Whether you refer to it as a circuit, death circuit, METCON, or my preference…a finisher, the goal is one in the same: you spend 10-15 minutes at the end of your training session kicking the living crap out of yourself pushing things, lifting things, throwing things, pulling things, flipping things, or any combination of “things” that will make you hate life.
Simply put: a finisher finishes you. Except in this instance Sub Zero isn’t ripping your spine from your body Mortal Kombat style.
No fatalities here.
For most people, most of the time, a finisher is designed to not tickle and basically serve as a way to post something badass on their Instagram feed.
On one hand, I get it. There’s a sense of accomplishment and bravado that comes with completing a challenging finisher. It’s not for the faint of heart, and I for one will never begrudge someone who goes out of his or her way to work hard and get after it in the gym.
On the flip side, however, I find there’s a rate of diminishing return when the goal of a finisher is to solely make you feel tired or exhausted at the end of a workout.
When you think about it that’s not that hard to do.
As a strength coach and as someone who’s interested in not only improving performance, but also helping people possibly address injuries, postural imbalances, and/or movement deficiencies it behooves me not to be more meticulous in how I design my finishers.
Put another way, I’d rather a finisher do more than just finish you.
In my latest article on BodyBuilding.com I discuss my favorite mode of finisher and offer up THREE different variations for you to tinker with.
Throughout my life there are a handful of things I never thought I’d do. I never thought I’d live in a big city such as Boston. I never thought I’d use the word “delish” to describe something I ate.
Speaking which: that’s a habit I need to stop immediately.
I never thought I’d read a Twilight book. It was just one, scout’s honor. I had to figure out what all the fuss was about
And never, in my wildest dreams, did I ever think I’d own a cat and that I’d love her to pieces.
Oh, my wife ranks up there, too…;o)
Furthermore, something else happened recently I’d never thought I’d do. I wrote an article on the benefits of doing “cardio.”
Yes that cardio.
I’ve had a change of heart of late, and feel the advantages far outweigh the perceived disadvantages. Especially in the weight room.
It’s my latest article on T-Nation and you can read it HERE.
While I can’t say it’s always been the case (I’ve grown less dogmatic and immature as a coach the older I’ve gotten1, I operate under the guise that every exercise has its time and place.
Except for maybe this one.
If she were juggling a pair of chainsaws while standing on the BOSU balls I could see myself giving a nod of approval.
I used to scoff at any coach or trainer who had the audacity to have his or her client leg press instead of squat.
Roll my eyes whenever I saw leg extensions or leg curls programmed.
And don’t even get me started on the gym coat rack Smith Machine.
I was a gym snob through and through. Borderline douchey. I still am to a small degree. But I’ve toned it down considerably as the years have passed.
I mean, for what it’s worth: I’ve actually been including more low intensity aerobic training in my own training (and that of my athletes), which is something I would have punched myself in the face for in the not so distant past.
I’d like to think of it as a form of evolvement on my end. More to the point, I’m not so singular in my train of thought on any given topic2 In short: I’m more open and less of a dick.
In fact, my thoughts on the topic mirror that of Bret Contreras (in THIS post):
“If there’s one movement that I absolutely loathe, it’s the “movement” that attempts to convince readers to avoid certain exercises altogether.”
Flipping the script, though, rather than waxing poetic on exercises not to do, today I wanted to instead discuss an exercise I feel is vastly underrated and underutilized.
Dare I say…most people reading should make it a point of doing it more often.
(Double) Anterior Loaded KB Front Squats
This is an exercise I’ve been using for years at Cressey Sports Performance and have always understood its benefits. I’ve used it with many beginner and intermediate lifters, and for those who feel they’re above this exercise and think they’re “too elite,” I’d defer to strength coach, Joe Kenn, who uses it exclusively with many of his NFL athletes too.
Side Note: I’d encourage you to listen to his interview on Mike Robertson’s Physical Preparation Podcast HERE.
Why I Heart This Exercise
1. I’m not an anti-back squat guy. We incorporate it – and it’s many iterations – at CSP often. I do feel there’s a cost-benefit to the exercise and that it has to be paired well to the athlete/person given their injury history, training experience, and overall goals.
Having said that, the Anterior Loaded KB Front Squat (from now on referred to as ALKBFS because I’m lazy and don’t want to type it out every time) lends itself to be a much more “back friendly” variation that most anyone can do on day #1.
The fact the load is more anterior (and not directly over the spine) seems an obvious advantage.
2. The ALKBFS elicits an almost unparalleled “core” challenge. Because the load is more anterior, one must fight like crazy not to tip over.
I.e., this is an excellent drill to help teach/coach people to maintain t-spine extension. You’ll still want to encourage a flexion moment, but because this variation encourages more extension it allows people to stay more upright.
It won’t take much to humble even the strongest back squatter. I’ve seen numerous trainees (both male and female) second guess their weight selection.
3. Moreover, for those with upper body imbalances or mobility issues – which may make back squatting difficult – the ALKBFS is great option. If someone doesn’t have the requisite shoulder abduction/external rotation ROM it doesn’t make much sense to slam a square peg into a round hole.
Of course we can utilize a Safety Squat bar, a giant cambered bar, or even have them perform a traditional barbell front squat, which makes the aforementioned imbalance moot. However, I encourage you not to disregard this movement just to be a contrarian.
4. Another reason why I like the ALKBFS so much is that it can transform or melt itself into more of a “hybrid” exercise if one so chooses.
Who’s to say we couldn’t transition from a KB clean to a squat? Or a KB clean to a squat to a press? Or a KB clean to a squat to a press to an overhead farmer carry? Or a KB clean to a squat to a press to an overhead farmer carry to sniper roll off a loading dock, Jason Bourne style?
The possibilities are endless.
You could even perform them offset style:
Give them a try today and let me know what you think.
I wanted to begin today by saying thank you. Thank you to Jon Stewart and The Daily Show for 16 kick-ass years.
Every morning, for I don’t know how long, my ritual has been…
1. Get-up.
2. Pee.
3. Make breakfast.
4. Watch The Daily Show while eating breakfast.
And that’s how I roll.
This morning, however, was the last time I’d be eating my 5-egg omelet3 while watching and listening to Stewart’s commentary on everything from shady politicians and government BS to his pining about the New York Mets4 and the travesty, that is, eating a slice of pizza with a fork.
Not coincidentally, I suspect, this morning was also the last morning I’d end up with pieces of egg on my computer screen from laughing so hard.
Okay, deep breaths…I shouldn’t be so cynical. I’m sure Trevor Noah is going to do a fantastic job taking over for Stewart on the show. I’m still going to get up, make breakfast, and watch. But it’s going to take a while to get used to not having Stewart on screen to serve as the voice of reason, bringing to light some of the WTFness of the world, and making us laugh all the same.
Wait, what was that? No, of course not. I’m not crying! Are you kidding me? It just so happens, you know, Lisa’s in the kitchen cutting a bunch of onions. Yeah that’s it. No crying here.
I LOVED this article by Christa – owner of Tuff Girl Fitness in Hamden, CT. Christa is one of my “go to” ambassadors for women’s fitness and someone who, not only I respect a ton, but someone who unabashedly doesn’t back down from fighting many of the mainstream stigmas and myths plaguing women in fitness today. One deadlift, squat, chin-up, kettlebell swing, and push-up at a time.
Anyone who knows me well knows I love movies. Or, to play more of the uppity movie snob role, I love film.
I’m just as likely to head to the independent theater down the street from my apartment to watch a subtitled Italian film about a dude who makes a bowl of rigatoni for a chick he likes as I am to head to the movieplex to watch explosions, zombies, ninjas, hobbits, and exploding zombies fighting ninjas and hobbits.
Lee’s a good friend, phenomenal coach, and just as obsessed with movies as I am. We’ll often text each our reviews of recent movie we watched.
This post was a very witty and impressive feat of wordplay by Lee.
75+ movie references with a (fitness) message to boot. Give it a read.
There’s only a few more days to take advantage of the sale price for Dean’s latest resource. He did an amazing job with it – as always – and I feel it would be a valuable addition to any trainer or coach looking to upgrade their knowledge base on “core” anatomy, assessment, and building exercise progression/regression algorithms.
Here’s a small clip:
Full Disclosure/Rant Ahead: Dean is a good friend, he was in my wedding, we’ve shared what was seemingly a 10×10 square foot room in the middle of London for four days, but still managed to avoid spooning each other.5
I can understand why some people would be suspect I’d promote his product. Affiliate circle jerking is what it’s often affectionately called on the internet. So cute!
Contrary to popular belief, us coaches and educators who have the audacity to make a living and release/promote fitness products don’t sit in our evil volcanos riding around in a roller coaster made of blow jobs as we hit the refresh button on our Clickbank accounts.
Most of us are working and training people on a day-to-day basis.
Moreover, we actually do want to help people, and educate, and take pride in our work, as well as pride in who and what we put our own names behind.
Do I make a little money in the process? Sure. What’s wrong with that? Given the amount of free content I (as well as my colleagues) provide on weekly basis I don’t see what the harm is.
Am I supposed to apologize for having smart friends who routinely put out amazing content and resources? I THINK NOT, KIND SIR!!!
Anyways, Advanced Core Training is an amazing resource. I think it kicks-ass. I think it will help a lot of trainers out there who are looking to separate themselves from the masses and who are looking to further develop their skill set.
Now excuse me, it’s my turn on the roller coaster. Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
Lisa and I made it back to Boston yesterday after spending the weekend on Seneca Lake (in the Finger Lakes region of NY) touring all the beautiful wineries and vineyards in the area.
I’m not a wine person – or an alcohol person, really – but I have to say: listening to Lisa describe wine is a crash course in adjectives.
All weekend I heard words like “smooth,” “peppery,” “opulent,” “crisp,” and “it punches me in the mouth and I love it!”
She prefers her wine dry (not sweet) and the more it “punches her mouth” the more she likes it.
I was driving all weekend so I wasn’t tasting any wine, but Lisa had me attempt to explain what I smell:
Lisa had me describe what I smell during a wine tasting. I said “rainbows.” Because I don’t know WTF I’m smelling.
In any case I’m back home and have to catch up on a ton of work. There’s programs to write, article deadlines to meet, and emails to be answered. And, it’s time to get my butt in gear on prepping for mine and Dean Somerset’s Complete Shoulder & Hip Workshop which kicks off in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in three weeks.6
I’m going to be “stealing” some older material from myself of course, but am planning on adding a ton of new shoulder assessment drills, correctives, and exercise flow charts that trainers and coaches can use to better serve their athletes and clients.
I’m a serial procrastinator. It’s the worst. But as my good friend, Ben Bruno, likes to say, “if you wait till the last minute, it only takes a minute.”
That said, I need to get to work and instead of writing a blog post today I’m just going to share a few things that have popped up on the interwebz I’ve been involved with.
1. Building. Stronger. People. Podcast
I had the chance to sit down with friend and exquisite strength coach, Todd Bumgardner, on his podcast recently. I love talking shop with Todd, and that’s exactly what we did. There’s “strength stuff” included. But really it’s just two dudes talking about life.
This is little sumthin, sumthin I wrote for STACK Magazine on program design for beginners (not that the title gave it away or anything), specifically young athletes.
Just a reminder than Dean Somerset’s Advanced Core Training is on sale all this week at 40% off the regular price.
I get it. The world needs another “core training” resource like it needs another Kardashian spin-off reality series.
This isn’t your typical core training resource, though.
Dean’s one of the smartest coaches I know, and he does an amazing job digging deeper and challenging many sacred cows on the concepts of core training. If you’re a personal trainer or coach it’s well worth the investment.
“You keep using that word, I do not think it means what you think it means.“
The Princess Bride is one of my all-time favorite movies. It’s a classic, and many fellow movie buffs and connoisseurs will recognize the quote from above.
It’s one of roughly 816 (give or take) memorable lines from the movie, and it’s uttered by Inigo Montoya. Throughout the movie, Sicilian boss Vizzini repeatedly describes the unfolding events as “inconceivable.”
In one scene of the movie, as Vizzini tries to cut a rope that the Dread Pirate Roberts is climbing up, he blurts out in an exasperated tone it was inconceivable that he did not fall.
At this point, Inigo responds with the now famous quote:
So what does this have to do with anything fitness related?
Well, replace the character Inigo with myself, replace the word inconceivable with the word “core,” and you’ll have the exact same scene playing before your eyes. Except, you know, I’d have less chest hair, be a tad more beefy, and in lieu of the swordplay…I’d be rockin some killer nunchuck skills.
What Do You Mean “Core?”
Ask five different people what the core is and how you train it, and you’ll inevitably get five different answers.
Most abundant, though, would be any number of iterations referring to a Men’s Health Magazine cover:
Or maybe Dr. Spencer Nadolsky (that’s right: a doctor who lifts!) because he’s hunky as balls:
Trust me: there’s a six-pack underneath there.
Make no mistake: when most people think core, they think six-pack abs – or, rectus abdominis, if we wanted to be uppity anatomy nerds – that you can cut diamonds on. Too, they think about all the various exercises in the infinite training toolbox which can be used to carve our said six-pack abs.
Crunches, sit-ups, planks, RKC planks, side planks, planks on one-leg, planks with one arm behind your back, planks with alternate reach, planks on a stability ball, planks blindfolded, planks while fighting zombies, and more planks. Because people like planks.
And they wouldn’t be wrong. The “abs” are certainly part of the core and all the exercises listed above have their time and place. Relax, no need to shit a copy of Ultimate Back Health and Performance because I mentioned crunches and sit-ups. I too am a huge fan of Dr. McGill’s work and understand the pitfalls of repeated spinal flexion.
Occasionalunloaded (spinal) flexion, for the right population, also has a time and place. But that’s a conversation for another time.
All of it, however, is a teeny tiny fraction of the entire picture. It’s akin to only being able to see the top right-hand corner of Van Gogh’s Starry Night. And that’s it.
How lame is that?
The core is so much more than what we can see on a magazine cover. There’s the pelvic floor on the bottom, the diaphragm at the top, the rectus abdominis in the front, the obliques (internal & external) on the sides, and the erectors as well as all the “ancillary” support musculature: paraspinals, multifidi, longissimus, iliocostalis (lumborum & thoracis), etc, in the back.
It’s more or less a canister.
In fact, the “core” consists of everything from the neck line down to the hips: pecs, lats, glutes, the sexy”v-taper” leading down to you know where, everything. Or, to be overly simplistic: everything not including the legs, arms, and head.
And its main job, contrary to popular belief, is not to crunch or perform countless sit-ups. Rather, the core’s main function is to counteract rotary movement so that force can be more easily (and efficiently) transferred from the lower body to the upper body, and vice versa.
I mean, if you really look at the way the muscles are oriented (especially in the front) you can see they take on a more inter-connected, inter-laced, weblike presentation…designed to resist hoop stress.
This is why I prefer exercises like various chops and lifts, Pallof presses, rollouts, and Farmer carries…as they all train the core in a more “functional” manner.
Chops and lifts help train rotary stability; rollouts tend to train anti-extension; and Farmer carries are superb in resisting lateral flexion.
Pallof presses, depending on how they’re set up, can train every plane of motion and resist flexion, rotation, and extension. And they’re gluten free!
However, we can’t neglect the fact the core is a much more intricate chain of events.
Coming full circle back to the rectus abdominis (RA):
1. Yes, one of its main functions is spinal flexion. But I generally don’t go out of my way to program more spinal flexion, via sit-ups and crunches with most of my clients (especially “computer guy” who sits in front of a computer all day in flexion).
The catch-22 is that many of these same clients are rocking significant anterior pelvic tilt in addition to a flared rib cage (via lower ribs sticking out) which doesn’t bode well for ideal alignment and leads to a cascade effect of faulty diaphragm mechanics, breathing patterns, as well as a metric shit-storm of PRI (Postural Restoration Institute) stink eyes.
In this context training the RA to control rib position (ribs down) is very important. We need to train them (along with the external obliques) to contract isometrically to resist extension of the thoraco-lumbar region.
In other words, as Mike Robertson notes: “We need to teach our upper abs to control our rib position so that we can maintain optimal alignment of the rib cage during exercise and daily life.”
Walking around in a “flared” rib position in concert with an excessive anterior pelvic tilt is a one-way ticket to Mybackhatesmeville, USA.
Case in point, here’s an example of what I mean:
In the first picture my ribcage is flared out and the (imaginary) line between my nipples and belly button is long (excessive lumbar hyperextension). Conversely, in the bottom picture my abs are braced – essentially creating a flexion moment (not movement) – and the line between my nipples and belly button is shorter (less extension). This is the position I’d ideally like to stay in for most of the day, especially while exercising.
Now, I’m am NOT insinuating you need to walk around all day “checking” yourself, making sure your abs and glutes are engaged, but I am saying it’s something that should enter the equation. And we can help address it by training the RA.
Read: Deadbugs, motherfucker.
2. An often forgotten “role” of the rectus abdominis is posterior pelvic tilt. Making the RA stronger/stiffer is another fantastic way to help “offset” excessive anterior pelvic tilt.
Remember: flexion from extension to neutral is different than flexion to more flexionfrom neutral.
Two exercises or drills that fit the bill are:
Reverse Crunches
Cuing Posterior Pelvic Tilt With Squats and Deadlifts
See what I mean?
We can’t be so “concrete” in our thought processes when it comes to core training. I could sit here and wax poetic on how I feel the lats are an often under-appreciated core muscle (learning to engage them to a higher degree while lifting heavy things works wonders with regards to spinal stability and performance).
Or that building bigger, stronger glutes would make for a better use of training time than any of those silly 30-minute ab blaster classes people take…but I’ve talked long enough.
If I may, let me introduce you to something….
Advanced Core Training
My good friend, Dean Somerset, just released is latest resource, Advanced Core Training, and it’s something that covers traditional core training as well as a bunch of voodoo theory stuff that will make your face melt.
In it you’ll find:
Detailed outline of core and hip function plus what the results of the assessment mean
Simplified walkthrough of the approach to core training that can be used for everyone. from rehab to elite performance.
Simple changes to variables like breathing and speed that can help change an exercise from a mobility drill to a speed and reaction drill and even to a max strength drill.
Tons of practical takeaways and coaching cues to help viewers implement the exercises and techniques immediately.
Those of you who were fans of his Ruthless Mobility series will find the material here a nice adjunct/sequel.
And if that’s not enticing enough: it’s on SALE at 40% off regular price this week, and you can earn continuing education credits too.
Baller.
Check it out HERE. You won’t be disappointed. Dean’s wicked smaht.
Lisa and I decided we were due for a little getaway. We’re back in my stomping grounds in central New York (specifically the Finger Lakes Region) to visit family and to partake in some long-anticipated vineyard exploring/wine tasting shenanigans.
Otherwise known as Tony drives Lisa to a shit-ton of wineries.
We’re having an amazing time with my family and couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful weekend
Knowing I was going to be away for a few days I planned ahead and scheduled an AMAZING guest post today by strength coaches Dan Hechler and James Darley. Today they’re going to discuss those silly altitude training masks that are all the rage nowadays that 1) people think actually work and/or 2) people use to pretend they’re Bane.
Like me.
Because I’m an asshat.
Nevertheless. It’s long. But well worth the read. Besides, if you can make it through a Bret Contreras post, you can make it through this. Trust me….;o)
Enjoy
Altitude Masks: Is There Science to Back Them Up?
The altitude-training mask — we’ve all seen them popping up across the country, from high-end performance facilities, to standard commercial gyms, and, of course, to our Instagram feeds. Athletes, weekend warriors, and bros are all donning this mask to achieve similar goals: increase their performance while simultaneously doing their best “Bane impression.” Bane jokes aside, the question is, do altitude-training masks actually increase performance, or do they slowly add to dysfunction?
Understanding the physiology behind the altitude-training mask is the first step to determining whether this tool is really worth implementing in our training.
While it may FEEL like it is making our workout harder, increased exertion alone does not necessarily mean it is actually OPTIMIZING our workout. By examining recent research on the mask, we can begin to gain a fuller understanding of its potential effectiveness.
Thus far, there has been little consideration of the body’s overuse of the accessory breathing muscles while wearing the mask. While the nitty gritty details of our body’s functioning may not be as captivating as this new altitude-training mask looks, it is well worth the discussion.
Hypoxic Training
To understand the creation and use of the altitude-training mask, it is beneficial to know the history and research behind hypoxic training.
Hypoxic training simply put is the practice of exercising, living in, or otherwise limiting relative oxygen availability to enhance athletic performance or acclimatize to altitude prior to an athletic event taking place at high-altitude (elevation above 5,000 feet above sea level).
In a high altitude environment, barometric pressure is decreased compared to sea level. While the percentage of oxygen in the molecules remain the same at around 20.9%, the decreased pressure causes less total molecules to be available as volume and pressure have an inverse relationship per Boyle’s Law.
In response, the human body over time adapts by the kidneys increasing erythropoietin (EPO) production, which stimulates red blood cell production in the red bone marrow, thus increasing RBC levels (Hematocrit). This allows for better muscle oxygenation.
History and Early Research
Before the 1968 Summer Olympic games in Mexico City (hosted at 7,350 feet above sea level!) the effects of altitude on elite athletes were understudied. This changed, since the Olympics saw the majority of elite endurance athletes underperform. Clearly, something was affecting their performance.
In an effort to prevent future negative surprises, scientists and researchers started to study the physiological changes that occurred in elite athletes when training and performing at high-altitudes.
Early studies conducted in the 1970s showed that training while living at altitude improved aerobic capacity (VO2 max) and improved performance at sea level. The issue with many of the early studies is that they failed to have a control group, which trained under the same conditions at sea level. And as we know, no control group = FAIL
Of course, this didn’t matter to strength coaches and elite level athletes. It was the height of the Cold War and national pride was at stake. When a tenth of a second can be the difference between placing and not placing, any advantage matters. So began the idea of hypoxic training and the creation of the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado.
The Altitude-Training Mask & Research
Since the 1970s, our understanding of hypoxic training has advanced.
The most common form of hypoxic training is the live low-train high (LLTH) approach. This is when an elite athlete lives at sea level, but prior to an event, trains at altitude for a period of time determined by their coach.
This is the type of training that the altitude-training mask tries to mimic.
The altitude-training mask was created as a way to bring hypoxic training to the recreational athlete looking to improve their performance. After all, elite athletes do it to become better and gain a competitive edge, so why shouldn’t you? And best of all, at the super affordable price of $100 or less!
If you ask the altitude-training mask fanboys, they will tell you that the benefits are undeniable. You will experience increased lung capacity, oxygen efficiency, energy production, and physical stamina. Is there anything that it doesn’t do for you?
Now, does the research back up these bold claims?
The truth is that very few studies have been conducted on altitude-training masks. The one that is constantly used by companies that sell masks is a 2014 study by NAIT University.
In this study, 14 participants (8 male and 6 female) performed periodized high intensity interval training in a 5 week period while measuring V02 max utilizing the Rudolph valve maximal test and power output. One group used an altitude-training mask while the other used self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) used by firefighters. There was no group performing the HIIT training without an altitude-training mask or SCBA. The study concluded that the altitude-training mask was equally effective as the SCBA. Since both power output and V02 max improved in both groups.
In essence, all the study proved is that HIIT improves your V02 max (earth shattering!) and that altitude-masks might be an item that can be used by fire departments to mimic wearing a SCBA.
It would be interesting to see, if using an altitude-training mask would be an effective and efficient way to train firefighters by strength coaches to simulate working fire conditions? I don’t have enough expertise with that population to comment, but would love to hear feedback!
Yet, what this study clearly does not do is support any of the bold claims made by the companies and altitude-mask advocates.
So, lets take a look at LLTH studies done without the use of a hypoxic training mask.
Several studies have looked at the LLTH approach utilizing normobaric hypoxia chambers with inconclusive determinations.
A 2005 study by Morton et al looked at short-term intermittent hypoxic training (4 weeks) in 16 trained athletes separated into two groups of 8. Both groups performed the same type of training program except one trained at sea level while the other trained at simulated altitude of 9,000 feet in a normobaric hypoxia chamber. The results showed that there were no advantages to training at altitude compared to sea level when looking at aerobic and anaerobic performance markers in such a short time frame.
A 2010 review by Vogt et al examined previous functional and muscular research done on LLTH training. They concluded that the performance data from previous research studies did not conclusively prove that hypoxic training lead to increased performance at sea level. Instead the evidence suggested that training at altitude made you better when performing at altitude. Imagine that! As a caveat, Vogt el al acknowledged that VO2 max markers and maximal power output data might not be sensitive enough to pick up slight performance enhancements in elite athletes.
A recent 2014 study by Richardson et al showed that simulated hypoxia sprint interval training conducted in a normobaric hypoxia chamber by 27 young participants did not improve V02 peak markers compared to sprint interval training done at sea level. Although both groups saw an improvement of V02 peak markers from sprint interval training.
The key conclusion is that LLTH training whether using a normobaric hypoxia chamber or altitude-training mask is most likely not going to improve the athletic performance in elite athletes.
In fact, using an altitude-training mask might actually be detrimental to athletic performance when you factor in breathing patterns and their importance to athletic endeavors.
Oh, and if you are a recreational athlete, don’t waste your money. You will avoid looking like a douche(tte) *we are equal opportunity here* and not to burst your bubble, but you don’t need an altitude-mask to help with your bicep curls and lat pulldown gainz.
PRI
To understand how certain breathing patterns affect performance and overall health, we first must review the inhalation process, and the Zone of Apposition, or the ZOA (oh yeah we’re going there).
NOTE FROM TG:HERE’s a post I wrote related on the topic of PRI and how, oftentimes, trainers tend to go too far down the rabbit hole when it’s not necessary.
During inhalation, the top of the diaphragm (dome) descends in a piston action, creating a negative pressure gradient in the thorax which drives air into the lungs.
During this process, the ribs rotate outward, the front of the spine pulls upward, and the bottom portion of the diaphragm helps pull the dome downward. To create more room for the dome to pull downward, the abdominal muscles relax, allowing the organs to move slightly. During vigorous activity, this abdominal activity is even more pronounced. With exhalation, the process is reversed.
When the ZOA is optimized, this process functions at a high efficiency rate.
Yet when the ZOA is suboptimal, and the dome cannot descend efficiently, the body may employ compensatory strategies. In one such strategy, the body relaxes abdominal musculature at a higher degree than normal to allow for proper thoraco-expansion.
However, overuse of this strategy can lead to decreased abdominal use during breathing and increased upper chest breathing, which will eventually shorten the diaphragm and hyperinflate the lungs.
You may be wondering, why the hell should I care about my ZOA and chest breathing? Well, having suboptimal ZOA and being a dominant chest breather will force you to heavily rely on the accessory breathing muscles, such as the scalenes, sternocleidomastoid, upper trapezius, pectoralis minor, and paraspinals.
During vigorous activity, inhalation is dramatically increased, becoming even more necessary than usual. We all know what it’s like to suck wind during conditioning or after a hard play. Now when we add a device to our training that makes it harder to breathe, what do you think our response will be: focusing on inhaling (the challenge due to the mask) or exhaling out that hard-fought air? Damn right, we’re inhaling longer than exhaling!
Now, let’s add that mask for 60 minutes of training, and we will begin to see the issues that start to pile up.
Our need to tap into the accessory inhalation muscles is heightened, and the associated dysfunctions come into play. When looking at these muscles’ individual functions, we begin to see the big picture unfold.
Scalenes
This muscle elevates the first and second rib cage, unilaterally flexing the head to the same side, while also bilaterally flexing forward (cervical flexion). Working at computers, cell phones, and desks puts us in a high degree of cervical flexion leading to a modern-day posture known as the “turtlehead.” Overuse of the Scalenes from excessive inhalation will only increase the neurological tone, continuously feeding this postural nightmare.
Sternocleidomastoid
This muscle also elevates the first and second rib (see a pattern?), flexing and laterally rotating the head. Similar to the scalene, when used bilaterally, it causes cervical flexion. Overuse of the SCM can cause numerous health problems, most notably head or neck pain.
Upper Traps
This muscle assists in elevating the scapula and, in tandem with the serratus anterior and lower trapezius, contributes to upward rotation of the scapula. If overuse makes the upper trapezius too dominate, the ability to effectively execute overhead movements is greatly diminished.
Pectoralis Minor
This muscle stabilizes the scapula by pulling it forward, against the thoracic wall. In most (bad) programs, overuse results from excessive pushing movements and insufficient pulling. When the Pec Minor gets too tight from excessive pushing or computer use, it can cause rounded shoulders, leading to External Impingement. Combining overuse of the Pec Minor during mismanaged training programs with overreliance on it for inhalation during activity results in a recipe for disaster, and the oh-so-sexy Mr. Burns posture.
Erector Spinae
This muscle helps prevent flexion of the spine, keeping the body upright. Excessive use and neurological tone of the erector spinae adds to the dysfunction of excessive lumbar lordosis. The body has a natural curve (lordosis), but when the anterior core becomes over-lengthened (weak), lower back pain is often the result. One component of suboptimal ZOA is relaxed (weak) abdominals.
When we are putting in work during our training sessions, our ability to control and utilize our respiratory system as efficiently as possible is paramount. This control is one of the greatest advantages an athlete can possess. Adding a device that purposefully disrupts this ability during training teaches athletes different breathing compensatory patterns. As we just demonstrated, this compensatory strategy can lead to suboptimal ZOA, decreased anterior core function, increased muscle tone, and lower back pain. All these are recipes for injuries, and no one has ever won a game while on the bench.
Conclusion
Any respectable strength coach utilizes a risk versus reward criteria when programming for an athlete. If not, then you simply aren’t doing your job as a coach. When it comes to the altitude-mask, the overwhelming evidence shows that at best the device is ineffective and at worse, it might actually hinder your overall performance! I don’t know about you, but in this case, I think it is safe to say that the possible reward does not outweigh the risks of decreased performance and possible spike in injury occurrence due to increased breathing dysfunction.
About the Authors
Dan Hechler is the founder of Allostatic Athletics and a Strength and Conditioning Coach in Boston. He works predominantly with youth athletes as well as the general population. His ultimate goal is to help every client and athlete get strong, hone their technique, and appreciate the gift of movement. He is a former Northeastern University S&C intern and currently interns at Train Boston and AMP Fitness Boston. He is finishing up his B.S. in Exercise Science at UMass Boston and will be pursuing a Master’s Degree next fall.
James Darley is the founder of Historic Performance based in New York City, and specializes in making busy finance and marketing professionals strong, jacked, and athletic. He is a former LIU-Brooklyn S&C intern and a regular guest contributor at Change Collective. Outside of fitness, James enjoys reading history books and generally being an athletic nerd. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to get daily goodies!
