I’m sitting here at home in the throes of the dreaded “window” you’re given when you’re expecting delivery on something. In this case it’s furniture my wife and I ordered a few weeks ago.
8-2 is what I was told. And all I can think about is that I’m going to end up looking like the Crypt Keeper from Tales from the Crypt when all is said and done.
I can’t complain too much. With a six hour window at my disposal it allows me to get some work done: this blog post, writing some programs, meandering on Facebook. You know, the important stuff.
While I have your attention:
1) You can catch a glimpse of my updated speaking schedule (along with registration info when pertinent) for 2016 HERE. Of note, Dean Somerset and I will be starting our Complete Shoulder & Hip Workshop tour again soon. We’ll be hitting up Toronto and Seattle in March/April, as well as two stops in Europe in May (Prague and Oslo).
We’ve also decided this will be how we begin each workshop:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bt10EZ0dGjk
2) I received a special package in the mail yesterday. No, not a movie quality Chewbacca mask (still waiting for that). But rather my advance DVD copy of Fitness University: Strength Expert Secrets.
A photo posted by Tony Gentilcore (@tonygentilcore) on
This set includes interviews and hands-on/demonstration portions of myself alongside other top-notch coaches such as Dan John, Dean Somerset, Tim Henriques, Jordan Syatt, Matt Kroczaleski, Josh Bryant, and Bud Jefferies.
I still have a hard time putting myself in the same breath amongst such esteemed company. Nevertheless, this should be available for purchase soon (DVD or digital) and for those interested in either PRE-SALE information or viewing some sneak peek footage you can go HERE.
3) And finally, I had the honor of being invited onto Nia Shanks’ podcast recently. It’s a bit of a different flavor in that it’s not all about fitness, strength and conditioning, and deadlifts.
It’s very much about lifestyle, personal betterment, and empowerment.
Little did I know in accepting the invitation that I’d be the first MALE guest onto the show. Nope, no pressure there. Check out the episode HERE.
TODAY (1/29) is your last day to sign-up for this amazing course from one of the world’s foremost speed and agility coaches, Lee Taft.
And by “last day,” I literally mean last day. As in you won’t be able to enroll for the foreseeable future.
Now, I’m not saying it’s going to be tossed into a Disney Vault never to see the light of day again…..but for all intents and purposes, you WILL NOT be able to purchase this course after the 29th.
If you’d like to gain some insight into some of the content that’s included I’d encourage you to check out THIS post I wrote earlier this week on how external cueing can help develop linear acceleration.
As someone going through the course myself I’ve found a LOT of value and can’t recommend it highly enough to anyone – coach or not – interested in elevating their knowledge base and tool box in this realm.
For realz, get in on this action. (<— totally safe to click on. No nefariousness/porn here).
Cressey Sports Performance coach and Group Fitness Coordinator, George Kalantzis, offers some insight on how to properly screen/assess new clients coming into a group setting.
1) Compound movements (deadlift, squat, bench press, rows, chin-ups, etc) should encompass the base for most weight training programs regardless of goal(s).
2) We’re very good at compensating. I.e., not doing shit correctly.
3) Bionic Six was the most underrated Saturday morning cartoon of the 80s.1
4) As such, sometimes, it requires that ISOLATION exercises need to be given more priority because the “targeted” muscles may not be getting the stimulation required to grow (and hence, get stronger).
Nevertheless I went into some detail that, ever since I started including more isolation movements for my pectoral muscles like DB chest flyes, I’ve seen a nice jump in not only my bench press performance, but the “feel” of the movement too.
Meaning, the quality of my reps have improved and I feel more confident with a given weight which I may have been struggling with only weeks prior.
A video posted by Tony Gentilcore (@tonygentilcore) on
Suffice to say, the assiduous journey to becoming more “pecy” – and including more isolation type work into my training programs (thanks to my coach, Greg Robins) – has paid off. Today I wanted to highlight another exercise I’ve been using more often of late (and, admittedly, it’s always been a favorite of mine).
Dumbbell Squeeze Press
Who Did I Steal It From: I can’t remember. I’ll say Chuck Norris just because.
What Does It Do: I’ve long championed the notion that the bench press isn’t a fantastic exercise for pectoral development. Yes, the pecs play a role in completing the movement – and by all means, they do get stimulated – however, the bench press is more of a FULL-body movement that many people give it credit for.
A lot of other “stuff” comes into play – technique, technique, upper back, not to mention leg drive. The pecs, when all is said and done, aren’t going to get hit optimally during a standard bench press.
If you factor in basic anatomy of the pectoral (major) muscle, you’ll notice it has attachment points on the clavicle (clavicular head) as well as the sternum (sternal head).
Again, during a bench press the pectoral muscle will be engaged, but I’d make the case not nearly to the degree as compared to dumbbell variations (where more humeral ADDuction comes into play).
Whenever I work with someone who has more aesthetic minded goals, of course I’m still having him or her bench press (I still want to use exercises which allow me to better overload the “system” or body as whole), but I’ll go out of my way to include more DUMBBELL work into their programming.
1) We generally see more ROM during dumbbell variations.
2) They’re more “shoulder friendly” in that we’re not locked into humeral internal rotation as what happens when using a barbell (pronated grip). DB variations allow more wiggle room for external rotation.
3) More humeral adduction is present (which hammers the sternal head).
4) We can also, if need be, address any imbalances that may be present between one side or the other.
I really like the squeeze press, though, because it hits 2/3 points above, but also increases time under tension of the pectoral muscles while also hitting the delts (anterior, middle) pretty hard too.
Key Coaching Cues: It’s pretty self-explanatory. Grab two dumbbells, assume a normal position on a flat or incline bench, then squeeze those bad boys together, and press.
Keep them pressed together throughout the duration of your set. Your pecs will be on fire.
Also, some people have a tendency to “fall” into anterior humeral glide on these so it’s important to cue “chest up” or “chest meets the DBs” during the set.
NOTE: performing these with hex-shaped DBs would be ideal as they’re easier (safer?) to squeeze together. However, you could use round shaped DBs too, or PowerBlocks (as I did in the video)…it just may feel a little more wonky.
I like these as an accessory movement – after a main bench movement – for high(er) repetitions (10-15 range).
Everyone has ran into a situation where they have had great intentions to eat healthy but somehow find themselves mindlessly reaching for a bag of chips or ice cream rather than the fruit or vegetables they had planned on eating.
By the time they realize what they are doing half the bag or carton is already gone!
Most people tend to underestimate how many food-related decisions they make every day.
That is to say: most of the food decisions we make happen automatically or without conscious intention(4). Behavior that occurs without conscious intention is descriptive of habit. The two important components of habit are repetition; the behaviors occur often, and context; the behavior occurs in the same environment.
Many people battle between their bad habits and their good intentions.
If the context or environment in which behaviors occur is not changed it is likely that bad habits will win out over good intentions more times than you would like.
There are many environmental contributions to behavior. However, for the purposes of this article the environment will constitute the where and how behaviors occur.
In a research study Neal and colleagues found that interrupting habits is as easy as switching the hand you eat with.
They found that individuals who scored high for habitually eating popcorn during a movie ate relatively the same regardless of if the popcorn was fresh or seven days old!
That is, they ate without thinking.
However, when high habit popcorn eaters were asked to eat with their non-dominant hand they ate considerably less when the popcorn was stale.
Participants ate slightly more than 40% of their bucket when they ate stale popcorn with their dominant hand whereas they ate slightly more than 20% of their stale popcorn when they switched to their dominant hand (1).
This small environmental disruption apparently brought behavior under intentional control and allowed high habit participants to follow their goals (to not eat a lot of popcorn that tasted like Styrofoam!).
Disrupting automatic eating may be as easy as moving unhealthy food out of sight3 (2) or changing the sequence of events that leads to automatic eating.
For example, picture that every day you come home from work and enter your home through the kitchen door.
Note From TG:Or, if you’re me, parachuting from an Apache helicopter onto the roof of the apartment complex. Same difference.
From there you open the fridge and stare at the leftover pizza slices from last night. A few minutes later you’re still standing in front of the fridge and are working on your third piece!
In this case the series of events as well as the location of the food could have been changed to help disrupt mindless eating4(3). This individual could have done the following:
Walk through the front door rather than the kitchen door to avoid temptation.
Put the pizza in a less noticeable place such as the bottom shelf. Place healthy food at eye level so it is a more noticeable snack than the pizza.
Rather than eat food in front of the fridge put one piece on a plate and bring it to the dinner table.
It is easy to imagine how these concepts could apply to different scenarios.
For example, you may drive home from work past a series of fast food restaurants. It has been a long day and you’re hungry now. Rather than mustering up the willpower to say no to four different restaurants find an alternative route home.
If you find yourself engaging in an unhealthy behavior think about the series of events that led up to the behavior.
Note:HERE’s some further reading on how to go about changing behaviors.
From there think of ways to interrupt this sequence of events or make the behavior more difficult to do. The environment is an important and overlooked contributor to habit. By modifying it you may be able to bring your actions under voluntary control and perform the healthy behaviors you would like to do!
Author’s Note
This article covered one important part of how personal trainers can help clients make healthier decisions. I believe that this information is just one important aspect of how trainers can provide better services for their clients.
Because of this passion I have put together a full day conference where great coaches and researchers will share their knowledge to help trainers provide a better service.
These speakers include Tony Gentilcore, Mark Fisher, Dr. Cassandra Forsythe, Dr. Spencer Nadolsky, and John Brand. The conference is Saturday April 2nd at SUNY Cortland. For more information you can go HERE.
CEUs will be available and the cost is only $20 for students and $60 for professionals.
Also, I totally don’t have bigger biceps than Tony.
References
Neal DT, Wood W, Labrecque JS, and Lally, P. How do habits guide behavior? Perceived and actual triggers of habits in daily life. J Exp Soc Psychol 48:492–98, 2011.
Wansink B, Painter JE, and Lee YK. (2006) The office candy dish: Proximity’s influence on estimated and actual consumption. Int J Obesity 30: 871-875.
Wansink, Brian.Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think. Bantam Books, 2006.
Wansink B. and Sobal J. Mindless eating: The 200 daily food decisions we overlook. Environ Behav 39(1): 106-123, 2007.
Well, I mean, as far as 39 year olds who are roughly 15 years removed from playing any competitive sports are concerned, I’m lightening quick.
Besides, baldness increases aerodynamics right?
Truth be told: as a strength and conditioning coach it’s not required I win the 100m in the Olympics in order to speak to the topic at hand. Granted I should be able to demonstrate a sprint or sprint mechanics without resembling a one-legged pirate or worse…blowing out a hamstring.
But I don’t need to be a world-class sprinter myself in order to coach or teach others to be able do it. Which is why I’ve been making my way through Lee Taft’s Certified Speed and Agility Coach curriculum to better augment my coaching abilities.
At the end of the day it’s about having the ability to break down movement into more manageable parts and more importantly, having the ability to get your athletes into better positions(in order to express speed or strength or whatever).
CSP Coach, George Kalantzis, demonstrating how to use sled work to improve torso angle for linear acceleration.
And when it comes to getting people into better positions – especially as it relates to linear acceleration – as Lee notes, we don’t need to get too fancy with our toolbox.
Which Begs the Question: What Is Linear Acceleration?
Good question.
I’ll tell you what it’s not….sprinting/top speed.
Sprint/Top Speed = more perpendicular posture.
Acceleration = more forward pitch or torso inclination.
When we’re coaching (linear) acceleration it’s important to respect that the idea here is to produce a lot of force quickly. However, that force is still going to be longer in terms of foot contact time compared to top speed.
Linear acceleration requires getting things started and getting the center of mass moving. It’s different than top speed.
We must produce a lot of force down and away
We also need an extremely long arm action, which then coordinates with the same side leg and high knee drive. All of this accomplishes a ROM of the leg which then allows the athlete to produce as much force as needed to finish the push off to get into the next stride.
It sounds like a lot – and complicated – but I assure you it’s not. This isn’t to imply, of course, that some attention to detail isn’t warranted. If it were easy everyone would be a challenging Usain Bolt to a game of Duck-Duck-Goose.
But there are some easy and ingenious strategies in the form of EXTERNAL CUEING that’ll help accomplish all of the above.
Linear Acceleration Troubleshooting
To reiterate: linear acceleration is not the same as top speed. First and foremost, with acceleration we’re working on starting speed which implies different joint angles and positions.
1) I already mentioned above that top speed requires more of a perpendicular posture and acceleration implies more forward pitch of the torso.
As such, a major mistake many athletes make out of the gate is, well, a poor starting position. Like this:
Here I’m starting way too upright and my hips (and shoulders) are too far back. Not a conducive position to produce horizontal force.
Ideally we’d want to start in a more staggered stance with the hips in front of push off (this will make it easier to gain momentum and get mass moving), which implies a more angled torso. Too, we want the shoulders to be in front of the hips
2) More Aggressive Arm Action
In acceleration the back side needs to be long, front side short. The back side is what matters in acceleration. The front side becomes more important during top speed.
Lee Taft hammers this point home time and time again throughout his CSAC course.
To that end, a common mistake made is that people aren’t aggressive enough with their arm action.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpzkwBgZoVc
You’ll notice my back arm “stays short” and as a result both my arms and legs are choppy.
A beautiful external cue to use here is to tell the athlete to be more aggressive with “THROWING THE HANDS BACK.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v193yEgzjs
Looks sexier, right?
And, subsequently, the more aggressive arm action “nudges” a more aggressive forward action of the knee….with minimal additional cueing.
But what if all of that still doesn’t get the desired effect?
The Magical World of External Cueing
A brilliant corrective strategy6 I “stole” from Lee Taft is to give the athlete a target to shoot for. This is external cueing at its finest.
External cueing takes into consideration what the body is doing in space and implies direction, intent, and action.
The corrective in this case would be to place a med ball – or anything: cone, hurdle, Ewok action figure – a few feet away from the athlete’s starting position. The athlete must then explode, “CHASE HIS SHOULDERS,” and get past the object within one step.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51B3WnDCq6w
As you can see, this immediately incorporates a better arm action. Better arm action mirrors a greater leg action, which then produces more horizontal displacement.
Giving the athlete a target or something to shoot/aim for (EXTERNAL CUEING) will “correct” acceleration mechanics without too much fluff.
The addition of the target cues the athlete to push harder into the ground and then physics takes over.
The curriculum is only available until this Friday, January 29th and then it goes bye-bye.
Now, I’m not saying it’s going to be tossed into a Disney Vault never to see the light of day again…..but for all intents and purposes, you WILL NOT be able to purchase this course after the 29th.
I’ve been making my way through the course and to say I am highly impressed would be an understatement.
It’s currently be offered at a generous discount and there are payment plans available.
My wife left for Florida last weekend for a Jedi mind-trick psychology conference, and I’ve taken full advantage of her absence living the bachelor lifestyle as a result.
Note to Lisa (if you’re reading this): these will be taken care of before you come back. Promise.
I love my wife, and I love spending time with my wife. But the past seven days have been an introvert’s dream.
I’ve been doing what any dude with seven days to himself would do: write poetry, catch up on Downton Abbey, match all the mis-matched socks, go for a mani-pedi, start a detox diet, knit a sweet Kylo Ren sweater, and walk around the apartment with no pants on 87% of the time.7
Kidding aside (like I watch Downton Abbey!), I’ve been working of course (coaching, writing, fighting crime), but I’ve also taken the opportunity to catch up on my Oscar nominated film watching.
I went to the theater and watched both Carol and Brooklyn this week.
In case you’re interested in my opinion:
Carol: solid performances by both Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara (both deserve their Oscar nods). Pretty surreal to see how far we’ve come as a society – as a whole at least – in terms of our acceptance of same-sex relationships compared to what the characters had to deal with in the movie. It was beautiful to watch the slow, marinating romance between Cate (Carol) and Rooney (Therese). Grade: B
Brooklyn: amazing performance by Saoirse Ronin playing a young 1950’s Irish woman leaving Ireland to pursue a life in America, and the pursuant tug-o-war between the two worlds. Really funny movie, surprisingly, and a welcome escape of nostalgia. Grade: B+
And since Lisa abhors horror movies, I also took advantage and crushed some Netflix movies while she’s been away. I watched The Visit (M. Night Shyamalan’s latest, and, admittedly, his best in recent memory, but still a shit movie) and Goodnight Mommy (a German psychological thriller I would say is worth the watch. FYI: It’s currently a “free” stream on Amazon Prime).
I also, you know, have been spending some quality time with Dagny.
I have officially entered creepy cat lady territory x infinity.
Oh, before I get into this week’s list…a gentle reminder that Dean Somerset and I are kicking off our 1st date for our Complete Hip & Shoulder Workshop in the Toronto area in a few weeks. For more information you can go HERE.
And for a listing of all the dates Dean and I have slated thus far in 2016 (Seattle, Prague, Czech Republic, Oslo, Norway) as well as other SOLO dates I have booked you can go HERE.
This is bar-none one of the best products I have come across on speed and agility training. And saying it’s a “product” is a bit of a misnomer, because it’s actually a detailed curriculum where the objective in the end is to earn a certification (and not some glorified agility ladder pundit).
As I noted earlier this week, I am currently making my way through the course myself and am learning a ton. Lee’s a highly respected coach with over 25 years of experience, and I have zero reservations in pointing people in his direction.
The course is still on SALE at $100 off the regular price, and will end NEXT Friday (1/29)…so you still have time to save. But, why wait? Go HERE for more information.
This was an excellent and thought provoking article published on TheGuardian.com. The psychology behind what and how we eat is where we need to focus more of our time and attention, rather than arguing over macronutrient breakdowns or fretting over the insulin spike from eating an apple. A freakin apple!
Our individual relationships with food is the key.
Not coincidentally this approach and mindset is the very reason why I LOVE the people over at Precision Nutrition. They deal with behaviors and habits over seemingly minor details like should I omit “x” food or add “y.”
The Case For Radical Vanity – Jesse Kneeland
It’s no secret many women (and men) have issues when it comes to body image. This was an excellent TED talk by Jessi Kneeland on the topic:
I always enjoy when I have the opportunity to introduce my readers to someone new; coach’s who are “in the trenches,” doing great things, and are well articulate in conveying their message.
Ladies and gentlemen I give you Chris Abbott. He’s a coach and gym owner based in Chicago. As it happened, he sent me a t-shirt out of the blue as a “thank you” for what I do on this blog. It was a class move and nice gesture to say the least.
Not long after Chris expressed some interest in writing a guest post, and well, it took me all of three seconds to say yes. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Strength Starts Here
Life is better when you’re strong, and that’s a fact.
Over the years as a trainer I’ve worked with average Joes, stay at home moms, significant weight loss clients, professional athletes, and a wide variety of broken and damaged people ranging from hip replacements and torn labrums to herniated/broken discs and torn knee ligaments – to name a few. Every one of these clients had one thing in common; they all reached their goals by becoming stronger.
Perhaps I’m stating the obvious, but based off of the people I see and work with daily I feel people may know they need to get stronger, may know they need to get in better shape, but they really have no idea how to actually get stronger, hence strength starts here.
Commonalities in Strength
There are certain aspects of strength that are required for success – this goes for sport, individual hobbies, and most importantly quality human movement.
My approach to those aspects can be viewed in the following way; you have attachment sites – your arms at your armpits and your legs at your hips. All movement will come from these attachment sites.
In addition you have your thoracic spine (T-spine).
Your neck, shoulders, and t-spine are all tied together; therefore healthy movement of the neck, head, and shoulders (really the entire upper body) requires healthy t-spine functioning. One could go on to describe how the upper body and more importantly a lack of alternating, reciprocating movement affects your lower body (hips and knees), but that goes beyond this post.
Furthermore, my approach can be summarized by this relationship:
Positional breathing leads to increased control
Increased control leads to increased strength development
Being stronger allows you to do whatever you’d like in life
Let’s break this down a bit further and see how you can own all to generate massive strength gains – and really enjoy life more!
Position and PRI
Are your shoulders really tight or are your scapula maybe just in a poor position which is limiting your range of motion?
This is usually the first time someone looks at me with a sideways head tilt expression of “huh?”
When searching for strength your key to performance will reside within your ability to take a breath properly.
All my sessions start with a common goal; restore proper breathing mechanics and allow your diaphragm to work as a primary breathing muscle rather than a postural stabilizing muscle. This does a few things:
Triggers parasympathetic activity in the body which results in the body “letting go” or relaxing more
“Letting go” will lead to increased range of motion at the attachment sites and T-spine
You’ll feel “lighter” – which never hurts anyone
You’ll be more focused – which is awesome just about any time
And most importantly, you’ll be in a better position to get stronger
The approach and exercises I use to correct someone’s breathing mechanics (and ultimately help restore control) stem from an organization called the Postural Restoration Institute, PRI for short. The Institute’s director, Ron Hrsuka, has devoted his life to PRI. It’s a powerful concept and one that immediately grabbed my attention after I first took one of their home study course a few years ago.
In a nutshell, PRI’s take on the relationship of posture, movement, and performance begins with asymmetries and the fact that everyone, whether you’re “righty” or “lefty”, has the same features internally – one heart, one liver, etc.
These asymmetries predispose us to shift our center of gravity and throw off our position; which in turn affects our posture, limits our movement abilities, and decreases performance. As a result, areas such as your shoulders, t-spine, and hips (sound familiar?) are placed under distress – compensation patterns develop and your ability to get strong has been diminished.
Positional breathing can be viewed as achieving the following:
Re-training your diaphragm from being used as a stabilizing muscle to a primary breathing muscle – this allows your body to “let go”
“Untwist” your body, positioning it in more of neutral state thus giving you more joint centration and ultimately greater potential for building strength
Positional breathing will open doors that lead to increased control. Remember, increased control leads to greater strength development so taking 5-7 minutes on positional breathing can and will make a difference during your set of heavy deadlifts. Here are a couple of my favorite positional breathing exercises:
90/90 Hip Lift
All Four Belly Breathing
Control is King
Flexibility seems to be the rabbit everyone wants to chase when something goes wrong.
However, as we just discovered, a lot of your flexibility concerns might in fact stem from your inability to breathe properly and your poor position. It’s not uncommon to see a significant increase in range of motion in your attachment sites after performing some positional breathing exercises.
Now that you’re in a better position, you can more easily gain control!
I view flexibility as your ability to passively pass through a specific range of motion – no ownership here, just swinging by to say hi to grandma.
Mobility on the other hand is your ability to control a specific range of motion – you’re laying the foundation and moving in!
Mobility = Control. Control = Strength.
Therefore Strength = Mobility.
In order to be strong you need to have control – you need to have the mobility needed to perform your sport, hobby, or live as a healthy functioning human being. Perhaps another head tilt “huh?”
Your sport/activity will determine how much control is needed at said attachment site(s) in order for you to perform at a high level.
A gymnast for example needs far more control than a basketball player.
You can name plenty of other comparisons that support this notion. However here’s my argument; wouldn’t you rather be able to control a much larger range than you need so as to not only become freakishly strong, but also increase your longevity by decreasing your risk of injury?
I’m not suggesting a football player be able to move like Neo in the matrix – it’s not needed, in fact for some athletes having too much range of motion is detrimental to performance.
But in the game of life – that’s a much different story and can in fact tell you from personal experience and client experience, yes you do want the increased control!
I’m falling more and more in love with Dr. Andreo Spina’s FRC system and its ability to give you loads of control. More importantly it’s blending very nicely with the positional breathing exercises I have my clients perform.
Dr. Andreo Spina is a world-renowned musculoskeletal expert. His system stands for Functional Range Conditioning. Its focus is on three main goals; mobility development, joint strength, and body control (fits pretty nicely with what we’re talking about).
The end result is people doing some crazy sh** that would likely land most people in the hospital.
I’ve been fortunate enough to learn from colleagues who are FRC certified. I myself cannot wait to join them!
Through various series of controlled articular rotations (think searching through your end range in various joint motions) one can find where he/she is limited. Once limitation is found, applying progressive and regressive isometric loading (PAILs and RAILs as he calls them) can be used to increase your usable range of motion – more control = more room for strength.
From there you can play with lift offs and other fun movements but the overall takeaway is clear; you will gain loads of control which can lead to loads of strength!
One of my favorite non-FRC exercises for control is the Arm Bar as it allows the athlete to simultaneously gain shoulder and t-spine control
Life is better when you’re STRONG
This is the fun part. In my mind the end of my little equation is whatever you want.
If you’re an athlete maybe it’s run faster, jump higher, or get stronger.
Or, maybe it’s longevity – for athletes this can mean millions and millions more in income. For people who are injured or de-conditioned it could mean a fresh start or at least a new perspective on life.
The key I’ve realized is this; no matter what sport you play or what hobby you enjoy, everyone needs to be strong and there IS a relatively easy way to get there. It all starts with a breath followed by owning your body – gaining control.
Once you have control you are in fact in control – do what you want!
Until then, keep practicing.
I myself am a simple man. I’ve become attached to swings and getups everyday for my workout. My workout is short, effective, and to the point. My newest warm-up routine has 1 rule – I can’t use anything other than my bodyweight. This has not only placed me in a great position to start my swings, but also led to some fun movement sessions prior to my “workout”.
To summarize; strength starts with a breath, is enhanced with control, and transforms into greater strength – which leads to all around awesomeness in life.
Be STRONG!
About the Author
Chris Abbott has been a personal trainer for the past 7 years. He and his wife recently moved to Chicago where he started Evolution Strength and Performance – a company dedicated to getting people strong through postural restoration, body weight training, and kettlebell training. He develops programs used for weight loss, total body strength, and overall health and wellness. Additionally, he works with clients who have suffered from back, knee, hip, and shoulder pain.
Along with neighborhood clients, he has worked with a variety of professional athletes including NFL, NHL, MLB, MMA, Pro Lacrosse, and European Basketball.
“I want people to realize there is more to life than the gym, and that life is better when you’re strong. It unlocks opportunities to enjoy life more, become a faster, more powerful athlete, or return to hobbies you’ve been unable to do for years.”
Eric Cressey wrote a well-written article yesterday on his blog elucidating the meaning of that word…certification.
Are certifications worth investing in? Which ones are the best? Which ones are the best around?
In strength and conditioning circles there are any number to choose from. And, much like Eric, the ones I gravitate towards and find have the most value are the ones that 1) fulfill a void or knowledge gap on my end and/or 2) stems from a source I respect.
Truthfully, unlike some fitness professionals, outside of those certifications that “govern” the industry from a professional market perspective (NSCA, ACE, NASM, ISSA, etc), I don’t latch onto any one certification so I can add letters next to my name and treat my LinkedIn account like a Pimp My Ride episode.
1) You’re learning from a guy with over 25 years of coaching experience. That in of itself makes the cost (nay, investment) a no brainer.
2) You’re not just given a laundry list of drills and coaching cues, and BAM…you’re certified. You learn the WHYs behind the drills:
Why Lee uses specific progressions and the order in which he uses them.
Why he chooses certain correctives to place people into appropriate positions.
Why and how he periodizes things.
3) I’m personally making my way through the curriculum right now and can’t speak highly enough to the content and production quality. Going back to point #1, Lee’s an amazingly detailed and easy to follow-along coach.
4) It was filmed at Cressey Sports Performance using CSP coach, Miguel Aragoncillo, as the model.8I mean, do you honestly think CSP would allow itself to be affiliated with a less than stellar product?
Pfffft, no way!
Registration is live now at an introductory $100 off discount. If you’re like and find this sort of a material a “weak link” in your coaching arsenal or if you’re just looking for some amazing content to better yourself, look no further.
Full Disclosure: I, in fact, do not workout in my own home gym.9.
Photo Credit:Guy I hate who’s home gym this is. Pretty badass if you ask me.
I did, however, make a career adjustment within the last few months and am now doing the bulk of my coaching/training out of a small studio space I sub-lease in Boston.
Which is kind of the same thing.
Except, instead of building a man cave to get diesel in a house where I pay a mortgage…instead, I pay rent for a space that’s a little over a mile from my apartment.
My Decision
Leaving Cressey Sports Performance, a place I helped co-found and build from scratch, and arguably one of the most prestigious and well-known training facilities in North America wasn’t an easy choice to make for a plethora of reasons.
I mean, look at all the room for activities!
Many trainers, coaches, and general fitness enthusiasts would kill – or at least Sparta kick someone in the chest – for that much open space.
While others may scoff and think that much open space is wasted space.
Not really.
While many facilities go out of their way to cover every square foot with training equipment and every fitness contraption under the sun, that’s not how CSP rolls.
Much of the equipment pictured above is the same equipment we originally purchased for our 2200 sq. ft. facility back in 2007. The only difference at present day – outside of dedicated space for pitching instruction and a more extensive warm-up/movement area – is the addition of more power racks, another functional trainer, and various speciality bars.
Even as we transitioned into larger and larger spaces, we didn’t use that as an excuse or opportunity to purchase more and more equipment.
Our business model required space, and minimal equipment.
And, truth be told, I think a more minimalistic approach to equipment is the way to go anyways. Especially with regards to setting up a baller home gym or studio.
Benefits of a Home Gym/Studio
[Quick Aside: I need to reiterate that I sub-lease training space. I was very fortunate in that I crossed paths with Rebecca Breslow – owner of Run Strong Studio – who has been a wonderful ally in helping me transition from CSP.
That said, I do feel there are more parallels than contrasts with what I’m doing now and anyone who happens to be interested in building their own home gym.]
This is where individual differences and tastes come into play. Some people want their own space to train because they’re sick and tired of dealing with crowded commercial gyms and the plume of Axe Body Spray they have to walk through in order to get to the water fountain. Others just want a space where they can do whatever the hell they want, when they want, and maybe even do it without their pants on.
Whatevs. I’m not here to judge.
Off the top of my head here are the main draws to having your own space to train:
1) You can train when you want. After work? Sure. 5 AM? Why not? To blow off a little steam when your team loses in the playoffs? Go for it. If there’s any ONE advantage to having your own space it’s that it suits YOUR schedule. And you don’t have to worry about any Holiday hours.
Note: just be sure not to set anything up adjacent to a fish tank.
2) You can train however you’d like. If you’re someone who’s into powerlifting, you can equip your home gym to suit your needs. If you’re someone who’s into Olympic lifting, bodybuilding, bodyweight training, or, I don’t know, performing endless repetitions of bicep curls shirtless while you stare at yourself in the mirror chanting “I’d fuck me” Buffalo Bill style, it’s all the same.
It’s your space. You won’t have to worry about getting any weird looks from onlookers.
3) Trying to perform a heavy deadlift day with Journey playing in the background is torture. With your own space, you can play what you want.
Music is a huge component of building a workout environment that motivates you to get after it. I for one love EDM and 90’s hip-hop music. Others prefer Metallica or Rage Against the Machine or your everyday, run of the mill, vanilla, top 40 or Pop music. Whatever the case may be, it doesn’t matter. It’s your space. John Mayer Radio on Pandora. Cool.10
4) You can build your own culture and surround yourself with like-minded people who prefer to train how you train. 9 times out of 10 commercial gyms zap the life out of people and many end up meandering through their workouts because everyone else around them is meandering.
It sucks.
5) It’s an investment that will pay for itself.
You can expect to drop anywhere between $3000-$5000 for a decent home gym. I have the luxury of being able to write that expense off due to my livelihood. But even if you can’t coax your accountant to allow you to write it off, if you think about what you’d be paying in gym fees/memberships over the course of a few decades it’ll easily pay for itself.
Moreover, I find it comical that the people who will inevitably complain about the costs involved won’t bat an eye when the new iPhone comes out.
Home Gym Basics
As Mike Robertson notes in THIS piece he wrote on the same topic, available SPACE is going to be the key determinant here.
You’ll have to measure things out…length and width of floor space, but most importantly – and something that most people fail to do – HEIGHT of the ceiling.
From there it’s all about your budget. I gave a loose estimate above of $3000-$5000, but this can be scaled down (or up) depending on available funds, space, and what your needs are.
Since you’re reading this site I can only assume you’re into lifting heavy things. So here’s what I did and what I feel will be a decent direction to start for most.
Must Have Equipment
1) Power Rack/Squat Rack
You get what you pay for here. Don’t be an a-hole, okay. You can’t go cheap.
If you’re going to get something, get something you know will be durable and last. If you wanted to launch that fucker into space, you could.
Two sites are well known for their quality of racks: Rogue and EliteFTS.
At Cressey Sports Performance we went with EliteFTS. When I branched off on my own this past Fall I went with Rogue. Both are excellent choices (and speaking personally, I can attest that Rogue’s speed of delivery and customer service is top-notch).
I purchased the RML-490 rack, fully loaded (pegs, pull-up bar, spotter arms, additional set of J-cups). I needed something that could be used by two people simultaneously if necessary.
However, for the bulk of home gyms, the R3-R4 series are a good fit as well.
2) Plywood/Flooring
If you’re handy and can make your own platform, awesome. Do it (and please give me a call). If not, purchasing some rubber flooring/matting to protect your floor (and aid with sound reduction from dropped weights) is wise. Read Mike’s post above on what he did to build his own platform.
3) Barbell(s)
Again, don’t go cheap here. You could head over to your local Sports Authority or Dick’s and get a barbell for under $50. And, if budget is an issue, so be it.
However, much like a power/squat rack…you want to get something that’ll last. I purchased two Texas Power Bars. I should note I lucked out and found a local gym (via CraigsList) going out of business and was able to get two relatively unused bars at a great deal.
I also purchased a trap bar/hex bar for $120 via eBay. But you could easily look on Amazon or CraigsList too.
Massachusetts/New England peeps: I purchased several refurbished pieces of equipment from BigFitness.com, and had a lovely experience dealing with them.
4) Plates/PowerBlocks/Miscellany
Two pieces of advice on here on plates:
Don’t buy new (I found a local meathead here in MA who sold used gym equipment out of his garage. Plates were HALF the price compared to if I bought the same amount of weight at a store or online).
Don’t buy 35 lb plates. Seriously, it’s a waste. Get 45s, 25s, 10s, 5s, 2.5s as needed.
For home gyms or studios PowerBlocks are a space saver. I purchased the 90 lb set with the ability to expand up to 140 lbs – because I’m jacked – but they do offer a variety of packages.
I find suspension trainers – TRXor Jungle Gym – are a key piece of equipment to have as well, which offer a ton of variety.
Other Miscellaneous Things to Take into Consideration: collars, foam roller, bands (EliteFTS or PerformBetter.com), plate holders, mats, chalk, chalk bucket, vintage poster of Cindy Crawford.
Other Stuff to Consider
I purchased an adjustable bench so I – and my clients – could perform bench presses as well as incline/decline presses and chest supported row variations if needed.
But honestly, I don’t feel a bench is a requirement.
I listened to Dan John speak a few weeks ago and he discussed the idea of a “gym audit.” He noted that he got rid of all his benches in his home gym (where several people train alongside him), and the training got better.
I’d place things like kettlebells (I like RKC or PerformBetter here), sleds, medicine balls, boxes, sandbags, weight-vest, chains, and maybe even an AirDyne bike into the category of “nice to have, depending on a few things.”
Other things like a landmine, dip station, ab rollout, specialty bars (GCB, SSB, yoke, etc), stability ball(s), GHR, and other selectorized equipment is going to be contingent on your space, budget, and goals.
Of Note: If you’re someone who’s banged up – shoulders for example – then purchasing things like a Multi-Grip Log Bar or a Cambered/Top Squat bar become a little more of a priority.
Likewise, for me, purchasing accessory equipment like a Meadows Row handle or a Landmine attachment made sense given my clientele and mode of training.
All in all, though, I feel the stuff above will cover most people’s bases.
Do you anything to add or any pieces of advice on how to build a diesel home gym? Please share them below and it could help some people who are on the fringe.
A few things before I defer you to this week’s list of stuff to read.
1) Fargo. Not the city, the show. It’s amazing.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been to Fargo and it (and the people) is lovely11….but the show is rocking my world right now. If it weren’t weird (and impossible) I’d totally make out with it.
My wife and I watched season one a few weeks ago within a span of three days and I just started watching season two this week.
In case you’re wondering, the show has nothing to do with the 1996 Coen Brothers movie. Well, there are a few similarities in terms of source material (the Coen Bros are producers of the show), but all in all it’s a stand alone storyline that’s beautifully written and acted.
It’s dark as shit, which I love. The show airs on F/X, so they have a little more leeway with language and the violence they can depict.
And on top of the quality acting, the production value is spectacular – in particular the cinematography.
I highly recommend if you haven’t checked it out yet.
AND NO SPOILERS. I still need to finish season two.
2). Dean Somerset and I announced a few NEW DATES within the last week for our Complete Hip & Shoulder Workshop in 2016. This time in Europe. Holla!
To say we’re excited (and honored) would be an understatement. We feel between both locations we’ll be able to attract people from across the continent. So, no excuses people.
These are in addition to a handful of others we’re doing across North America this year (Toronto, Seattle, etc) which you can find more details on HERE.
3). Also, as a quick aside registration for The Fitness Summit is now open to all NEW ATTENDEES. Click HERE for more details.
Outside of being written by someone with one of the most baller names I have ever seen, this article has a ton of great info and a pretty cool graphic for those who’s heads hurt when they read a bunch of big words.
I love using kettlebells to help groove a proper hip hinge/deadlift pattern. Unfortunately, many people seem to think that once you can lift a KB for a certain amount of reps that’s all there is. Onto the barbell!
Not so fast.
Here are some fantastic progressions to take into consideration of yourself or for your clients.
I never quite understand the infatuation some fitness professionals have with telling the world how much they’re “grinding” or hustling.” As if to imply their work ethic deserves more praise than the thousands of other coaches and trainers getting up early to, you know, go to work.
What’s more, those who continuously gloat about their grinding prowess and how “busy” they are sure do have a lot of extra time to post 37 different reminders on social media about it.
Of course, this isn’t to insinuate that people don’t actually work their butts off and have a right to brag about it. Someone like Eric Cressey or Joe Dowdell or David Dellanave or Molly Galbraith or Mike Reinold or Mike Robertson or Cassandra Forsythe or any number of fitness pros I know12 who have built a successful fitness business (and have unmatched work ethic) can do whatever the heck they want!
Here’s the kicker, though: they’re not the ones on Twitter and Instagram belaboring over the grind.
In my experience, those who do go out of their way to routinely market to the world about their hustling ways, are generally working exponentially harder to maintain the facade.
A facade that does nothing but mask what’s really going on.
He or she gets up like everyone else, trains people 4-5x per week like everyone else, and takes weekends off like everyone else.
In short: nothing special.
Nevertheless, all of this is to say that hard work – REAL hard work – does enter the conversation and matters. The fitness industry is one super saturated mess and everyone is vying for a piece of the pie.
Everyone is trying to separate themselves from the masses by worrying, first, how to market themselves or “build a brand” before gaining any experience and skills that will actually make themselves marketable.
Most often without understanding that – and please forgive the cliche – there’s a degree of “paying your dues and putting in the time” that’s involved.
“Putting in the time” is not referring to setting up twelve different social media platforms and posting videos of yourself talking to the camera about “time saving hacks” or what you had for breakfast while you’re driving down the highway.
Come on! You’re not that busy that you can’t sit down and talk without risking the lives of other drivers.
Don’t get me wrong: I understand that in today’s world part of running a successful business is staying on task with technology and understanding how to utilize it to build a brand. I’m not a hypocrite.
However, I’m referring to real work.
Real interactions with real people during real training sessions.
Basically, building real skills.
It’s a lesson many up and coming fitness pros need to understand.
It’s not sexy, but it’s what works and helps builds integrity, resiliency, and character. Annnnnd, I’m getting a bit too ranty and taking away the spotlight from today’s guest post.
Recent Cressey Sports Performance coach (and intern), Ricky Kompf, had a similar message to say on the matter. I encourage all young fitness professionals to give it a read below.
Doing Your Time: The Value of a Good Internship
Have you ever heard of the phrase….
“If you’re good at something never do it for free”?
When it comes to being good at your future career (especially in the fitness industry) the phrase should really go…
“If you’re good at something never do it for free and the road to being good at something is paved with a whole lot of free labor.”
Not as catchy but a lot more accurate.
When you begin your career in the fitness industry it’s hard to get a whole lot of hours of experience right away. Most of the time you’ll be in a situation where you are in a commercial gym and you’ll have to build up your clientele in order to get more experience.
Depending on where you are it can take a while to build up the hours you need in order to be a good coach.
With internships you have those hours right away and you’ll be able to hone your craft, become a great coach and build up confidence within yourself…all while under the mentorship of more experienced individuals.
I am a better coach now than I was seven months ago, and I owe that to my internship experience.
The value of a good internship will help you make leaps and bounds in your career as an up and coming fitness professional. Internships give you the opportunity to gain experience, be mentored by some of the top professionals in your field, work with the population you want to work with and expand your network.
I’ve been a personal trainer for two and a half years and have been lucky enough to have some influential people guide me along the way. This led me to take part in two internships that have been the greatest learning experience in my young career.
My first internship was at a successful training facility in Rockland New York called Rockland Peak Performance (RPP).
For three months I worked close to 40 hours a week with a wide variety of clientele that I had previously never been exposed to. This included youth, collegiate, and professional athletes all the way to general population clients of all ages and backgrounds.
As soon as I finished at RPP, I went directly to Massachusetts to start my second internship at Cressey Sports Performance.
For the next four months I honed my craft 32 hours a week coaching on the floor of CSP and worked alongside arguably some of the best strength and conditioning coaches in the country.
Tallying up close to 1,000 hours of experience right off the bat after graduating.
Not too shabby I’d say!
Never under estimate the value a good mentor.
The people you surround yourself with will have huge impact on who you are and who you will become as a person and a professional. When you place yourself in a situation where you are surrounded by people who are successful and good at what they do you have a better understanding as to how you can get there too.
Working with others who have a strong desire to learn and become better is a major benefit to a good internship.
A good coach’s commitment to become better may have a positive impact on you. You may find yourself picking up on the behaviors and habits they have that make them successful. I’ve always seen myself as a hard worker, but throughout my internship experience the phrase work ethic has taken on a new meaning to me. The habits I’ve developed over the past seven months have made me better and more efficient at coaching and communicating with others.
One of the least talked about advantages of pursuing an internship of your liking, is that you can choose the population you want to work with.
In the beginning of your career you have to build up your clientele…meaning you can’t choose who you want to work with; not when bills need to be paid.
By going through an internship you have the opportunity to work with the population you might want to specialize in.
Note From TG: Conversely, it opens up the possibility you may dislike it and realize what you thought you liked, you don’t. In their book, Decisive, Chip and Dan Heath calls this an “ooch,” or, a way to test one’s hypothesis or experience a small sample size.
You may in turn use that as a way to market yourself in the future.
Baseball players come to Cressey Performance because CSP is known for being the go to place to train if you are a baseball player. When you have experience with a certain population that population is more likely to pay for your services.
Finally an internship is a great networking opportunity.
Building a good network in the fitness industry gets you jobs and more clients. Knowing people who know people opens the door to where you want to be.
For example, as a previous Cressey Performance intern, you are a part of a CSP alumni intern page where job opportunities are posted regularly. This is because people in the fitness field know how good of an internship process CSP has and come to Pete and Eric asking if they know anyone good to fill a position at their facility (chances are, they do).
If you have an internship opportunity and are hesitant because it is unpaid, I highly encourage you to consider the opportunities that will open up from the experience.
If you are required to go through an internship as part of your undergraduate degree I encourage you to look at it as an investment in yourself.
Go for the internship that you will be challenged the most from.
This will give you the foundation that you need in order to become successful in this field.
About the Author
Rick Kompf is a SUNY Cortland Graduate with a degree in Kinesiology and a concentration in fitness Development. After completing his degree he went on to perform seven months of unpaid internships and is currently a Personal Trainer for Trillium Personal fitness in Syracuse New York.
