practice to get the necessary “feel” for the exercise but hang in there.
There you have it, start practicing and enjoy the benefit of your hips, low back, and shoulders all getting stronger and more mobile. Oh, and don’t be surprised if you do a high rep set of back bend pushups or rotations and start breathing like you just sprinted a hill.
About the Author
Collin Messer is a Personal Trainer at MesserFit Strength and Conditioning in Lebanon, OH. He primarily works with younger athletes and weekend warriors. When he’s not crushing deadlifts or back bends he’s writing at CollinMesser.com about all things life and fitness.
Welcome to the first Miscellaneous Miscellany Post of 2015! Fresh off an impressive Pats win last night no less!
So, what’s everyone’s prediction for the Super Bowl? I honestly have a hard time convincing myself to pick one team over the other. I tend to ride on the same fence as my favorite sports talk guy, Colin Cowherd, in that both teams have a star quarterback (Pats = Tom Brady, Seahawks = Russell Wilson), both have a solid offensive line (particularly left tackle), and both have an A+ head coach (Bellichick and Carroll, respectively).
It’s just really, really hard to pick one.
Okay you’re right. It’s not that hard: Pats 54-3.
1. So yesterday Lisa and I were walking around town doing a little of this and a little bit of that[footnote]Read: she was shopping and I was following her around carrying bags.[/footnote] when something unexpected happened.
Most of you will recall my trip to London last September, when I travelled across the pond for one of mine and Dean Somerset’s workshops. While the main reason for going was to spend two days at The Third Space in Soho speaking to 25-30 trainers and coaches, I also had ample time to play tourist and had the opportunity to walk around the city and take in the sights and sounds.
It was spectacular. I fell in love with London – everything from the people, the Underground[footnote]which, compared to the T here in Boston is like comparing a rocket ship to a tricycle[/footnote], the food, the culture, and just how chill everyone is over there was enchanting.
One of the subtler highlights of my trip over there was experiencing Caffe Nero.
A popular, family owned, European (Italian) coffee shop, Caffe Nero has something like 600+ locations throughout Europe; and they’re everywhere in London.
There was one directly across the street from the venue where Dean and I were presenting (as well as near where our hotel was located in Euston Square), and after having one of their chai tea lattes I was hooked.
The quality just seemed better compared to similar establishments[footnote]Hint: rhymes with cartrucks.[/footnote], and this doesn’t speak to the overall vibe and ambiance inside…..hard to describe, but “boner inducing” is about the best I can do.
Anyways, Lisa and I were walking around Downtown Crossing in Boston yesterday when low and behold we passed a freakin Caffe Nero!!!
Picture inside of Downtown Crossing location.
Little did I know that this location was the FIRST location in the entire US!! And the manager/owner mentioned to us that a handful more are slated to open around the city in 2015.
I had been bragging to Lisa about this place since my London trip, so I was excited to see what she thought.
She ordered her standard espresso and LOVED it. “This is coffee!” were her exact words.
I have to assume with several locations coming to Boston, that Caffe Nero has plans to open in other large cities in the near future. So keep your eyes peeled. You won’t be disappointed.
For the past year or so I’ve been running a group called the Tony Gentilcore Premium Workout Group.
It’s an online training program hosted by WeightTraining.com where I write monthly “canned” (non-individualized) programming for anyone to follow for a bargain price. Yes, I’m a guy who feels that IN-PERSON coaching is the way to go. But given not everyone has access to quality coaching in the first place, this group is a nice alternative.
In 2014 I focused on providing a variety of training blocks: strength block, fat-loss block, and a hybrid hypertrophy block (which are all still available if you choose to do them), but with 2015 kicking into high-gear I decided to revamp my approach.
Not everyone wants to focus on strength or fat-loss or muscle growth, and I certainly can’t cater to everyone and make everyone happy.
Still I know how to write effective, efficient, quality programming that will help (most) people get stronger, move better, address nagging injuries, and make people of the opposite sex (or same sex!) want to hang out with you. Rather than write specific blocks of training, in 2015 I’m just keeping things simple.
Don’t confuse simple with not effective
Simple is what most people need BTW.
The first month of programming for 2015 went live yesterday, aptly titled Tony Gentilcore Premium Workout Group – January 2015.
If you find yourself in a training rut or in limbo as far as succumbing to analysis by paralysis when writing your own programs, this group may be a perfect fit.
3. For those people who are looking for something more dialed in, specifically to the tune of improving your squat, bench press, and deadlift, my good friend Jordan Syatt released his Raw Strength for Powerlifting manual today.
If you’re a competitive powerlifter or someone who’s toying with the idea of entering a meet down the road, this manual will undoubtedly help.
Jordan, on top of being one of the most genuine fitness professionals I have ever met, is one strong mofo….to the tune of a (close to) 4x bodyweight deadlift! So, in a word, he knows what he’s talking about when it comes to getting people strong.
Full Disclosure: I am not receiving any affiliate kick-backs by recommending this manual. I just think it’s a solid resource that can (and will) help a lot of people.
4. In addition to the Caffe Nero experience, Lisa and I also went to the movies yesterday to check out American Sniper.
In lieu of “douchehole of the moment” Michael Moore’s commentary on the movie yesterday, where he basically referred to Chris Kyle as a “coward” (I don’t mind that he didn’t like the movie – to each his own – I just felt it was a bad take done in poor taste on Moore’s part to use the term coward), I couldn’t have disagreed more.
I’m not calling a Kyle a saint by any stretch (I know he had a few libel suits in the past held against him, and I also know some elements of his book have been called to question), but I find it hard to call any person who risks his 0r her’s own life to defend our country a coward. Furthermore, I’d have to assume it’s the last adjective the hundreds (if not thousands) of soldiers Kyle helped protect and save would use to describe his actions (regardless of how Hollywoodized the movie made them seem).
I loved this movie. I wouldn’t rank it right on par with The Hurt Locker or Zero Dark Thirty as far as best (recent) war movies made, but it’s not too far off.
American Sniper isn’t just a war movie. If anything it’s more about the psychological and after effects that war has on soldiers. To his credit – and my fiance would know more about this than myself since she’s a psychologist – Bradley Cooper (who portrays Kyle in the movie) did an amazing job showing how one almost has to “shut down” and remain closed off in order to perform their job – to the detriment of their relationships with loved ones.
Pacing, acting, cinematography, dialogue, directing, everything was superb. I give it a solid B.
5. I made it a personal goal of mine to step up my continuing education game in 2015. I was able to attend a few workshops and seminars last year, but not as many as I would have liked.
I’ve already got a sick line-up slated for the early part of this year:
To start, Greg Robins is putting on his Optimizing the “Big 3” Seminar again this March at Cressey Sports Performance.
I attended last year (and helped out with coaching), and I plan on attending again this year. Greg is a FANTASTIC coach who has a lot of knowledge with regards to coaching and getting results. If you’re looking to spend an afternoon going into more depth on squats, bench pressing, and deadlifts….this will be well worth it.
Second (and obviously not in chronological order) I’ll be heading to Burlington, MA the weekend of February 20th for both the FMS I and II certifications.
Brett Jones will be coaching/teaching that weekend and I can’t wait to watch him in action!
You can go HERE to check out other FMS venues/clinics.
And last, also in February, Chad Wesley Smith of Juggernaut Training, will be in Boston on Sunday the 8th to head his Powerlifting Clinic.
It’s a one-day seminar where he’ll discuss anything and everything related to technique on the big 3, programming, warm-ups, and even some insight on nutrition. Plus, he’s stronger than everyone else there so he’ll make all of us feel bad about ourselves….;o)
Like I said, I’ll be attending all three. Who’s coming with me!?!?!
And Not to Be Understated or Forgotten
We shouldn’t forget the great Martin Luther King Jr and everything he stood for. Probably even more so given the current commentary and state of affairs throughout the country.
Lets hope his leadership and message from back in the day permeates to today (and then some).
He bragged about not making his list a list of ten, and that nine was way cooler. Well, I beg to differ. Eight is what the cool kids are doing nowadays.
My list is a mish-mash of business books, personal development, as well as classic literature. I know many of my colleagues would agree when I say that some of the most successful people in the fitness industry (and I’d make the argument any industry) are those who are avid readers.
Not only are they avid readers, but they’re multifarious readers..ranging in tastes from the aforementioned personal development and classic literature to basic non-fiction and even comic books!
Furthermore, speaking personally (and as a self-described introvert) I oftentimes crave times when I can be alone within four walls, relax with a cup of tea with my cat, Dagny, nearby and read.
Really, I swear, I’m not 77 years old.
In addition, the more I read the more it helps me write. Profound, I know!
Every book I’ve read on the topic of writing has always highlighted the fact that if you’re going to be a remotely competent writer (much less one that has an audience)….it’s in your best interests to read, if for no other reason than to immerse yourself into someone else’s way of pacing, sentence structure, and flow.
And of course, good prose is just straight up sexy.
Having said all that, as Dean alluded to in his post, the books I’m recommending aren’t so much for their prowess in helping you figure out a way to work four hours a week while raking in a six-figure income, but more so for their commentary on experiences, values, organization, behavior, psychology, and how to fight crime with one hand tied behind your back.
Chip and Dan Heath have written a number of books I recommend to people – Switch and Made to Stick are other favorites – but Decisive, their most recent, tops my “Heath list.”
In a nutshell, as humans, outside of sticking our fingers into an electrical socket (read: don’t do it) we’re fairly biased and irrational when it comes to making decisions. We seek out information that supports us and downplay information that doesn’t.
This book is a wonderful and insightful look into what drives us to make the decisions we make.
A writer’s worst enemy is a cat who constantly walks across their keyboard procrastination. In this book, which you can read within 90 minutes, Mr. Pressfield discusses strategies on defeating procrastination and giving it a massive wedgie.
I’ve told this story before. Here’s the Cliff Notes version.
The year was 2003. My then girlfriend broke up with me and moved out. I was crushed and needed to find something to fill the time and to somehow block the incessant inner-dialogue, images and thoughts I was having of her banging other dudes with her new found singledome.
By happenstance I came across a list online titled The Modern Library List of Top 100 Novels and decided I was going to spend that summer reading as many books off that list as possible.
I started with Catcher in the Rye and didn’t look back until I crossed off 10-15 books in a matter of four months. For the record, I lasted seven pages through Ulysses before I wanted to toss my face against a cement wall.
The Grapes of Wrath was one of the first books I tackled off that list and has always resonated with me as one of the most powerful pieces of literature I’ve ever read. That ending still gives me goosebumps.
Just as much a book on life as it is improving your business savviness, this book was a game changer when I first read it a few years ago.
As a coach it only makes sense that I’m comfortable with anatomy, physiology, components of nutrition and how to work on someone’s technique with any particular exercise or movement.
What many trainers and coaches fail to understand, though, is that half the battle when trying to get someone to buy into (and thus changing) a habit is more psychological and trying to figure out what barriers – physical, mental, societal, socioeconomic, etc – prevent them from doing so in the first place.
I’ve mentioned this book several times throughout this blog in recent years, and it’s one of the best books I’ve read on the topic, ever.
Even if you don’t consider yourself an introvert (Newsflash: we’re all introverted/extroverted to some capacity), I’d still highly recommend reading this book. You undoubtedly have a friend, colleague, family member or significant other who’s more on the introvert side of the scale, and this book will, without question, help you better understand where they’re coming from and how you can better improve your relationship(s) with him or her.
I received the recommendation to read this book a few years back from Nate Green. And when Nate Green says to read a book, I’m going to listen.
Long story short: if the man is bringing you down and you’re sick and tired of being sick and tired of the predictable, oftentimes mundaneness of the 9-5 office job or being told that you have to do this and that you have to that….this book will open up your eyes.
This book is pretty much THE book on how to write, and write well. Whether you’re a fitness writer, someone who writes about sports, cooking, or, I don’t know, Space-Zombie historical fiction[footnote]Yep, I just made up a new genre. You’re welcome.[/footnote], this book well give you the building blocks to not suck.
And even if you don’t see yourself as a “writer” per se, in this day and age where much of our communication is done through email, it’s still a valuable book to pick up so that you’re better able to articulate yourself. Believe me: nothing says “douche” more than writing a sentence that includes the phrase “UR” in it.
few workshops and seminars last year, but not as many as I would have liked.
