Categoriescoaching Conditioning

Hybrid Jumping: More Efficient Than Your Prius

Today I have an excellent guest post from strength and conditioning coach, jump training specialist, and Director of Sports Performance at Reach Your Potential Training, Inc (www.igotrypt.com), Adam Feit.

Adam’s new resource, Complete Jumps Training, is available starting today. Unlike most traditional jump training programs that tend to focus solely on sagittal plane exercises or worse, utilize ankle weights1, this one actually, you know, helps get people more athletic.

Hybrid Jumping: More Efficient Than Your Prius

Sure, I get it. It’s good for the environment.

Better gas mileage. Minimizing the carbon footprint. Hell, you even get a tax break in most states.

But you’d think they would work on the aesthetics a bit better, no?

All kidding aside, what if I could introduce a new type of hybrid locomotion that would close the gap between where you are and where you want to be?

Possibly even save you time, space and money (without the fear of being made fun of by your friends)?

Would you consider it?

Good.

Because we’re going to explore the latest innovation in jump training for today’s athlete—the hybrid.

When I transitioned from coaching NCAA and NFL athletes to today’s youth, I knew we did not have the resources or the athletes to advance our jump training exercises like we used to.

We actually had real budget restrictions, athletes who had never trained before and limited space. And it got even worse as our business continued to grow and new groups were added.

We were filling the gym but limiting our capacity to move, move often and move well.

So we adapted.

We overcame and attacked the situation at hand and found a way to work around all those roadblocks, specifically when it came to jump training.

Most jump programs focus on some sort of variation of the vertical jump and long jump.

Why? Because they’re easy to coach, touch on both aspects of vertical and horizontal power and allow results to be compared across multiple sporting and coaching organizations.

But was there more to jumping than simply getting up as high as possible or far as possible, especially when it involved athletics? Could jump training be properly programmed and planned out to maximize performance and reduce the risk of future injury?

No question.

After coaching thousands of athletes through jump training, we noticed a few reoccurring themes.

1) Athletes had a difficult time jumping on one leg and landing on the same or the alternate leg.

2) They were stuck moving in the vertical or linear plane, only moving up or out.

3) Coaches did not know how to progress outside the scope of increasing volume or height/distance.

4) There was less and less transfer to actual sport tasks simply because of focusing on double-legged takeoffs and landings.

Years ago, Coach Michael Boyle addressed this very issue and proposed a simplified way of explaining jumps to his coaches and athletes. To minimize confusion amongst his coaches and athletes, he classified jumps as follows:

  •      Jump: a two-legged takeoff with a two-legged landing (e.g., vertical jump)
  •      Hop: a one-legged takeoff with a same one-legged landing (e.g., vertical hop)
  •      Bound: a one-legged takeoff with an alternate one-legged landing (e.g., lateral bound)

However, the more we looked at our own athletes, the more we realized this needed to be expanded. We decided to add a fourth category to the list.

Enter the hybrid.

The hybrid is the combination of any type of jump, hop, or bound with the possible addition of a medicine ball (MB) for upper body power development (e.g., lateral bound to double-legged landing or a hurdle jump to MB punch.)

The hybrid category was a valuable addition to Coach Boyle’s original three categories for three primary reasons:

1) It bridged the gap between the transition of double-leg and single-leg jumping exercises.

With the use of the hybrid, we were able to better prepare for single-leg hops and bounds through the use of single-legged takeoffs with double-legged landings.

No longer were we rushing to do a vertical hop or long hop.

Now, we could slow down our teaching progressions even further to ensure long-term success and appropriately layer sequences within themselves for optimal programming.

Don’t believe us?

Ask your athletes to do a vertical jump (two legs). Then watch them do a vertical hop (one leg).

What do you see?

Dropped chests? Internally rotated hips and valgus knees? Lack of triple extension?

By adding a single-legged takeoff with a double-legged landing (novice) or double-legged takeoff to a single legged-landing (expert), we were able to better prepare our athletes for the forces, speeds and positions they may face in sport.

(Not to mention better hops and bounds for our highlight videos!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn5v85ekXFs

2) It provided what we call “variation within simplicity.”

Rather than change exercises completely, we could simply add or remove one piece of the drill to change the stimulus and keep our athletes and coaches progressing.

Too often, coaches use a two-dimensional approach in regards to progressive overload—heavier weight or more volume.

What about rest periods? Changes in body positioning? Use of different implements?

When our space and time got cut shorter and shorter, we had to think of a way to combine not only types of jumps but also where they were occurring. Instead of devoting a day to solely linear jumping, why not combine it with another day?

Rather than only performing a long jump, why not add a lateral bound to a long jump? Or perhaps a rotational hurdle jump to a vertical jump and long jump?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUbClRjpLGk

 

Variation within the jumping exercise itself allowed us to combine multiple takeoffs, landings and planes of motion to better prepare the athlete for future exercises and what they may feel on the court or field.

3) Lastly, it allowed our staff to analyze single-leg jumping and landing mechanics much earlier in the programming.

Instead of wasting a period of 4–6 weeks on primarily double-leg takeoffs and landings, we could work on the limiting issue (usually single-leg strength/stability/power) right away.

From experience, we knew the importance of using jump training not only for power development, but also more importantly, for the reduction of future injury.

We have seen too many orthopedic doctors clear athletes for their return to play without evaluating all dimensions of their performance, namely deceleration and change of direction. Because of this, we have devoted our efforts to educating our staff and athletes on the importance of single-leg training, specifically jumping and landings.

We perform jump training in the warm-up, during movement, and throughout weight-training sessions.

After all, running, cutting, planting, pivoting, and jumping almost always occur with one leg at a time. Why would we not want to make it a priority?

So, if you’re looking to take your coaching and programming to the next level, I’d strongly urge you to check out the Coaches’ Guide to Jump Training.

It was made for coaches, by coaches. Whether you’re working with middle-schoolers or high-profile professionals, we’re certain this system will add another element to your awesome coaching.

Also, if you are looking to improve your own jump training, this is a fantastic resource. It’s currently available for HALF-PRICE.

—> Complete Jumps Training <—

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff To Read While You’re Pretending To Work: 2/26/16

 

Before we dive into this week’s list:

1) Be sure to check out my updated speaking schedule HERE. Early bird rate still applies for mine and Dean Somerset’s workshop at Vigor Ground Fitness in Seattle at …..hint, hint, nudge, nudge.

2) Still haven’t tried Athletic Greens? What’s the dealo? Check THIS out for 50% of your first month.

3) Annnnnnnnnd this…..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbdCPl1RIoM

 

5 Ways Trainers Need to Improve – Nick Tumminello

Supreme writing by Nick on this one, and he hits the nail on the head.

Point #1 really resonated with me: “Some trainers are doing half-ass physical therapy, not training.”

Understanding Mobility – Dean Somerset

One of the most thorough articles in recent memory on what “mobility” really is and how we can effectively train for it (if it’s deemed necessary). Hint: it rarely involves stretching.

ISOs and High-Tension Lifting: Why They Make Sense – Todd Bumgardner

Hmmmm, interesting.

Also, Don’t Forget

To check out Simple Shoulder Solution by Max Shank. It was just released this week, and is getting awesome feedback.

It takes a more unconventional approach to shoulder health, but that’s what I dig about it. I LIKE when coaches think outside the box and take more of a “lets do some cool shit and train” mentality. I’m 100% stealing some of his material. But, you know, giving credit. Max could kick my ass in 2.3 seconds.

Categoriescoaching Corrective Exercise Strength Training

5 Strategies for Healthy Shoulders

Unlike Dan John, I lack the ability to seemingly rattle off an array of quotable quotes with the frequency of a Donald Trump soundbite.

That said, every now and then luck strikes and I chime in with gem like this:

“Lifting weights isn’t supposed to tickle.”

Muscles are going to get sore, and joints are going ache. And, in keeping things real, the risk of sharting yourself increases exponentially.

Sorry, it comes with the territory.

Being “sore and achy,” however, while nothing new to anyone who lifts weights on a regular basis, shouldn’t be a regular occurrence…or badge of honor.

Likewise, while the saying “pain is just weakness leaving the body” is a popular one amongst fitness enthusiasts (most often, CrossFit participants and marathoners2)…it’s really, really, really stupid.

Pain is not weakness leaving the body. It’s your body telling you to “quit the shit” and that what you’re doing has surpassed its ability to recover.

Of course, there are different levels of pain. I can have someone perform a set of 20-rep squats or Prowler drags – on their hands, blindfolded, uphill, for AMRAP – and there’s going to be a degree of “pain” involved.

But if pain is present – to the point where, you know, stuff fucking hurts – then that’s something entirely different and something that needs to be addressed…sans the machismo.

The shoulders are a problem area for many lifters and often take a beating. Below are some brief, overarching talking points on how to address shoulder pain/discomfort.

Note: it’s a broad topic, and one teeny tiny blog post won’t be the answer to everything. However, chances are, addressing one – if not several – of the talking point below may be exactly what’s needed to get the ball rolling in the right direction.

1) Stop Doing What Hurts

I had a client approach me recently about his shoulder. The conversation went something like this:

Client: “My shoulder hurts when I do this.”

[Proceeds to do this weird behind the head, shoulder dislocation thingamajiggy]

Me: “stop doing that.”

Client and Me: “LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL.”

Me: “seriously, stop doing that.”

It seems like an obvious thing to do, but if something hurts – whether it be the weird Cirque du Soleil contortionist move my client was doing, bench pressing, or whatever – stop doing it.

At least for now.

I know it’s a hard blow for a lot of guys to be told to stop bench pressing for any length of time, and in fairness, much of the time it’s a matter of addressing a handful of common technique flaws:

  • Better upper back stiffness (learning to pull shoulder blades together and down for improved stability).
  • Learning to engage the lats (to make a “shelf” and to “row” the bar down towards the chest).
  • Maybe tweaking wrist and elbow position (so one isn’t so flared out).
  • Addressing leg drive.

BAM – shoulder doesn’t hurt anymore.

All that said, it’s usually a better play to take out the incendiary movement altogether – maybe for a few days, or even weeks – and take the time to allow tissues to calm down and address any profound weaknesses and dysfunctions present.

2) Earn the Right to Overhead Press

The ability to raise one’s arms overhead – I.e., shoulder flexion – is something that’s not quite as easily accomplished in today’s society.

The left: what most people look like (forward head posture, excessive lumbar extension). The Right: dead sexy. Kinda.

We just don’t spend that much time there. Yet, walk into any commercial gym or CrossFit box and you’ll witness any number of trainees happily pushing, hoisting, and/or kipping overhead.

Often with deleterious ramifications.

Several factors come into fruition when discussing the ability to elevate the arms overhead3:

  • Shoulder: if one lacks abduction/upward rotation on any given side, you could see any number of compensations like lack of elbow flexion.
  • Scapulae: we need upward rotation, protraction, and posterior tilt to get overhead. Most people are lacking in one or all three.
  • T-Spine: does it extend? It should.
  • Lumbar Spine: does it extend? It sure as shit shouldn’t.

This is where assessment and individualized programming comes into play. Some people require a different “corrective” approach compared to others. However, if that’s not your wheelhouse, refer out!

But as a strength and conditioning professional you could still set people up for success by having them perform more “shoulder friendly” overhead pressing.

1-Arm Landmine Press

 

Serratus Upward Jab

3) Improve Upward Rotation

Many people are “stuck” in a downwardly rotated position – especially those who participate in an overhead sport (baseball for example) or are a lifetime meathead.

Due to lack of anterior core control, tight/stiff lats, soft tissue restrictions, poor programming balance, or a combination of several factors, many tend to live in a state of “gross” extension.

To that end: anything we can do to target the muscles that help upwardly rotate the scapulae – low/upper traps, serratus – would bode in our favor.

Band Wall Walks

 

1-Arm Prone Trap Raise

 

1-Arm Band Overhead Shrug

 

TRX Hinge Row

Moreover, a little TLC to foam rolling the lats would work wonders, as well as addressing anterior core control/strength with exercises like deadbugs.

Too, proper coaching/cueing by not allowing clients to crank though their TL junction or lumbar spine during movement would be stellar. Thanks, appreciate it.

4) Obligatory Commentary On How Breathing Will Cure Everything

I’m a believer in PRI (Postural Restoration Institute) principles and have used it to great success with clients in the past and present.

Helping to “reset” posture with focused breathing drills can be a game changer – especially for those living with shoulder pain.

First, lets address a common fallacy…beautifully articulated by NYC-based physical therapist, Connor Ryan:

Taking the conversation on “gross extension” a little further, we can attempt to apply Connor’s analogy with some focused breathing drills like this:

 

Doing so:

  • Helps stimulate parasympathetic activity (excessive extension = “impingement” of Posterior Mediastinum leading to constant sympathetic – flight or flight – activity).
  • Allows a window for the thorax/rib-cage to move, which, in turn, allows the scapulae to move.
  • I only perform 1-3 different drills here, lasting, maybe, 2-4 minutes. And then it’s time to go lift heavy shit.

5) Let Your Shoulder Blades Move

A common mistake I see many trainees make is “glueing” their shoulder blades in place during exercises like a 1-arm dumbbell row or even push-ups.

This is not wise.

Scapular retraction (adduction) is important, but so it allowing the shoulder blades to protract (abduct).

In short: the shoulder blades should have the ability to move around the rib cage.

If their always pinned in place, this will often manifest into glenohumeral issues – namely, anterior humeral translation and instability.

Translated into non-geek speak, your shoulder is basically saying:

Simple Shoulder Solution

Strength coach Max Shank just released a handy manual called the Simple Shoulder Solution.

Anyone familiar with Max’s work knows he’s a guy that likes to think outside the box and help get people more athletic.

Much of what I discussed above mirrors much of what Max covers in this manual (with more detail).

In order to best address the function of the shoulder you need to follow the order of operations and handle the surrounding structures first. These are:

1) Breathing and Core Activation
2) Thoracic and Neck Mobility
3) Scapular Mobility and Stability
4) Glenohumeral Mobility and Stability

The main idea here is that if you do not address 1-3 FIRST, you are likely to create more compensation, hypermobility and potential for injury at the Glenohumeral joint.

I can dig it.

Give it a look for yourself HERE.

Categoriescoaching Exercise Technique

Trainer Critique Live 2: The Deadlift

I had an amazing time in NYC this past weekend.

I was invited back by the crew at Mark Fisher Fitness to participate in round #2 of their Motivation and Movement Lab. I, along with Mark Fisher, Michael Keeler, Harold Gibbons, Michael Littig, Steven Ledbetter, Pete Dupuis, and Artemis Scantalides spoke over the course of two days to a group of 80+ trainers, coaches, therapists, and gym owners from around the country on a variety of fitness-related topics ranging from business and behavioral change to program design and assessment.

What’s more…there were roughly 17,459 f-bombs dropped, 245 references to unicorns/dildos, and this Pulitzer Prize worthy picture.

It’s hard not to appreciate the sharp contrast and symmetry between the lighting, Jackie Chan’s facial expression, and my biceps.

Much like last year, I left the event feeling energized and thankful for being included in such an amazing event. I’m a better human being after having been immersed in the infectious MFF culture. Their passion and proclivity at helping every person pursue and amplify the best version of him or herself possible is unparalleled.

It’s quite an honor to see and be a part of it.

On that note: I got back into Boston somewhat late last night, and am in the throes of email purgatory. However, I do have something cool for you to check out.

Trainer Critique 2: The Deadlift

Last year, both Bret Contreras and Nick Tumminello were part of a video series hosted by ProShapeFitness.com called Trainer Critique “Live” I felt was pretty neat.

The premise was simple: the two of them watched a video of someone performing a lift (in this case, the squat) and they would each provide real-time, “live” feedback on what they saw.

HERE’s the link to the video.

For the second go-round, I was asked – alongside Jordan Syatt – to critique two different deadlifts. Here’s what transpired. Enjoy!

Jump to each critique section:
– Jordan Syatt critique 1: 0:56
– Jordan Syatt critique 2: 3:59
– Tony Gentilcore critique 1: 7:12
– Tony Gentilcore critique 2: 14:07

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff To Read While You’re Pretending To Work: 2/19/16

I’m heading to NYC this weekend to hang out with my boy Mark Fisher and his clan of unicorn loving ninjas.

For those of you who live in New York it’s a wonderful place. Their tagline “Ridiculous Humans. Serious Fitness” is so on point.

I mean, where else can you find people squatting, deadlifting, and performing immaculate kettlebell swing and Turkish get-ups, all while wearing speedos and capes and participating in spontaneous ABBA sing-a-longs?

Not to mention this happened the last time I visited….erotic bicep curls paired with squats.

 

I’ll be in town for the second iteration of the Motivation and Movement LAB.  I was honored to be invited to speak at the inaugural event last year, and was elated to witness how well-received it turned out to be.

It sold out on it’s first go. Pretty sweet.

It’s a bit of a different flavor compared to most fitness events:

  • Swearing is highly encouraged.
  • Sexual innuendos are also highly encouraged.
  • Each presenter gives a 25 minute TED-like presentation, followed by a 45 minute hands-on portion.
  • Dance-offs optional.

I had blast attending last year and was very happy I was invited back for the second go around in 2016. This time it’s a 2-Day event, eight presenters in all. I’m actually car-pooling with two them from Boston – Pete Dupuis and Artemis Scantalides.

I’m driving. And I already warned them that I preset ALL my XM channels to Electric Area.4

See you Monday.

Can Eating Too Little Actually Damage Your Metabolism? – Brian St. Pierre

One of the most thorough articles I have ever read on the very controversial topic of metabolism. Don’t be intimidated, though. Brian does a fantastic job of making things accessible and not too sciency.

Sit down, maybe grab some caffeine, you’ll be here for awhile.

Fixing Hip Shift In the Squat – Dr. Quinn Henoch

Fantastic video by Dr. Henoch and the team over at Juggernaut Training on how to fix a very common “thing” that happens when many people squat.

Building Up the Squat – Miguel Aragoncillo

And since we’re on the topic of squats, this was a great piece by Cressey Sports Performance coach, Miguel Aragoncillo, on the efficacy of the overhead squat.

CategoriesAssessment Corrective Exercise Exercise Technique

Common Mistakes With Shoulder Assessment

Assessment in the health and fitness setting can be tricky, and rife with numerous (common) mistakes some fitness professionals make.

This is especially true when we start talking shoulders.

Mistake #1: the shoulder isn’t just the shoulder. 

As in: it’s not just one “thing.” We’re actually referring to a shoulder “complex” that’s, well, complex.

The “shoulder” is comprised of four separate articulations (glenohumeral joint, sternoclavicular joint, acromioclavicular joint, as well as the scapulothoracic joint), all playing nicey-nice together in order to perform a wide array of movement(s).

All deserve their time under the assessment microscope.

Mistake #2: However, while all areas are important, I do find that assessing and addressing scapular function/positioning is often the key to unlocking answers. Unfortunately, it’s often the area that’s least looked at with regards to shoulder pain/dysfunction.

Mistake #3: shoulder assessment can – and should be – attacked from a few different perspectives.

Far too often, I find, fitness professionals take a static view of what’s going on and that’s it. They’ll have an individual stand there in the middle of a room, utter a few “mmm’s and ahhh’s,” write a few fancy schmancy words like “internally rotated,” “kyphotic,” or “I have my work cut out for me,” and that’s that.

Assessment complete.

Lets go squat!

When in fact, shoulder assessment should be broken down into a few disparate – but not altogether separate – components: Static Assessment, Integrative Assessment, and Dynamic Assessment.

Not to mention one’s ability to fill in a smedium t-shirt. Very important.

All three provide pertinent information that will help better ascertain the appropriate plan of attack when it comes to movement dysfunction, pain, and/or improved performance within the shoulder complex.

I Got 99 (Shoulder) Problems and….

…..My scapulae are the reason for all of them.

Sorry, I’m no Jay-Z. And I know I just butchered one of his classic hits.

But it was the only way I could think of to best articulate my point.

The scapulae (shoulder blades) are kind of a big deal when we begin to discuss shoulder health. It’s an arbitrary number I’m throwing out there with no research to back it up – so please, don’t quote me5  – but 90-95% of the “shoulder” issues I’ve helped address in the past when I was a coach at Cressey Sports Performance as well as the present (now that I am on my own), can be correlated back to scapular positioning and function.

Static Assessment

  • The scapulae should be in slight upward rotation. As you can see in the picture above, this individual is in slight downward rotation statically (both inferior medial borders (the two bottom x’s) of the scapulae are inside the superior medial borders.
  • Both scapulae should rest between T2-T7. The top middle “x” is T2 and you can see this person is below that point and in slight shoulder depression.
  • The medial borders themselves should rest between 1-3 inches from the spine.

If we only used static assessment it would be easy to assume this person is f****d. Many fitness pros would see this, hyperventilate into a brown paper bag, and immediately go into corrective mode.

But as Mike Reinold has poignantly noted time and time again:

“Statically, everyone’s shoulder blades start in a different position (elevated vs. depressed, internally rotated vs. externally rotated, abducted vs. adducted, anteriorly titled vs. posteriorly tilted, Autobots vs. Decepticons), and it’s moot to take static posture at face value.”

Besides, the above picture is of me, and when this was filmed/taken I presented with zero shoulder pain. This isn’t to imply I don’t have anything to work on, but it does showcase that static posture alone isn’t going to tell you all you need to know.

Integrative Assessment

Once we start adding movement – looking at scapulohumeral rhythm (the interplay between humerus and shoulder blade) or one’s ability to elevate arms above their head – sometimes, people self-correct really well.

What presents as “bad, “faulty,” or “shitty (<— depending on your rating system) statically, may very well be passable or very good once you add movement.

When looking at shoulder elevation/flexion, for example, does the scapula posteriorly tilt, upwardly rotate sufficiently (generally looking at 55-60 degrees of upward rotation), and does the inferior angle wrap around the thorax to the midline of the body?

This is something that can’t be determined if you’re only looking at static posture.

Dynamic Assessment

This is basically the part of the assessment where I ask the person to do stuff. Rather than boring someone to tears poking and prodding for an hour and making him or her feel like a patient, I prefer to get them moving and have them demonstrate certain exercises.

The push-up tells me a lot. Not only does it give me insight on their ability to move their scapulae (many times they’re “stuck” in adduction), but it also provides details on their lumbo-pelvic-hip control.

Because, something like this makes my corneas want to jump into a pool of acid:

 

Note: I understand the point of the video above was to purposely showcase a bad push-up. Mission accomplished.

More importantly, if someone comes to me with pain present, having them demonstrate how they perform certain exercises provides unparalleled understanding of what needs to be fixed.

A common theme I see amongst many trainees is allowing their shoulders to roll forward during execution of given exercises.

A Brief Review: when we elevate our arms above our heads the shoulder blades posteriorly tilt (hug the rib cage) and upwardly rotate. Reversing the action calls for scapular anterior tilt and downward rotation.

Many people “feed” into excessive downward rotation/anterior tilt by allowing the shoulders roll forward during common exercises like rows, push-ups, curls, and tricep press downs.

Stop It

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9ytqrIf-dc

 

I Said, Stop It!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47xXBhD7SuI

 

The “fix” here is easy:

Me to Client: “Okay, show me how you’d perform a standing cable row and tricep press down.”

Client: “Um, okay.”

[Then proceeds to emulate technique from the videos above.]

“Yeah, that hurts.”

Me to Client: “Stop doing them that way.”

[Puts client in a better position…shoulders rolled back with posterior tilt.]

Client to Me: “Wow, that feels so much better. You’re so smart and attractive.”

That’s Not All

What’s described above is in no way an exhaustive approach to shoulder assessment, but I hope it at least opened your eyes to the notion that it’s more multi-faceted than many give it credit for.

And on that note, I’d be remiss not to point people in the direction of guys like Eric Cressey, Mike Reinold, and Dr. Evan Osar.

Functional Stability Training – Upper Body is an excellent resource for more insight on shoulder assessment and corrective exercise.

Likewise, Dr. Osar’s Integrative Corrective Exercise Approach is an excellent resource.

And, pimping myself up a little bit, I cover the above and many other shoulder related topics in mine and Dean Somerset’s Complete Hip & Shoulder Workshop coming to the Toronto area in a few weeks (1 week left to take advantage of the Early Bird Special), Seattle, and two stops in Europe in May.

Go HERE for dates and to register.

Categoriescoaching Exercise Technique

3 Exercises You Won’t Believe Work As Well As They Do

If you’ve ever picked up a VHS off the shelf at Blockbuster—you still do that too, right?—you know that movies often aren’t what they appear to be at first glance.

  • The Deer Hunter isn’t about hunting deer.
  • The Neverending Story actually, you know, ends. There’s even a sequel.
  • 50 Shades of Grey is not a coloring book.

Strength training is the same way. Plenty of movements look like a whole lot of weirdness—or a whole lot of nothing—when you see them in a 10-second YouTube clip without context. But with a little more context, they turn out to be just the thing you needed all along to build an epic overhead press or nail that first pull-up.

These three movements are all worthy of being performed without a shred of self-consciousness. Still, it’s a good idea to be prepared for the inevitable question: “What is that working?”

Continue Reading on BodyBuilding.com….

SPOILER ALERT: exercises discussed in the article are HBT (Hanging Band Training) Overhead Press, Lying Hollow Position, and the Spoto Press (pictured above).6.

CategoriesExercises You Should Be Doing

Exercises You Should Be Doing: Barbell Seal Row

It’s a national holiday here in the States – President’s Day – which means my wife has the day off from work. Whenever that happens we like to go get a workout in together since it’s rare we have the opportunity to do so.

Contrary to what many reading may thing, getting a lift in at a commercial gym is actually something I look forward to, because it allows a little change of pace and environment for me. Plus it gives me access to pieces of equipment I normally don’t have access to.

Pec deck for days baby!!!

Another side benefit is the observations into human behavior it highlights. Commercial gyms are a petri dish of odd and comical behavior.

Today called for squats. I walk into the main weight area and noticed that both squat racks were in use by, weirdly enough, two guys squatting. Awesome. I’ll wait.

The “wait” turned into ten minutes as one guy, in his mid-20s, was taking F.O.R.E.V.E.R in between his sets. When he’d complete a set he’d stand there looking straight into the mirror, gazing into his own eyes for a few minutes catching his breath, and then walk over to his what I have to assume girlfriend to chat it up.

After the 3rd round of this, I casually walk up to him and ask, “hey man, how many more sets do you have?”

“A few sets.”

“Mind if I jump in and start warming up?”

[Cue incredulous look, as if I just asked him if I could fart in his eye.]

“Um, yeah, sure.”

As I start my warm-up I notice, through the corner of my eye, him acting all “huffy” with his girlfriend.

It ended up being fine. I made sure to re-rack the bar to the weight he was using and by the time I was half-way through my warm-up sets he had finished. But man, the experience just reminded me that people are way too serious sometimes.

End rant.

Lets get to the gist of today’s post.

Barbell Seal Row

 

Who Did I Steal It From: The guy who writes my programs, Greg Robins, put these into one of my days last week and I loved them.

When I posted this video up on my Instagram account, Greg noted he “stole” the exercise from a guy named Mike Shea via Josh Bryant. Who, I can only guess, got it from some obscure Russian weight training coach or The Rock. Doesn’t matter. It’s a baller exercise.

What Does It Do: This is an excellent exercise that hammers the upper back, specifically the (lower) lats. The exercise lends itself to taking away “body english” and forces the lifter to place a premium on technique and really “feeling” the lats fire.

Key Coaching Cues: 

  • Be sure you use a set-up that allows you to fully extend (straighten out) your arms. The should be enough room for the shoulder blades to move around the thorax/rib cage.
  • Squeeze glutes, brace abs. This will help prevent any hyper-extension of the lumbar spine.
  • Try to keep the neck packed (make a double chin).
  • Think about pulling your elbows towards the hips. The barbell will more or less be in line with that cute, little, belly button of yours.
  • Pull barbell all the way up until barbell touches the bench. I you find that that position places you in too much glenohumeral extension (shoulders roll forward), you can add a fat pad to the barbell to help lessen the ROM.
  • Progression would be to eventually lift the legs off the bench, via the glutes (hip extension).
  • Try not to wear too tight of a shirt, cause you’re jacked, and you’re shirt will rip….;o)

Perform for sets of 8-10 repetitions.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff To Read While You’re Pretending To Work: 2/12/16

Gentle reminder fellas: I Love You, Even Though Sometimes I Think About Drop Kicking You In the Face. Here Are Some Flowers and Lets Go Eat An Expensive Steak Dinner Day Valentine’s Day is this weekend.

It’ll be mine and Lisa’s first V-Day as a married couple.

Since this year the actual day falls on Sunday, Saturday night is unofficially the real Valentine’s Day. Lisa is going wine tasting with a friend, and I’m going to go see Deadpool at IMAX with Kevin Larrabee.

Who says romance is dead when you put a ring on it?…..;o)

No worries: I’ll figure something out. A box of chocolates7, a foot massage, maybe a little Netflix and chill.  BOM CHICKA BOM BOM.

Quick-n-Dirty Updates

1) Be sure to peruse my upcoming speaking schedule. Dean Somerset and I will be kicking off our Complete Shoulder & Hip Workshop (2016 Edition) near Toronto in a few weeks, and then it’s off to Seattle, WA.

And then EUROPE (Prague and Oslo, respectively).

I also have several solo gigs in the works in NY, PA, and MA as well. For more info and to register go HERE.

2) Eric Cressey’s $30 OFF sale on The High Performance Handbook ends this weekend. Oh snap, did I mention Valentine’s Day is this weekend? (Hint, hint, nudge, nudge).

What better present than 16 weeks of one of the world’s best strength and conditioning coaches showing your loved one the ropes?

Or you could buy it for yourself and tell your loved one their present is deadlift PRs, better hip mobility, and pecs/glutes for days (retroactive in 16 weeks).

Don’t miss you, go HERE.

3) Check out one of my new favorite back exercises…the Seal Row.

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Should You Foam Roll Your IT Band? – Kevin Neeld

The topic of foam rolling – and foam rolling the ITB – has always been dichotomous in fitness/health circles. Some coaches love it and see great results, others hate it and deem it pointless.

There was an article that came out a week or so ago by Andrew Franklyn-Miller on why you SHOULD NOT use a foam roller on the IT band.

As you might suspect, the internet shit itself.

Kevin wrote a perfect response above. Read it.

37 Fitness Experts Share Their Biggest Workout Mistakes – compiled by Gareth Jones

This one is a doozy, but it’s full of awesome tidbits and insights from many of the top trainers and coaches around.

The Curious Case of Why People Fear Protein – Adam Bornstein

Does eating too much protein cause cancer?

Will eating too much protein cause your kidneys to malfunction?

If you eat a burger, does a baby seal die?

Adam has some insights and facts to share.

CategoriesProduct Review Program Design

The Single Biggest Mistake Most People Make With Their Training Programs

Full Disclosure: Today is a repurposed post written last year and coincides with Eric Cressey placing his resource, High Performance Handbook, on sale this week for $30 off the regular price.

Sale notwithstanding, it’s still a good post. You should read it.

The Single Biggest Mistake People Make With Their Training Programs

I want to tell you about a friend of mine. Lets call him Matt Damon.

For the record, no, Matt Damon isn’t his real name. In fact this friend I’m referring to doesn’t even exist (or star in any Jason Bourne movies).

Rather, he serves as a metaphor for many of you reading this post.

You see Matt is like many of you who, unknowingly or not, repeats the same mistake time and time again when it comes to his (or her!) training.

To his credit, “Matt” makes it a point to ensure the bulk of his training revolves around the compound lifts.

Instead of an “arms and shoulders day, “ he performs a chin-up day; instead of a “hamstring and anterior tibialis day,” he performs a deadlift day; and well, you get the idea.

Likewise, while he generally prefers to lift weights 3-4 times per week, he’s not immune to stepping outside that bubble, understands that variety is the spice of life, and enjoys doing other things. Every now and then he’ll attend the Bikram yoga class or spin class or hell, he’s even been known to spend an afternoon hiking or playing Ultimate Frisbee.

At the end of the day, though, his heart and passion lies in the gym and tossing around some iron.

But here’s the thing: he loves to lift weights. That’s what he eats, drinks and breaths. He spends a lot of his free time reading fitness websites like T-Nation.com, Men’s Health, or various blogs (even this one!)8, and he’s been doing it for a few years now.

Yet, he’s never been really happy with his results.

Matt hasn’t sniffed a PR in months (if not longer), he always seems to have some kind of nagging injury – a tweaked shoulder here, a dinged up knee there – and he can’t remember the last time he looked in the mirror and thought to himself, “are those my pecs or a steel plate I have on my chest?”

He’s more or less spinning his wheels.

Does this sound vaguely familiar? Can you relate?  What the hell is he/you doing wrong?

It’s certainly not lack of effort or desire.

I’ll Tell You What’s Wrong

You know that popular saying, “The best program is the one you’re not doing?”

Well, I think a more cogent saying should be,

“The best program is the one you’re not doing, and the one you’ll actually follow for more than a week at a time.”

In other words: Far too many people tend to fall in the trap of program hopping.

One week Matt wants to focus on fat loss, only to do a complete 180 after reading an article the following week talking about a kick-ass Smolov squat cycle.

Then, inevitably, he’ll join his local CrossFit box and do that for a few weeks. That is, of course, until he’s done so many kipping pull-ups and burpees that he hates life or can’t feel the right side of his face.

Which ever comes first.

And then he’ll come across yet another program that promises to add four inches to his biceps, 50 lbs to his bench press, and help him speak fluent Mandarin in a month.

Oh, but wait – two weeks into that program he forgets he promised his girlfriend he’d train for a 5K with her scheduled later next month.

Shit. Goodbye gainz.

You get the point. And I have a fair assumption that, while the above example(s) are a bit exaggerated, many of you reading are sitting their with your tail between your legs.

Many begin an exercise program (whichever it may be), only to follow it for a week, or worse, days, and don’t get immediate results…then blame everything on the program.

Guilty as charged, right?

Program hopping can have a number of detrimental effects:

1.  You never give the body the chance to truly adapt to anything. While it’s a good thing to NOT perform the same things over and over again for months on end (which a lot of trainees make a mistake of doing); the same can be said for switching things up too often.

More to the point: There’s a distinct lack of skill development. You never get “good” or develop proficient at doing anything.

It’s a pendulum that’s swung either too far to the left (not changing anything) or too for to the right (program hopping), and what most people need is to swing it back to the middle.

2.  Moreover, with program hopping, it makes it much more of a challenge to gauge actual progress.

As noted above, if one week you’re performing a deadlift specialization program only to switch gears three weeks later to follow a bench press specialization program, how the heck do you expect to measure progress?

I don’t know if there’s such a thing as program hopping Adderall, but I will say that for most people, most of the time, what will help them most is a program that will give them structure.

Something that will lock them in and keep their focus for more than a week at a time.

A program that will give them purpose, a goal. Results!

Boom, Goes the Dynamite

A few years ago my good friend, business partner, and long-time training partner, Eric Cressey, released his flagship resource Show and Go.

To say it was a popular program and a huge success would be an understatement. It helped countless people nail personal records they never thought possible, take their physiques to another stratosphere, not to mention helped thousands to learn to move better and feel like a million bucks.

As much as the programming was top-notch, I think the biggest benefit was that it held people accountable and kept them on track for an extended period of time.

It gave them focus!

And like magic, people finally attained results.

A few years later Eric released his second digital training program, The High Performance Handbook.

It’s everything Show and Go was/is, but 10x better.

For movie buffs out there reading, it’s like this: The Godfather was the shiz. But the Godfather II? Well, that mofo slapped you in the face and called you it’s daddy.

High Performance Handbook is The Godfather Part II (<– Eric, you have my permission to use that as a blurb).

It’s been a very popular program, one of the best selling programs on the internet since its initial release, and it’s currently on SALE at $30 off the regular price.

NOTE: I recognize everyone who’s anyone in the industry is highlighting the sale today (and all this week for that matter9.) on their respective blogs and websites.

And rightfully so…it’s an awesome program.

But unlike everyone else, I’ve actually seen the program performed in the flesh and KNOW how well it works.

1. First off, The High Performance Handbook allows anyone who purchases it to customize the program to fit their body-type. There’s a self-assessment component that no other training program has implemented before.

Rather than provide a cookie-cutter program – which, lets be honest, is how things have to be done over the internet when you have limited (if any) actual face time with people – Eric made it a priority that people would be able to modify the program based off their body type, exercise frequency, as well as equipment availability. So, in many ways, this is as NON-cookie cutter of an internet program as you can get.

2. This is about as close as anyone is going to get to training at Cressey Sports Performance without actually stepping foot in Cressey Sports Performance.  The templates used and the exercises provided have been tested (and proven to work) time and time again, and are the EXACT same protocols we use to turn people into tanks on a daily basis.

3. Speaking of exercises:  Eric filmed over 200+ videos for this product, including all the coaching cues and bullet points we use with our athletes and clients at the facility.  That’s over three hours of content on its own.

4. Lastly, there are some pretty sweet bonuses involved from fellow Cressey Sports Performance coaches Miguel Aragoncillo and Andrew Zomberg

In all,  you’ll have the option of purchasing the Gold Package (which includes the Nutrition Guide) for $30 off the regular price, or the Silver Package (no Nutrition Guide) for $30 off the regular price as well.

I tried convincing Eric into tossing in a 5×7 picture of me flexing to help sweeten the pot, but he didn’t bite. Pfffft, whatever.

Both options are a steal considering you’re getting 16 weeks of programming with Eric coaching you every step of the way.

The sale’s almost over. Act now. You won’t be sorry.

—-> The High Performance Handbook<—-