Tony and I woke up bright, early, and ready for that insane breakfast. We hit the little gym at the hotel, and got downstairs in time for Tony to eat before heading out for Day 2 of the workshop. I managed to sneak a little photo of breakfast:
Afterward, Tony headed out, and I got ready for the day. It’s rainy and kind of gross, so I tried to dress accordingly.
First, I made a game plane with one of the front desk girls, which involves looking at a map and torturing the front desk girl, because I am the most direction challenged person to walk the earth. So I terrorized this young, gorgeous blonde over the map and made her draw lines with arrows and tell me things three times, and right before she was ready to lose her Scandinavian cool, I thanked her and headed out.
Here is a plan for the day:
I set out for the National Gallery first, stopping to check out the National Theatre:
The doors opened at 11:00am and the collection was small, but impressive. There were some Norwegian artists I had never heard of, and a few others that I knew. There was an entire room with Munch (the best-known Norse artist), and people crowded The Scream and took their picture with it like it was the Mona Lisa.
My favorite was called September, by Erik Werenskiold (1883)
I got myself a few postcards and started the long walk to the Botanical Gardens.
I made my way though a different part of town that seemed more every-day than touristy, and could easily tell I was approaching the Botanical Gardens, as runners, strollers, and happy off-leash dogs started to lead the way.
The National History Museum lives inside the Botanical Gardens. I did not visit that museum today, but did check out the Gardens. Have a look:
The Munch Museum was… well… different.
The idea is to change the exhibit regularly by comparing and contrasting Munch’s work to another artist’s.
Currently, the artist of comparison was Robert Mapplethorpe.
Mapplethorpe is… well… a colorful person, to say the least. I don’t mean his works – they’re mostly black and white photographs – I mean him.
Please Google Mapplethorpe if you get the chance. I’m not sure the American version of Google will have his pictures available to view, but just know that he was mainly interested in (male) sexuality, sexual identity, and nudes.
One thing I loved was to see all the families, young, old, conservative-looking and otherwise, all viewing the exhibit without embarrassment or awkwardness. (We Americans could learn a lot from Europeans). I will not include a photo with a penis here – mainly because my Grandmother (HI MEEMS!!!) might be reading this. But here’s a tame example:
I especially liked the many photos he had of this subject, Lisa Lyons (pictured above), because she was the first woman to win the International Federation of Bodybuilders World Pro Championship.
So in her day, she was considered insanely muscular and “masculine”. Today, wouldn’t you agree that she looks like your standard “fit” actress or fitness model?
Anyway, after the museum I headed back home, this way taking a different route, and making my way to Central Station in Oslo. Tony and I have a crack-o’-dawn train to catch on Tuesday morning! So I wanted to know exactly where to go while were still in Zombie mode and schlepping our luggage.
I made my way back to the hotel and enjoyed an afternoon espresso and sparkling water.
Tony made it back around 6:00pm, and we popped up to the lounge for our free-hotel dinner.
Delicious! Again, my favorite bread ever.
There are pieces of carrots and sunflower seeds and it is so heavy and chunky it barely stays together. Also there was this fresh cabbage and fennel salad and a fabulous chili that had chunks of beef and pork.
After dinner we digested a bit, and then met up with Dean and Lindsay for dessert and goodbye.
D&L head back to London tomorrow, and home on Tuesday. They’ve been great traveling companions and we’ll miss them!
We returned to the hotel just after 9:00pm and were beat. I told Tony we should go to bed, because I have a FULL itinerary planned for his one and only free day in Oslo, tomorrow!
Luckily, I lined up some excellent guest posts for you while I’m away. Here’s one from San Antonio based trainer, Jonathan Acosta.
“Put That Cookie Down!”
– Arnold
You hear that all the time from nutrition zealots. Shit, the legend himself, Arnold, said it and the interwebs even created a meme out of it.
But what if I told you rather than putting the cookie down……….Eat it!
Yes eat that cookie! Follow your dreams man!
No this isn’t the beginning of an Instagram supplement commercial.
Don’t worry I haven’t gone bat shit crazy….YET.
Listen: nutrition is one of my favorite topics. Fitness and nutrition is my profession. Im all for buckling down and getting your nutrition in check. You have a show or a competition you need to get ready for?
Cool, lets buckle down and get your nutrition in check.
I’m all for meal plans and strict adherence. My brother’s girlfriend likes to joke that we can eat the same thing day in and day out.
If you have an important goal or deadline, then hell yea I recommend a detailed plan and strict adherence…………….
But the reality is, most people don’t need that kind of strictness. At least not in the real world, or at the beginning of their journey.
A funny thing happened when I started training and working on people’s nutrition.
I would write a detailed plan out and by Week #2 it was out the door and back to old habits. Only my competitive clients would grit through it and last through the plan.
You see, this is the real world. And in the real world habits are king.
Most people juggle their jobs, families, kids, and everything in between. Just starting a workout plan alone is stressful enough.
Life happens and building better habits keeps you on point.
It’s not realistic to change your entire eating patterns to almost a robot like state and expect to hit your goals and stay like that forever.
Working on better eating habits works wonders.
Search Google for nutrition tips and what do you hear?
Cut out the sweets, eat chicken and broccoli, don’t drink alcohol. You name it.
You probably read that while rolling your eyes thinking duh we know all this.
Which brings me to my point.
All the above tips are practically common knowledge now. So why isn’t everyone rocking a six-pack or first in like to take part in a shirtless volleyball game at the beach???
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zmfd9etbXGE
The answer to that is two fold.
Habits and consistency.
Creating habits that ensure this whole “nutrition thing” is life long.
All while being consistent. Day in and day out.
That’s what its all about. That’s the real secret.
It’s not about what diet plan you follow. Or if you’re paleo, warrior diet, or intermittent fasting. It’s about finding something that WORKS FOR YOU AND YOUR WORLD.
Right now the cool thing to do is follow what these peeps on the grams of Insta are showing.
Meal prep consisting of nothing but chicken and broccoli – CHECK
Taking selfies with meals – CHECK
Repeating the steps above – CHECK
Get paid – CHECK
That last step is for the Instagram peeps.
That step for most folks looks more like this….
Realizing that this isn’t realistic and its boring. Throw the meals away, go back to old habits and eat what you used to eat.
I’m gonna pause right here. All of this depends on your goals and the amount of time you give yourself for your goals and its urgency.
If you have a wedding or something that is a necessity then yes by all means, bite the bullet and have a PROPER plan of attack and go for it.
If your goal is similar but isn’t as urgent then you’re better off not worrying to much about your short game.
Think about your end game.
In the grand scheme of things, what makes more sense? Following a strict diet for 2-3 weeks then “relapsing” and go to F-it mode for 1-2 weeks. Then starting all over again.
OR
Gradually working on habits and cutting back on a few things here and there until eventually we’ve completely changed our entire nutrition approach.
I first learned about habits through John Berardi and the crew over at Precision Nutrition. I’ll be completely honest and say that when I first read a few articles and saw how they approached things I was dumbfounded.
How were their clients getting crazy results and they weren’t even following a strict diet?
They didn’t even know their macros!
There is no way adding in a small habit here and there bi-weekly created all that change.
In my defense I was young and naïve. The older I got, and the more people I worked with, the more I started realizing that habits are the cornerstone of everything.
Turns out Berardi really hadn’t lost his marbles after all. (I dived right into the Precision Nutrition certification the moment it became available)
In reality, what seemed so simple was actually pretty ground breaking.
Sure you can give someone a diet plan and they may or may not follow it. But if you change someones habits, I mean really rewire them from the inside.
That’s when you start changing lives.
So what can you do TODAY to improve?
Here are some action habits I’ve used with clients:
1) Add in Two Protein Shakes a Day.
One of the first things I see in peoples nutrition habits is lack of protein. For the sedentary person that doesn’t workout, this isn’t a huge priority. But if you workout frequently then this habit will go a long way.
2) Cut back slightly on starchy carbs.
Lets say you eat four meals a day and normally 3-4 of those meals contain carbs. Then cut back slightly by replacing starchy carbs with veggies for 2 meals.
3) Take notes on how you feel after a meal
Although this doesn’t directly help your results, finding out what foods make you feel like crap and which ones make you feel energized goes a long way in helping you make better food choices.
4) Save the reward.
Save the rewards for the last meal of the day.
I don’t know about you but come evening time I’m starving!
No matter how many meals I’ve eaten I’m ravenous. So saving a reward treat for the evening helps curb whatever cravings I have. If you’ve got a sweet tooth than this works especially well for you.
The trick is to make sure the rest of the day is on point and aligned with our goals.
This means making sure your protein intake is good, you’re mindful of the starches, and you workout. If all things go right then a small reward wouldn’t be too harmful. Remember this is temporary while were weaning off per say.
Bonus:
Finding less goal harming treats is even better. Some of my go to’s are:
Cool whip (a small serving is super low)
Almond butter, protein powder, heavy whipping cream pudding
Proscuitto and mozzarella (don’t ask me why but a slice of each kills any sweet or salty cravings I have, maybe itll work for you)
Sugar free chocolates (Be mindful on these as some people cant handle the sugar substitutes well and have G.I. issues. Bloating sucks.)
Small habits that build up to amazing results. Nothing fancy. No drinking a protein shake made with fresh milk from a grass fed intermittent fasting cow who was born on the summer solstice.
Just practical habits that cater to you in the real world. Habits that dont require you to sacrifice your social life and over stress about everything else.
So get your habits in check and eat that cookie if you need it.
Until you level up and its time to PUT THE COOKIE DOWN!!!!!
He likes lifting heavy things, reading books with big words in them, his steaks rare, funny stuff, writing stuff, hanging out with friends, and laughing.
You know how they make those movies about the near future Dystopia? In which we’ve destroyed the environment, we treat each other like shit, and no one is able to shower any more? Well, just imagine the inverse of that.
Kind of like Star Trek, only sooner to now.
And also less spandex and more normal hairdo’s.
That’s basically Oslo.
Everyone speaks multiple languages – most notably English. The streets are pristine, and old royal-looking buildings are routinely and momentarily blotted out by passing trams, trolley cars, and slick looking German cars that don’t make any noise.
Tony set out for his 8-hour Shoulder-palooza Seminar, and I went for a little joggy-jog. (If you’ve been reading, you’ll remember that my ‘jog’ involves bouncy walking with very frequent stops for photo-taking). Here are some highlights.
Once the jogging was over, I hit the mini-gym in the hotel (which has taps for still AND sparkling water!!!) for a little upper-body biz-nass. Then a quick shower and on to the free and amazing breakfast!
Now, seriously. I know about breakfast. I’ve had lots of breakfasts. I consider myself an authority on what constitutes an impressive breakfast.
Let me tell you: #1 breakfast of all time.
And. It. Was. Free.
I was too overwhelmed to take any photos. The name of the restaurant in the lobby where breakfast is located is named “Paleo”; needless to say, there were 37 kinds of meat and eggs. I’ll try to capture it tomorrow.
Did I also mention that there are industrial-sized Nespresso machines EVERYWHERE in this hotel?
I love espressos, and own a Nespresso, but I have never seen machines this size; not I was not surprised, being in the near future Utopia and all.
Only second to espresso is my love for fizzy water.
In the US, it’s not as ubiquitous as it is over in Europe, so it’s always a plus of traveling abroad. At the Thon Rosenkrantz, there are actually taps all over the place, so you can have some sparkling whenever you like. For example, here is the Nespresso machine and the tap in the lounge (hopefully this is what it will look like in my own dream kitchen one day…)
Fortified by my pre-historic breakfast and many, many espressos, I was ready to explore the near future.
Based on my Norse research, and excited about having a Saturday in the city to myself, I set out for The Vigeland Sculpture Park. About a 2 mile walk, I stopped at the Royal Palace along the way:
Which is surrounded by a beautiful park, open to the public:
Then I continued my journey through lots of shops and people out for brunch whathaveyou on their Saturday mornings:
Finally, I arrived at the Vigeland Sculpture Park! I will let the photos speak for themselves
This is a huge park, and was filled with both tourists and locals. After roaming around for a bit, I made my way to the base of the park, where the Vigeland Museum and some tennis courts were.
Then I made my way over to a Vintage and Antiques Market I read about online, called “Vestkanttorvet Bric-a-Brac Antiques Market”.
Who wouldn’t want to check that out?
Here it is!
A combo vintage/antique/flea market, there were all kinds of one-man’s-trash, another-man’s-treasure type things. It was fun to watch the locals buy and sell, and I did find myself a few little Norwegian treasures (at a great price!).
After the market I began to meander back to the hotel. I stopped in some shops and roamed back through the Palace grounds, and made my way down to the water. There was a cultural fair in full effect! Check it:
I then walked out on the pier to find a bit of lunch. (It was 2:30 and I was barely hungry, but I knew Tony would want to eat right after the seminar – at our FREE dinner!). I picked a spot with a little outdoor seating to watch the water, look at the Castle across the water, and people watch.
It looked like this:
A Caesar salad and Sauvignon Blanc later, I nipped back to the hotel to drop off my treasures and grab a little Nespresso. Tony asked me to arrive at the gym at 4:00pm, so I could watch him in action a bit before he ended the day at 5:00pm.
I’m sorry there’s no pictures! I didn’t want to make a scene. I was a fly on the wall, and since I haven’t watched Tony speak in a few years, I was impressed with how polished and efficient he’s become.
Bravo babe!
Good news bad news?
Tony was on such a roll, he didn’t finish until after 6:00pm! He is an animal (FYI, that’s 8:30am – 6:00pm All-Day Tony-Shoulder-Palooza).
He was beat and starved!
We went back to the hotel and enjoyed another fabulous (and did I mention free) dinner! Beef, salad, wild rice, and once again, the most amazing bread I’ve ever had (so ironic that it’s made in a restaurant entitled: Paleo).
As the last bite of dinner went into our mouths, we began transitioning into pumpkins. Tony wanted a bit of ice cream, which we ran out for, and were surprised by how quiet it was. Two out of three ice cream shops closed right before our very eyes, at 7:00pm sharp! The same area that was a beehive at lunch time was completely dead at 7:00pm on a Saturday night. Maybe all Norwegians turn into pumpkins early on Saturdays?
We made our way home and settled into bed early. Today is a record for me, 29,000 steps! Now it will be the record to break. Maybe tomorrow? Talk to you then!
Tony and I woke up and shot out of bed so we could pack up our bags, clean out the apartment, and head over to the airport. I had one last espresso from Bake Shop, and we both enjoyed our last bowl of Czech granola.
We have loved our apartment and are sad to say goodbye!
Our driver arrived promptly at 10:00am and off we went.
Once we were all checked in and seated at our gate, Tony received a text message notifying him that unfortunately there would be nothing to eat or drink on what was supposed to be a lunch flight. Apparently, restaurant and hotel workers in Norway are currently on Strike… Uh oh.
I grabbed us a few overpriced sandwiches, and on the plane we went. I think there were two flight attendants, and basically they were present just to seat us, make sure we stayed seated, and then got us off the plane.
The weather is not good. Check it out:
Once in Norway, we got ourselves some train tickets, into the city we went!
Every screen was digital, every surface was clean and modern-looking, and every Norwegian was tall, blonde, and fluent in English. We stepped off the train and were immediately lost, but soon approached by a friendly Norwegian who put us back on the right track.
Tony and I promised one another that we would “pay it forward” when we’re back in Boston. The next time either one of us sees a lost tourist, we’re going to stop and help.
Via Tony’s credit card points, we’re staying at the Thon Hotel Rosenkrantz, which also happens to be the #1 Oslo hotel on TripAdvisor.
It’s beautiful, high-tech, and includes FREE breakfast AND dinner!
You may have heard, Oslo is a super expensive place. Basically a city on the opposite end of the spectrum from Prague.
And it shows.
Everything and everyone is modern and gorgeous.
We had a very nice dinner with cod, peas and potatoes, salad and the best bread we’ve ever had. The dinner room is in the sexy little lounge on the top floor of the hotel.
After dinner we met Dean and Lindsay for dessert. They’ve been chilling in Oslo for a few days now, and gave us some tips and suggestions. We turned in early before Day 1 of Tony’s workshop tomorrow.
We started off with some eggs and Czech granola, and although we were planning to head out to BarBar, Tomas’ gym, we received an email in the morning that Tomas and his wife Lenka were in the hospital, because The Baby is coming!
Congrats to you both, Tomas and Lenka!
Tomas provided a recommendation for a nearby gym, and off to the Palladium we went, for a little workout. We paid a steep guest fee, but it was worth it! All of this beer and bread and meat necessitates picking up some heavy stuff.
After the gym we went back to our apartment for a light lunch. We had the rest of our farmer’s market fare and leftovers, and then headed out to wander around Old Town, New Town, and The Lesser Quarter one more time. Here are a few photos…
At 5:00pm we met Jan (of Jan and Zuzi, Taste of Prague) for the Prague Foodie Tour!
Along with six of our fellow Americans, we proceeded to have a gustatory escapade that rivals any meal we have EVER had!
First of all, Jan is exceptional. Here he is with Zuzi (pics from their website):
Fiance to Zuzi (who I have emailed 34,000 times in the past several months with questions and wonderings), Jan is a professional translator and attorney who executes 9 tours of food PER WEEK for curious, hungry Americans!
Needless to say – he knows his stuff.
The Prague Foodie Tour taught us more about the culture and recent history of Prague than the rest of our week here, all put together. We learned about pre-Communist Czech cuisine, the impact of communism on the food and the people, and the return to traditional Czech cuisine – plus the modern twists – that are becoming popular once again.
Before we begin, I would like to first tell you that I am an adventurous eater (and drinker). I LOVE to try new things and hear about strange and little-known ingredients. So the Foodie Tour was kind of “my thing”, if you will.
Tony, on the other hand, has the tastes and preferences of a nine year old boy (or an American Meathead). He prefers chicken breasts and other cuts of meat that are super-lean and do not at all resemble the animal they once were.
He does not eat seafood.
He is not into sauce or dressing. He does not drink alcohol. So, in short, this entire experience was outside of Tony’s comfort zone…
Our journey began at “Sisters Bistro”, where we tried Chlebicek – an open faced sandwich. This is apparently something you make if you’re having people over, or if you’re brining in a little bite for your co-workers to nosh on during a meeting.
The first had a little celery root remoulade with roast beef atop, accompanied by a little crunchiness sprinkled on top (maybe bacon bits?)
The second was pickled herring with a little radish and wasabi mayo. I thought both were very excellent and well balanced.
And guess what? Tony liked it!
Across the hall from Sister’s was one of my favorites, “Nase Maso”, a butcher shop.
This is an all-natural establishment that prides itself on being preservative and chemical free.
It seems impossible to describe to you the amazing difference between eating meat from a happy animal and our standard American freaks-of-science factory “animals”, but it is really something.
First, and the best, was the meatloaf on a bit of bread, with a pickle. This consisted of “40% fat”, which was probably why it was so fantastic. Then we tried a wiener sausage that was very delicious, followed by headcheese!! (Which was actually kind of nice). Then finally a little pork crackling. See for yourself:
Next, we took a walk to Lokal – a pub fashioned after the standard communist pub in Prague.
Although our guide planned to have us here just after the Czech vs. US ice hockey competition, the game had gone into overtime, and we arrived to a local pub BRIMMING with screaming, enthusiastic Czeck hockey fans!
Luckily the restaurant accommodated us and placed us into a separate room, so that we could hear Jan over the cheering fans.
At Lokal, we enjoyed very traditional yet delicious food, from the “standard” communist recipe list:
First, a bit of pork schnitzel with potato salad, Prague Ham (preservative free and fantastic) with horseradish cream, and then a little Goulash with dumplings.
In addition, we had a beer – dark for the ladies (a Kozel) and light for the men (Pilsner Urquell). These beers also came from the “tank” and were very fresh and preservative free. Take a look:
Not only did I enjoy my beer, but Tony had his ENTIRE BEER! Tony has never drunk a beer before.
I was stunned.
Amazed.
See for yourself!
How could there be more?! Our next stop was a very fabulous, funky wine bar, Bokovka. Here we did not eat (Thank goodness!), but did enjoy tastes of three different Czech wines.
Mostly from Moravia, Czech wines tend to be more delicate, light bodied, and white. We had an “all natural” unfiltered white that tasted more like a cider, a simple “Welch Riesling” (apparently this is most likely a mis-translation, as the real name of the grape means “Walnut-ish tasting Riesling”), and the house red (a Cab).
Tony also tried these (and most liked the Riesling).
Onward!
Maso a Kobliha was our next stop, home of “The Real Meat Society,” which prides itself on raising happy healthy animals that taste delicious.
First – a Scotch egg! If you’ve never had one, they’re amazing in any country… these were extra delicious. We then had a Vanilla Custard Donut (Tony took care of this one for us) and a bit of “craft” IPA. Tony had that too!!
Here we are, enjoying the outdoor seating in the back of the restaurant:
Finally, we hopped on the tram and ventured to Eska restaurant. Walking into a gorgeous open kitchen, we enjoyed a front-row seat at the Chef’s Table and had an exceptional finish to our tasting.
Priding itself on no-waste, this restaurant attempts to utilize all parts of the animal, and all “waste” from the food prep and cooking process. First, we enjoyed a bit of fermented coffee soda – which sounds super weird, but was delicious.
Then, an “amuse bouche” of rabbit pate, and insanely fresh bread with salted, herbed butter
Finally, we had my favorite dish of the night. Wheat berries with wild mushrooms, in a risotto like consistency, with a sous-vide egg. The dairy-eaters on the tour also had burnt potato in ash with potato espuma, while I enjoyed green asparagus with buckwheat chips.
Finally, Tony finished with a Zemlovka – a bread pudding with apples and an espuma of vanilla and rum, while I had fresh asparagus and strawberries in a sweet “salad”.
What a journey!
Special thanks to Zuzi and Jan for planning and executing such a special evening. I highly recommend Taste of Prague and the Foodie Tour to anyone visiting Prague in the future!
We made the journey back home and began to pack for tomorrow’s departure.
We’re sad to leave the apartment. But THRILLED to be heading to Olso, Norway!
With the popularization of core stability training, true rotational movements have erroneously gotten a bad rap.
Mobility and soft tissue work have done wonders for various populations, but if you’re stretching and mobilizing for an hour before you even start your workout, something’s wrong.
Squats and deadlifts are fantastic foundational exercises, but they are simply not enough to effectively train the core.
While it has good intentions, the term “functional training” has recently been abused. Real functional training is actually quite simplistic.
Evidence-based practice has enhanced the way we view clinical practice and strength training, but it is simply a tool in the toolbox.
Fitness trends act like a pendulum. As soon as the newest idea hits the mainstream and peaks, a group of people who adamantly oppose it return it to the other end of the spectrum. What we can learn from this phenomenon is this: the answer often lies right in the middle.
Core Stability Training
Quite possibly one of the most popular fitness buzz words of the last decade, core stability training has made a huge impact on how we train our midsection for health and performance.
Characterized by learning to properly move at the hips and upper extremities while keeping the spine stable, core stability training can be categorized into different planes of movement.
For example, anti-extension exercises such as the RKC plank, challenge the core’s ability to resist extension, whereas the barbell torque, an anti-rotation exercise, involves moving a barbell from side-to-side while maintaining a rigid core.
The barbell torque, performed with arm movement and a rigid core, is a fantastic anti-rotation exercise.
Popularized by Dr. Stuart McGill, while anti-rotation exercises are fantastic for those in both the rehabilitation and performance worlds, they seem to have been associated with the trend to completely STOP doing rotational core exercises.
What gives?
The last time I checked, the torso does actually have the capability to rotate and does so quite frequently on the field. Although, solely training core stability might not directly encourage an athlete to run around the field like a stiff board, promoting movement fluidity and rotational power with TRUE rotational core exercises does have merit.
Barring any contraindications such as previous or current hip/lumbar pathologies, rotation at the core is pivotal for successful sports performance, so let’s train it!
Exercises such as cable chops and medicine ball throws will train core rotation in the standing posture to promote both movement fluidity and increase performance!
Mobility and Soft Tissue Work
Oh mobility and soft tissue work!
Can’t live with it, can’t live without it!
The rise of mobility and soft tissue work has done wonders for both the banged-up lifter population and the elite athlete. Mobility and soft tissue work are paramount for success and have helped extend careers and led to more pounds lifted on the platform.
Once again, like core stability training, what started as a great idea to reduce pain and increase performance, now has turned into people flopping around on foam rollers, smashing and flossing each and every muscle, and twisting themselves up into a pretzel for 45-minutes before they even begin their workout!
This is a major problem.
I emphasize, do not take this babble to be anti-mobility work rhetoric, quite the contrary.
In order to set yourself up for success and time efficiency, your mobility and soft tissue work needs to be succinct, effective, and goal driven. Often times, what happens is the complete opposite.
Let me propose to you an example.
You are someone who has “tight” hamstrings. You spend the first 5 minutes of your routine foam rolling.
Next, you get out your spikey ball, because the roller wasn’t good enough, and you start rolling with that. Then you perform some mobility work such as single-leg toe touches, walking kicks, yoga push-ups, and finish off with a healthy dose of static stretching from 5 different angles. Fast-forward 6-months, and guess what? You STILL have “tight” (and I use that word loosely…no pun intended) hamstrings.
My point is this: It is IMPERATIVE that you monitor for results with your targeted mobility and soft-tissue work. Your warmup should be no more than 10 minutes at most, and if you are not seeing the results you want, reassess, or see a qualified professional for some advice instead of endlessly spinning your wheels.
Squats and Deadlifts Only for Core
With the popularization in core training, came a concurrent rise in the notion that it’s all a pile of bologna.
Yep. You heard me right.
“Look at all these wacky core exercises. You don’t need those. Just squat and deadlift. That’s all you need!”
Going along with our pendulum analogy, with the rise of core stability training, came the rise of those who said all you need to do is squat and deadlift.
Again, the answer lies in the middle.
Here’s the bottom line: although you don’t need to perform a million different core exercises, squats and deadlifts alone are NOT enough. I’ve worked with clients capable of squatting and deadlifting a brick house but the second you challenge them in with dead-bug progressions such as the hollow-body hold, they can’t maintain proper positioning without holding their breath or slipping into anterior pelvic tilt.
Although you must brace the core in a 360⁰ manner to encourage maximal stability during squats and deadlifts, they essentially only train the in an anti-flexion manner, a.k.a preventing your spine from crumbling into a pile of Lego blocks during the lift.
While the barbell lifts with ALWAYS serve as the pivotal foundation of exercise prescription, adding in a few extra rotary, lateral flexion, and flexion (or “anti” movements, again BOTH have their place), will take minimal time and promote a more complete core training experience to enhance performance and reduce the risk of injury.
Functional Training
What once started as a great idea to promote enhanced daily function, has turned into people single-leg squatting on a Bosu ball while juggling in one hand and reading a book in their other hand to their imaginary friend.
Functional right?
So let me ask you this. What does functional training mean to you?
From what I understand, the premises of functional training is utilizing exercise techniques to promote function in ever day life and sports performance. In life we bend down to pick things up off the ground, reach overhead to reach and cupboards, and carry things around, do we not?
Progressively loading human patterns IS FUNCTIONAL. It literally doesn’t get more “functional” than loading squats, deadlifts, carries, and presses. Barbell training IS functional training.
Teach grandma how to pick a barbell off the ground with a correct hip-hinge pattern and suddenly she has more ease playing with her grandchild who’s sitting on the floor…funny how that works.
Training the Farmer’s Walk suddenly makes carrying groceries in from the car that much easier.
I’m not against functional training, I’m against what functional training has become. True functional training entails progressively loading basic human movement patterns to increase quality of life, rehabilitate from injury, and increase sports performance.
Evidence-Based Practice
The rise of evidence-based practice (EBP) has drastically improved the practices of physical therapy and strength & conditioning.
Constantly questioning the methods we employ is paramount to ensure practitioners are constantly learning and providing the best possible care for their patients and clients.
With that being said, we must view EBP for what is it, an important tool in the clinical toolbox, not the end-all be-all solution for everything.
Solely relying on EBP can limit creativity. Suddenly clinicians and strength coaches become hesitant to employ a technique or exercise because there’s insufficient evidence to support its use.
Here’s the truth: strength coaches and rehab professionals in the trenches DRIVE evidence-based practice.
In order for there to BE evidence, someone has to be grinding away utilizing innovative techniques and seeing results beforehand.
Do you think evidence-based practice was a part of King Arnold’s success back in the ‘70s? I don’t think so, but if he had it on his side, he may be done even better (if that’s even possible)!
Incorporate a healthy mixture of your experience, the latest evidence, and your patient/client’s values to maximize outcomes.
Conclusion
The pendulum often swings from both ends of the extremes in the fitness industry, but it ALWAYS finds its way back to the center. When new ideas rise to the mainstream, it is often associated with major backlash by a group of those who believe the complete opposite! Always question the latest and greatest fitness trends, because the REAL answer always lies somewhere in the middle!
About the Author
Michael Mash, SPT, CSCS, FMSC is a physical therapy student and strength coach located in Pittsburgh, PA. He started his company, Barbell Rehab and Performance, with the mission to bridge the gap between physical therapy and strength & conditioning by implementing barbell lifts into clinical practice.
Follow Michael at his website BarbellRehabandPerformance.com and on Facebook and Instagram (@barbellrehab))
You don’t have to be playing in front of thousands of people or sign a seven-figure contract in order to train like an athlete.
Although, lets be honest: both would be nice.
I’m often asked how I go about writing programs for my athletes as opposed to by everyday regular Joes and Janes; how much do they differ?
Well, not as much as you think!
Rest assured there’s a lot of attention to detail when training anyone – regardless of athletic background. It’s important to take into consideration one’s injury history, anthropometry (anatomical differences), training experience, goals, and a host of other variables.
However, with regards to athletes, I’d be lying if I said we didn’t have to be even more meticulous with their programming at times. When you’re dealing with a million dollar arm – literally – for example, the last thing you want to do as a strength & conditioning coach is place the athlete in peril, performing exercises with high-risk/low-reward value.
(For the record, peril in this case doesn’t mean life threatening or anything. Just, you know, you don’t want to do stupid shit with them, like juggling chainsaws on a BOSU ball, or using a BOSU ball in general).2
Not to mention you have to respect the ebbs and flows of off-season vs. in-season program design, and the unique stress each sport places on the body.
I.e, how you write a program for a football player will differ quite a bit from a baseball player…based off the demands of the sport.
All that said, the principles I follow whether I’m training an athlete or general pop client don’t differ much.
My male and female clients still squat, deadlift, row, press, perform farmer carries, toss med balls, push the sled, and otherwise vomit (not literally) strength and conditioning all over the place.
Likewise, while I may not clock their 40 yd times, I still have them skip, shuffle, jump, and move around like athletes.
Life = The Ultimate Game
Am I right, or am I right?
Training like an athlete provides many benefits: (generally speaking) improved muscle mass, strength, body composition, bone health, CNS inter/intra coordination, better balance, and an overall sense of athleticism.
It also makes you a better dancer. #truestoriesitellmyself
Lets face it: after a long day at work and using all your will power not to stab your boss in the throat with a stapler, what sounds more enticing….heading to the gym to perform a few sets of this and a few reps of that with no rhyme or reason or lifting something heavy with some purpose and tossing/dragging stuff around?
On a related note: wanna know what my litmus test is for athleticism in my “non-athletic” clients?
It’s not 1RM testing on anything, and it’s not testing their vertical jump.
It’s a simple drill that everyone has done at one point or another in their lives………….
Skipping
And I’m not talking about “Dorothy skipping down the yellow brick road” skipping. I mean, athletic skipping.
The saying is true: “if you don’t use it, you lose it.” (<– trying really hard to refrain from a penis joke here).
Athleticism is one of the first things to fade as we grow into adulthood. We trade in fields and courts for filing cabinets and coffee mugs that says “World’s Best Boss.”
One of the first drills I use with my general fitness clients to help build up their athleticism is plain ol’ vanilla skipping.
Along with shuffling, medicine ball drills, jumping, kettlebell swings, and uphill sprints (less wear and tear on joints).
Many people are programmed to think that training has to be analogous to calculus: “x”reps for “y” sets, done with the same machines, in the same order, time and time and time again. Boring.
It’s amazing to see my clients become invigorated and enjoy their training sessions again by having them perform more un-traditional exercises/drills. They think they’re training like athletes….
…..because they are.
Why You Should Train Like an Athlete
My good friend, Jen Sinkler, is involved with a new project coming out soon called Lighting & Thunder.
Below is a link to a short video you can watch explaining some of the benefits of training like like an athlete, even if you’re not.
NOTE: no spam involved here. Jen hates spam as much as she hates not wearing lip gloss.
Tony and I woke up early this morning to try and get yesterday’s blog up before heading out – the internet was slow, so sorry for the delay yesterday!
We walked a whole three minutes over to Old Town Square to meet the bus, and started our one hour journey outside of the city to see a concentration camp.
Terezin, or Teresientadt, was built for use as a military fortress, starting in the 1780’s, but then was used as a political prison during the 19th century. In 1940 the Gestapo (Nazi Secret Police) was assigned to Terezin, and it became a ghetto – a concentration camp.
Terezin was huge.
There was a “small fortress”, which was very large, and also a large fortress. There were “dormitories, and a crematorium.
Although Terezin was not an “liquefaction” site, or an “extermination camp” thousands upon thousands died of starvation, terrible living conditions., and typhus toward the end and even after the end of WWII.
Terezin was often used as a “first stop” for Jews to first be “concentrated”, before being transported to Auschwitz or another concentration camp for extermination. Also used for propaganda, the site would be used to demonstrate how “nice” concentration camps could be, including staged bathrooms and “comfortable” living quarters that weren’t actually used by the Jews.
It was an intense day, to say the least. Here are a few pictures:
NOTE: Tony also uploaded a bunch more pictures from Terezin (with background/historical info) on his personal page.
We arrived back to the city at 3pm and were starved!
We sat in Old Town Square for a late lunch – I tried some Czech goulash, and Tony (surprise) had a chicken Cesar salad. We knew we’d be too pooped to go back out again later for dinner, so we took the advice of an attendee at Tony’s workshop and bought some “Old Prague Ham” from a street Vendor, and went back home for a night in.
I cooked up the zucchini from the Farmer’s Market , and along with the Carrots and the Old Prague Ham, we had a relaxing night at home!
Another quiet night, followed by a leisurely morning with coffee from our little machine, eggs from the local market, and the most insane granola ever.
Today the Somersets and Gentilewis’ decided to divide and conquer.
Dean and Lindsay headed to Old Town Square and the Torture Museum, while Tony and I headed to Klementium, Pragues second largest building next to the Castle (and pictured above).
An entire complex consisting of buildings that are or have once been The University, two separate churches, a library, and an observatory. We got to check out the Baroque Library Hall
As well as the Vysehrad Codex (which seemed like something from an Indiana Jones movie:
After visiting the meridian hall and checking out some other old school devices for tracking the planets and keeping time, we were allowed up on the observatory deck for a great 360 degree view!
Here’s Tony taking a peek through one of the holes the astrologists used to peek down into the Observatory.
Afterward we visited Wenceslas Square, which is a much bigger, much more modern square than Old Town Square.
We walked home for some lunch back at the apartment with the Somersets.
I whipped up the cabbage, purple potatoes, and broccoli that I bought at the local market (Naplavka) a few days before, and also headed up a chicken we had recently purchased.
As you probably know if you like to travel, it feels AWESOME to eat a home cooked meals with lots of veggies after traveling and eating lots of bread and heavy restaurant foods (and cookies J).
Here we are (sans me):
Then we headed back out to continue our respective journeys.
I, of course, got my espresso-of-the-day from The Bakeshop (and Tony had a brownie). We made our way down to the river and back over the Charles Bridge to explore Kampa Island and Mala Strana (The Lesser or Little Quarter). It was more quiet, more local, and more funky/gritty in this part of town. My favorite so far!
We were on bridge below the Charles, so it made for a fabulous view when we walked back to the center of the city over “Most Leggi” Bridge
We took the long way home, past the Theatre:
And some markets.
Once back home, we happened upon the Somersets watching the new Game of Thrones!!!!!
We are not into season 6 yet, so we quarantined ourselves in our half of the apartment and got ready for our exciting dinner out!
As I may have mentioned, I have arranged a “Foodie Tour” through a fabulous couple/blog site called Taste of Prague, and I have made email BFF with the wife of the couple, Zuzi (I am sure she does not reciprocate her “best friend” status, but I’m ok with that).
Zuzi recommended Cestr for us, and I got reservations for tonight!
A 25 minute walk from the apartment, the Somersets and Gentilewis’ headed out.
We walked through Old Town Square, then Wenseclas Square, finding the restaurant on the backside of a museum.
Here it is!:
It was an exceptional meal and I highly recommend to anyone in the city!
The mission of the restaurant is to serve local food.
They serve the Czech breed of cow, called “Czech Spotted Cattle” or “Cestr” for short, and provide not only a menu prepared for that day, but also a map of the cow so that you can read about items on the menu and then look at where that is located on the animal.
Dean and Lindsay both ordered gorgeous looking drinks, and when I asked for help choosing a glass of wine, the Sommelier came over, listened closely, and recommended a Moravian Dornfelder.
I’ve had some unpleasant German Dornfelder in the past, so I was nervous! But it was exactly what I wanted. Here are our drinks:
For dinner, Lindsay had the chicken, Dean had the “rump” Tony had the Filet (naturally), and I had the skirt, along with some carrots. Here is my food:
A wonderful evening! On the way out, I even got to spy on the butcher, working on some beef just off the kitchen:
What a day!
Thanks again to Taste of Prague for the recommendation. After a quick stop at The Bakeshop for dessert (are you shocked?), we headed back to the apartment, laying low to be ready for our excursion tomorrow.
Today’s guest post comes courtesy of former CSP intern and now current rock-star PA based strength coach, Rob Rabena
Shoulder health is always a hot topic amongst baseball players and overhead athletes. To keep a healthy shoulder, there are a lot of variables that come into play.
Most of these variables are trainable.
Other factors such as pitching mechanics, sport stress, and life stress are hard for the strength coach to control and train. The goal of this post is to provide some new exercise variations to help keep the shoulder healthy – whether you get paid to throw a baseball 95MPH or if you’re Bob from Accounting.
I have always been a big fan of scapular isometric perturbations to train the scapular muscles. I usually do a standing ball to wall at different arm positions.
Lately I have been playing around with different lower body positions as well.
Check them out!
Half Kneeling and Standing Split Stance Ball to Wall Stabilizations
What Does It Do: Trunk and scapular control/stabilization.
Through an added manual isometric perturbation, the athlete needs to control the arm and trunk to not fall over or lose joint position.
This is a fantastic integrated scapular exercise where the athlete needs to not only control the entire body, but also the arm. This exercise helps maintain the head of the humerus in the socket. The athlete should feel the posterior shoulder during this exercise.
Key Coaching Cues:
Don’t let me move you
Open your fingers wide and feel the ball
Feel your foot on the ground
Left foot- Left outside heel and left big toe
Right Foot- Press your arch into the ground
Inhale and fully exhale before beginning
Breathe throughout the exercise, don’t hold your breath
Reach arm, don’t over pull the scapula down and back
I usually place the athlete at end ranges of the shoulder
Science and Research:
Oliver et. al. (2016) found that in the lunge position (the TGU and prone I) had significantly greater serratus anterior EMG compared to other exercises.
A greater EMG during this position is most likely from the scapulae in protraction.
Protraction or reaching can do wonders for shoulder health, scapular health and position of the ribcage. Always take in consideration that EMG studies are not the end all be all when it comes to exercise selection.
Who Should Use It:
Any overhead athlete such as baseball, tennis, swimming, softball and volleyball would be recommended. This can be used to help prevent any future injuries with anyone who has a history of shoulder problems or pathologies.
Program Design:
2-4 sets of 10-15sec or until athlete fatigues or technique/position is lost.
I would suggest that the half kneeling position can be used at times as a regression to the standing ball to wall variation. The standing Split Stance variation is definitely a progression due to the narrow base of support and difficulty of the exercise.
See the list below to help with program design as well as for training floor regressions and progressions.
Quadruped: Ball on Ground
Standing: Ball to Wall
Supine: Off-Table
Half Kneeling: Open Chain Variation
Progression Order:
Quadruped ball on ground
Half kneeling ball to wall
Standing ball to wall
Standing split stance ball to wall
Supine off a table
Open Chain Variations
Conclusion:
When training the shoulder or scapular muscles, be sure to mix up and progress lower body position when utilizing a manual isometric perturbation.
References:
Gretchen D. Oliver, H. A. (2016, March). Electromyographic Analysis of Traditional and Kinetic Chain Exercises for Dynamic Shoulder Movements. Journal ofStrength and Conditioning Research.
Author’s Bio
Rob Rabena, MS, CSCS, is the Director of Sports Performance at Maplezone Sports Institute (MSI) in Garnet Valley, Pennsylvania, where he trains high school, college and professional baseball athletes.
Prior to joining MSI, he was the head strength & conditioning coach at Cabrini College, working with their nationally ranked lacrosse team. In addition to his work at Cabrini, he completed an internship at Cressey Sports Performance in Hudson, Massachusetts in 2012.
Rabena earned his B.S. in Exercise Science with a focus on Health Promotion from Cabrini College in 2011, and his M.S. in Exercise Science with a focus on Strength and Conditioning from East Stroudsburg University in 2012. He is a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).
