Categoriescoaching continuing education Corrective Exercise

5 Ways I Include Single Leg Training In My Programs

Single leg training isn’t sexy to talk, much less write about. In terms of excitement factor I’d rank it somewhere between a watching a NASCAR race and picking lint out of your belly button.

I can understand the cacophony of subsequent eye rolls and yawns that are being directed my way.

“An article on single leg training?! Come on, Tony. What’s next keto recipes?”

I get it.

However, hear me out.

Copyright: vadymvdrobot / 123RF Stock Photo

5 Ways I Include Single Leg Training In My Programs

Single leg training is important shit.

Now, more often than not whenever there’s an article written on single leg training it’s under the guise or in congruence with taking a massive dump on bilateral training (think: squats and/or deadlifts).

The implication being one should avoid bilateral or two-legged training in lieu of performing only unilateral or one-legged training.

I think it’s a stupid argument to have on par with which is better: Low-bar vs. high-bar squats? Or mint chocolate chip vs. mint Oreo ice-cream?

With deference, almost always, the appropriate answer to the single leg vs. bilateral debate (and, really, any question in the history of ever) is “it depends.”

  • Some people are more concerned with being brutally strong with the “Big 3”  and are only worried about optimal force production. If that’s the case bilateral movements should make up the bulk of training.
  • Conversely, some people, especially athletes, need to marinate in a diverse pool of movement. In that case single leg training is going to take precedence and play more of an integral part in their training and programming.
  • Are there people out there who debate ice-cream? Don’t be cray-cray.

Suffice it to say, here’s my take on the debate: BOTH are important, BOTH play a significant role in a well-balanced program, and BOTH should be used simultaneously.

If we’re being honest, though, we generally don’t have to pull any arms behind backs in order to convince people to perform bilateral movements like squats and deadlifts.

It’s pretty much bro-code.

Single leg work on the other hand?

Well, that can be a bit of a harder sell.

It’s unfortunate because even if someone’s goal is to be a brick shit house (or a house of shit bricks, I’m not here to judge) single leg training has many benefits, mmmkay.

Including but not limited to:

  • Joint health and integrity (I have yet to find an individual with a history of knee, hip and/or back issues who doesn’t benefit from a healthy dose of single leg training).
  • Improved balance.
  • Improved foot/ankle/hip stability. Or, stability in general.1
  • A fantastic way to train rotary stability (<— a fancy schmancy way of saying something will work your core).
  • Greater specificity to sport (and real life).
  • Improved strength & hypertrophy (depending on how it’s implemented).
  • Helps address weaknesses and imbalances from limb to limb.
  • Reduced wear and tear via less axial loading.
  • More exercise variety.

And the list can go on.2

Below are (some) ways I like to include single leg training in my programs.

1) Treat Single Leg Training Like Eating Broccoli

It’s just, you know, something that has to be done.

It’s hard for me to peruse the list I made above of all the benefits and not include some semblance of single leg training in a program (regardless of someone’s goal).

There aren’t many scenarios I can think of off-hand where it won’t help.

  • Be a better athlete? Check
  • Be a better lifter? Check
  • Beat Jason Bourne in a knife fight? Check.

All the bases are covered.

That said, one pet-peeve of mine and something I notice all….the…..time as a coach is that people tend to go way too heavy.

I’ll watch some guys grab the 80+ lb dumbbells and perform walking lunges and think to myself “why?”

But this is after both my corneas jump out of their eye sockets and then proceed to jump into a bucket of battery acid.

Their knees are caving in every which way and it’s evident most are unable to control the load. This kinda defeats the purpose of doing it in the first place.

Stop training your ego and lower the load.

I’d rather people use a load they can control and perform it for high(er) reps than to grab the heaviest weight possible and make perhaps do more harm than good.

ALSO…..

It’s my own preference as a coach, but I much prefer people to adopt more of a forward lean when performing lunge variations.

 

When you assume a more upright posture during lunges it makes it easier to crank through the lower back which can also result in excessive rib flair; I.e., a more unstable position.

The inner dialogue should be more “shoulders over knees” than “shoulders over hips.”

2) Potentiation (Or, Turning “Stuff” On)

I often have my clients perform a single leg movement before squatting or deadlifting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1Y73sPHKxw

 

I find it’s a nice way to turn “stuff” on and to prime the body for the extracurricular shenanigans going down shortly thereafter.

Goblet variations are my go to here (less grip intensive): Goblet Reverse Lunge, Goblet Forward Lunge, Goblet Reverse TO Forward Lunge, Goblet Split Squat, Goblet Bulgarian Split Squat, Goblet Whateverthefuck.

 

The idea is to go LIGHT and to OWN the movement.

I like to use 2-3 sets of 6-8 reps per side.

Pants optional.

3) Adding Isometric Holds

If you really want to humble someone (and to make their glutes scream for blood mercy) try adding in some isometric holds.

 

I LOVE using these with my clients/athletes as it forces them to use sloooooow down, to stay more cognizant of body position, and it also aids in more time under tension.

4. Combo Movements

Another way I like to include single leg training into my programs is to combine two movements into one.

This is a fantastic way to make the movements a bit more challenging and also serves as an opportunity to stroke my evil strength coach beard (despite the fact I don’t have one).

You want sore, I’ll give you sore.

Goblet Step-Through

Rear Foot Elevated Kang Squat

5) Fake Single Leg Training

Least we forget single leg training can be too advanced of an option for some people. Whether it’s due to novelty or “just because” we can incorporate “fake” single leg options to help ramp people to the real thing.

I’m more concerned with setting people up for as much success as possible rather than making them feel frustrated.

In that light here are two excellent options I use all the time:

Wall Press RDL

Here, we can still groove a single leg hinge pattern, but in a supported fashion.

For those who have balance issues this is an excellent choice.

B-Stance Squat

 

With the offset (or B) stance, we place more load on the front leg. Again, this is a great option for those with stability/balance issues and who aren’t quite ready for actual 1-legged squats (you sadistic bastard).

CategoriesExercise Technique Strength Training

The Bar Every Gym Should Have: Safety Squat Bar

When Dean Somerset & I created the Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint and the (Even More) Complete Shoulder and Hip Blueprint (both currently on sale for the next 72 hours at 40% off their regular price…wink wink, nudge nudge) our goal was to provide a resource for people to better connect the dots between assessment and performance

Too, it was to champion the idea that strength is corrective. It’s rarely necessary to send someone off to corrective exercise purgatory when their shoulder or hip is acting up. While it’s inevitable a swath of time & effort may have to be dedicated to proper breathing mechanics or improving scapular upward rotation, what I have found that often “sticks” the most and provides a greater “buy in” to rehabbing an injury…

…is to make rehab look and feel more like training.

Much of the time the “fix” is a matter tempering one’s training volume (most people are simply doing too much of something) or adjusting a specific exercise – stance, ROM, tempo – in an effort to better mirror one’s injury history and (current) ability level. <— FYI: Dean & I cover this extensively in CSHB 1.0 and 2.0.

If a part of the body hurts when someone performs an exercise it doesn’t automatically mean we have to cancel the exercise altogether.

Cancelling Nazis (and Birthday clowns)  = good.

Cancelling Squats = whoa, whoa, whoa…pump the brakes a bit.

The Bar Every Gym Should Have

This post is not meant to wax poetic on the back squat.

If you want to do it, cool.

If you don’t, that’s cool too.

No one outside of a competitive powerlifter (and maybe He-Man) HAS to perform a traditional barbell back squat. I think they’re a great option if your goal is to be brutally strong & athletic and you want to build an impressive physique.

They’re a tool in the toolbox.

I will say, however, the back squat (when performed with a straight bar) does tend to eat up a lot of lifters’ shoulders. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that straight bar back squats are more of a shoulder destroyer than the bench press any day.

Yeah, that’s right…I said it.

via GIPHY

I know the barbell back squat provides a degree of  prestige and “street cred,” and I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t a time in my career as a personal trainer & strength coach where I’d ride and die with the statement that everyone, regardless of goal, sport played, or highest Scrabble score should have back squats in their program.

Alas, with age (and experience) comes wisdom.3

That said, I’ve always prided myself in taking a middle-of-the-road approach to most things in the health/fitness industry. I know some coaches who are adamantly PRO back squat and others who are just as adamantly against.

Which brings me to the point of today’s post.

The Safety Squat Bar (also referred to as SSB or Yoke bar), while still technically a back squat, has grown into one of my preferred ways to program (back) squatting into most people’s programs. I also take the stance that it’s a bar that EVERY gym should add to their equipment arsenal.

Why Your Gym Needs an SSB Bar

1. Shoulder Friendly

Back squatting with a straight bar requires a fair bit of shoulder mobility. Many lifters lack the requisite shoulder abduction & external rotation to be able to comfortably rest the barbell on their upper traps (high-bar position) or rear delts (low-bar position).

As alluded to above, part of the appeal for me is that SSB bar coincides very well with my mantra “strength is corrective.’

There’s an element of literal synergy here; the SSB bar still allows someone to lift heavy things. However, the obvious advantage of the bar is its design, and the fact that the handles are located in FRONT of the lifter.

There’s zero shoulder mobility required. To that end, if I am working with someone who’s shoulders don’t handle the straight bar well, I can have them use the SSB bar and continue to TRAIN without irritating the joint.

2. More Upright Torso

There will ALWAYS be a degree of forward lean when squatting. This is not to suggest a more forward leaning position when squatting is inherently wrong or deleterious.

However, back squatting lends itself to more of a forward lean compared to a front squat. As a result, and as a general rule, the more of a forward lean there is, the more “shear” loading will take place on the spine.

Photo Credit: www.PowerliftingTechnique.com

The high(er) bar position with the SSB bar allows for the torso to be more upright (similar to a front squat) and as such a bit more back friendly as well.

Personally speaking, I know when my deadlift volume is high I’ll revert to SSB squats for the bulk of my squatting during that particular phase of training because my lower back will take less of a beating and thank me in the long run.

3. Increased ROM & Upper Back Strength

Pigging back on the above point, because the high(er) bar placement of the SSB bar allows for a more upright torso it’ll also equate to a more robust range of motion for most trainees as well.

In addition, the high(er) bar placement will force the upper back to work overtime because that area needs to work harder to prevent the bar from “rolling” the shoulders over.

So, in effect…we can make the case that the safety squat bar recruits the upper body more (compared to traditional squats).

4. Reneges Upper Body Injuries

The SSB bar does a splendid job at opening up one’s TRAINABLE MENU in lieu of an upper body injury. Lets say you just had surgery on your shoulder and you’re in an arm sling for several weeks. Or, I don’t know, you got in a tickle fight with an Uruk-hai and ended up busting up your wrist.

Both situations make back squatting problematic if not altogether impossible.

Not with an SSB bar, though.

LOL.

You can still train your lower body.

Nice try.

5. Hatfields!

Last but not least, the SSB bar allows you to CRUSH “supported” single-leg training like Hatfield Split Squats.

 

I’m certain I’m neglecting to think of other cogent benefits, but that’s what I have at the moment. Feel free to forward this post to your local gym’s owner/manager so that you can start incorporating this SSB bar soon!

CategoriesUncategorized

All My Stuff Is On Sale This Week

Just so we’re clear, by “all of my stuff is on sale,” I don’t mean my stuff stuff.

My furniture, appliances, car, vintage t-shirts, and movie quality Chewbacca masks are off limits.

No, what I am actually referring to are my digital continuing education resources:

All of them are on sale at 40% off their regular price starting today through Saturday, (9/18).

Copyright: bobrovee

Why Am I Putting My Stuff On Sale This Week?

Is it to celebrate Scottish bacteriologist Alexander Fleming’s discovery of penicillin while studying influenza (this week in 1928)? Or maybe it’s to celebrate the first non-aristocratic, free public school to open in Europe in Frascati, Italy (this week in 1616)?

Or, I don’t know, maybe it’s to celebrate the fact that the #1 movie this week back in 2003 was Robert Rodriguez’s Once Upon a Time in Mexico.

All are as good of a reason to celebrate and to subsequently put stuff on sale as any.

Alas, none of the reasons suggested above are the real reason.

The real reason is because this week, 40 years ago, in what I can only imagine was a lovely hospital somewhere in even lovelier Canada, Mrs. Somerset gave birth to none other than Dean Somerset – one of my best friends, non-sexual life partner, and long-time work husband.

I’ll refrain from any 40-Year Old Virgin jokes here, but suffice to say I am here to welcome Dean to his fourth decade of life; one more to go until that prostate exam!

(Or, wait, do they do it at 45 now? If so, shit, I only have a few more months left).

Anyway, like I said: All of the products Dean and I have collaborated on over the years are on Sale THIS WEEK ONLY (9/15-9/18) at 40% off their regular price:

Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint (👈 Click For More Details)

(Even More) Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint (👈 Click For More Details)

The Complete Trainers’ Toolbox (👈 Click For More Details)

 

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 9/13/21

Copyright: conneldesign / 123RF Stock Photo

STUFF TO CHECK OUT FIRST

1. Coaching Beyond Cues & Programming: Lecture and Movement Workshop Training Diverse Bodies & Identities – w/ Tony Gentilcore and Justice Williams

NOTE: Please reach out to Justice Williams HERE to register.

Sunday, Oct 3 | 1-4 PM EDT
Ethos Fitness + Performance
46 Wareham St. Unit 1A
Boston, MA 02118
Cost: $149

This workshop will focus on challenging the idea that all bodies require the same approach to fitness. Training participants through both lecture and movement components, we will explore together how to approach people, meet them where they are at, and join them on their fitness journey in a way that best suits them versus our ideas of goals or success.

2. Inside the Coach’s Mind Workshop – Boston (w/ Dr. Lisa Lewis)

I’ve long stated that the largest “gap” in knowledge for most fit pros isn’t the area of program design or the “x’s” and “o’s” of how to improve scapular upward rotation.

It’s the soft skills of coaching.

I.e., what’s going on in your head.

In more sage words…

…what’s really lacking in most fit pros’ repertoires is how to leverage your own way of thinking, feeling, and behaving in order to maximize your effectiveness as a coach, your rapport & working relationships with clients, and your own resilience and mental health.

This Fall my wife, Dr. Lisa Lewis, will be hosting Part 2 of her Psych Skills for Fit Pros course: Inside the Coach’s Mind.

Volume One covered motivation & behavior change.

Volume Two will go deep(er) into the coach’s psychology.

This live event will be held at Ethos Fitness & Performance in Boston’s beautiful South End district and it is NOT necessary to have gone through volume 1’s material in order to follow along. While everything is “connected” when discussing psychology, this will be new, stand-alone content covered.

For more information – dates, location, cost, & itinerary – go HERE.

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Hook Grip Mastery: Everything You Need to Know – Manny Buitrago

I’m too much of a wimp, personally, to use the hook grip; but it’s efficacy with regards to lifting things is well established.

This is an AMAZING article that covers everything you need to know on the topic.

The Right Way to Partial – Josh Bryant

Some view partial ROM lifts as a key component to developing maximal strength. Others view them as an act worse than drop kicking a baby seal in the face.

The answer, as always, is somewhere in the middle.

Josh does an excellent job at explaining the good, the bad, and the “when to do partials?” in this quick read.

Twenty Years of Reflection: Was it Worth It? – George Kalantzis

Photo by Anthony Fomin on Unsplash

George is a good friend of mine and some may recall the name because he’s written several articles on this site throughout the years.

George served as Marine in the years following 9/11 and spent time in both Afghanistan & Iraq. He reflects on whether or not it was all “worth it” now that our longest war has seemingly come to an end.

Categoriescontinuing education

Announcing the Inside the Coach’s Mind Workshop: Boston

I’ve long stated that the largest “gap” in knowledge for most fit pros isn’t the area of program design or the “x’s” and “o’s” of how to improve scapular upward rotation.

It’s the soft skills of coaching.

I.e., what’s going on in your head.

Copyright: branche

Inside the Coach’s Mind

In more sage words…

…what’s really lacking in most fit pros’ repertoires is how to leverage your own way of thinking, feeling, and behaving in order to maximize your effectiveness as a coach, your rapport & working relationships with clients, and your own resilience and mental health.

Being an effective, professional coach isn’t about barking orders or putting on a facade of a hard-ass.

Dr. Lisa Lewis (my wife) released Psych Skills for Fit Pros last year and it helped many coaches realize the importance of “mindful” coaching and how to better build motivation.

This Fall, in Boston, she is going to continue the conversation with a brand new 2-day event that will dig deeper into the coach’s mind.

It’s focus is to enhance your own understanding of psychology and how to use it to enhance and best utilize coaching skills.

The weekend’s curriculum includes:

But also…

  • Mental Preparation – for coaching and training
  • Character Strengths – Know them. Leverage them. 
  • Professional Orientation – Mission, values, philosophy. Name them. Practice them. 
  • Unconscious Processes in Coaching – Transference, Framing, Psychological Dynamics
  • Professional Boundaries – Set them. Maintain them. 
  • Self-Care – For sustainability, efficacy, and mental health.

When: Saturday, November 6th and Sunday, November 7th, 2021

Where: Ethos Fitness & Performance (in the beautiful South End of Boston)

Cost: $699 (until 9/30), $799 (from 10/1 till day of the workshop)

👉 CEU’s will be made available via the NSCA

👉 Come enjoy a splendid fall weekend in Boston!

👉 Click HERE to Register 👈

CategoriesStrength Training

Lifting Heavy Things Prepares You For Life’s Dumpster Fires

Last week was something.

Anyone familiar with Boston knows that the two-day window of Aug 31st-Sept 1st is a crazy shit show of shit where thousands of people and thousands of moving trucks play musical chairs within the streets.

There’s really no other way to express how much it stinks; especially if you’re someone who’s partaking in the shenanigans.

A day trip to Mordor is seemingly more delightful.

Copyright: olegdudko

Lifting Heavy(ish) Things Prepares You for Life’s Dumpster Fires

Moving day is never fun.

I can think of a few things I’d rather do:

1️⃣ Jump into a shark’s mouth.
2️⃣ Wash my face with broken glass.
3️⃣ Talk about my feelings.

The list is endless.4

Last week marked the first time in almost five years my wife and I moved. It wasn’t something we wanted to do. Outside of a few annoyances we enjoyed the apartment complex where we lived. However, like many people during the height of the pandemic, we came to realize that living in cramped quarters in a cramped city wasn’t spectacular, so we decided in the spring to begin searching for a new, large(r) space to move to.

Thankfully we found a place less than a mile from where we lived and in the months from then to last week we planned our best (I.e., crossed our fingers a bunch) for everything to go swimmingly.

It didn’t.

via GIPHY

I’ll spare you the nitty gritty details, but will just point out that the moving company we hired made a MAJOR gaff.

Okay, eff that, I’m going to tell you: We own a rather large couch. In fact, this couch was one of the first pieces of furniture we purchased together as a couple when we moved in together back in 2011.

There’s a history and a bit of sentimentality there.

We love our couch.

When our son, Julian, was born back in 2017, a week after bringing him home from the hospital we were privy to being handed a notification to vacate the premise within 60 days because the apartment complex we were living in at that time was going to be converted to condos.

When we moved from that place to the one we had just left, on the day of our move we packed our couch along with all of our other belongings in the moving truck only to realize that it wouldn’t fit in either the elevator or the stairwell of the new apartment complex.

Lisa ended up hiring a separate company to meet us at our old place so that they could literally take our couch apart, fold it up like a Transformer, haul it to our new apartment, un-fold it, and leave us in a state of astonishment at how fucking cool that was.

Anyway, this is all information I reiterated to the moving company I hired for our most recent move. They gave me a quote and I was like, “you’re certain that you can take our couch, right? We had to hire a separate company last time to do it because it won’t fit in the elevator or stairwell.”

“Yes, we dissemble and reassemble, we got this!”

To no one’s surprise who’s read thus far…

…no, they didn’t got this.

The movers who helped us that day were amazing; borderline superheroes. However, they took one look at our couch and were like “nope.”

via GIPHY

Okay, they weren’t at all that callous, but did politely inform me that they couldn’t take apart that particular couch due to liability reasons.

This was unfortunate and news to me.

We had a hard window to stick to in terms of when we had vacate our apartment or otherwise forego our security deposit in addition to “inconvenience fees” if we decided to just leave our couch there.

I called the woman at the moving company who told me they’d be able to take care of everything and she owned up to the gaff. She offered a discount on services, however that didn’t solve the situation with the couch terms of getting it from the 13th floor to the moving truck.

Unless a wizard showed up, we were in a pickle.

And while neither of us had one on speed dial, thankfully, as a second resort, both myself and my wife have spent a fair portion of our adult lives lifting weights.

We ended up having to saw a portion of our couch off so that she and I could enjoy the bonding experience of finagling it down 13 floors ourselves to the moving truck waiting for us at ground level.

It was an unexpected chain of events, but we both looked at each other, said “fuck it, let’s do this,” and did it.

And pretty easily I might add.

Don’t get me wrong: It wasn’t pleasant, but it wasn’t an insurmountable feat to pull off either. For a lot of couples, though, I feel like it would have been. For Lisa and I it was more like a somewhat challenging deadlift session.

via GIPHY

I don’t write this under the guise that we should receive accolades or a ticker tape parade. (And I’m really trying to avoid coming across as one of those whiny white people that go out of their way to complain about 1st world problems like their local Whole Foods running out of kale)…😂

But I will point out that it’s random events like what happened last week which uniquely reminds me that lifting heavy things helps prepare everyone for life’s spontaneous dumpster fires.

Categoriesmindset personal training

The Hard Truth About Back Pain

Happy Labor Day to my American readers.

Happy Monday to everyone else…;o)

Today’s guest post comes courtesy of TG.com regular, Shane McLean. Most will be able to commiserate because it deals with an annoying topic most of us are very familiar with: Cross-Fitters low-back pain.

We can seemingly do everything perfectly – lift with impeccable form, do our mobility work, even do an extra set or two of deadbugs & birddogs – and yet still be clotheslined by a bout of back pain.

It stinks no matter which way you look at it.

But it’s not a death sentence.

Copyright: belchonock

The Hard Truth About Back Pain

Google back pain and you come up with about 1,550,000,000 results.5  There’s no shortage of information about back pain, the symptoms, the different types, how to treat it and how to prevent it. When you’re suffering from back pain, it’s easy to be overwhelmed with all this info.

Plus, not to mention all the conflicting advice because various treatments and exercises work for different people. What worked for me might not work for you. Pain and healing are highly individual things, I think.

Back pain causes loss of income, loss of mobility, stress,  large medical bills and costs employers big money because of sick leave, health insurance etc.

Back pain is a big deal, no doubt.

You can do all the right things, diet, exercise and move right but back pain doesn’t care. It can rear its ugly head at any time you move suddenly, bend down to pick something up off the floor or when you’re wrestling with your kid.

Then you’re in a world of hurt.

There’s a school of thought that suggests back pain is preventable if you strengthen your core, have good posture, get strong and not sit or stand too much. But back pain doesn’t care. You control what you can control and let the chips fall where they may.

Truth About My Back Pain

The truth about my back pain is it was my fault.

See, I love to deadlift, but I was doing it all wrong. Rounding the lower back while pulling a barbell from the floor repeatedly is NOT a recipe for a healthy spine. Eventually something had to give. And it did.

Around nine years ago I felt a ‘snap’ in my lower back and didn’t think anything of it. Some low-grade pain around my lower back and I ignored it like any gym meathead would, hoping over time the pain would go away.

But the more I ignored it, the worse it became, to the point where lifting, playing with my kids and sleeping didn’t happen. The pain had taken over my life and it was all-consuming. To cut the world’s smallest violin story short, I had three herniated disks.

Now the disks have healed but my pain has not. More on that later.

When You’re In Pain

If you’ve ever put your back out, you’re probably thinking you’re the only one who’s suffering (because pain is all-consuming) but this is not the case. 80% of the population of the US, at some point will suffer from chronic or acute back pain.

And about 2% to 10% of people who experience low back pain develop chronic back pain.

A lot of people choose to go under the knife to fix this because of their doctor’s recommendation, but this doesn’t always work, as shown here. Plus, I’ve encountered many people who have had multiple back surgeries and they’re still in tremendous pain and their quality-of-life sucks.

Sometimes the solution causes more problems.

Get Back On The Horse

You’ve heard the saying ‘get back on the horse’ when you’ve been knocked down.

Get up, dust yourself off and go again.

You cannot change what happened. Dwell on it, yes but you cannot change it. Better to wipe the slate clean and go again.  And this is usually great advice but for back pain it’s a little different.

via GIPHY

The countless times I’ve come back to the deadlift after injury there’s a real fear, I’ll do it again. The more I focus on correct form and set up doesn’t make this fear go away. But this fear is a two-way street. It forces me to do it right, which is a good thing.

But I lose confidence in my body to perform because of this fear and this is a bad thing.  You may think this is mumbo-jumbo, but injuries have both physical and psychological consequences, and a common post injury response is elevated fear of re-injury. (1)

The loss of confidence is real and is a little talked about consequence when coming back from an injury.

Another ‘Truth’ About Back Pain

This is a case study of N=1 (me) and my experience with back pain and training clients with back pain. Barring lower back strains and waking up on the wrong side of the bed, once you’ve damaged your spine, like herniated disks the pain doesn’t magically go away.

The injury may have healed but the pain remains.

In the case of herniated disks, the fluid that leaks out between the disks which causes the nerve pain and discomfort gets dissolved by the body over time. Then there’s nothing pressing up against the nerve so the pain should all go away, correct?

I’ve suffered from low-grade (1-2 out 10 on the pain scale) and extreme lower back pain (5-7 out of 10) almost daily for the past nine years. Granted it’s not the same level of pain generated by a herniated disk and it’s not constant, but it’s still pain.

Low grade back pain doesn’t stop me from training, but it does make me more aware of my set up and form. It makes me more conscious of my posture and daily movements too and this is all positive. Extreme back pain almost puts me on the ground.

This is not.

After surgery, rehab, Physical Therapy or Chiropractic care for back aliments, the severe pain may go away but the discomfort may haunt you like Casper the friendly ghost.

Wrapping Up

Back pain, whatever form it takes, sucks.

You lose confidence in your ability to perform everyday movements and fear re-injury. But it does make you aware of taking good care of it. Because if you don’t, your back will tell you in no uncertain terms.

Note From TG: As an adjunct to Shane’s sage words, I’d highly recommend reading THIS article I wrote recently on why training with pain present is an inevitable (if not important) part of the healing process.

About the Author

Shane “Balance Guy’ McLean”  is an A.C.E Certified Personal Trainer working deep in the heart of Louisiana with the gators.

References

  1. Chao-Jung Hsu et al. Fear of Reinjury in Athletes. Sports Health Mar/Apr 2017;9(2):162-167. doi: 10.1177/1941738116666813. Epub 2016 Sep 20.
CategoriesUncategorized

COACHED: Raise the Bar Conference 👈 Epic Speaking Line-Up

Copyright: tomertu

Announcing the COACHED: Raise the Bar Conference

I’ve got some exciting news to share.

Word on the street is that George Lucas (creator of Star Wars) is going to write & direct a romantic comedy as his next project in Hollywood.

Just kidding.

No one wants that.

Can you imagine that? I think a toaster oven could write better dialogue between two romantic interests. Remember the ear wash from Attack of the Clones between Padme and Anakin?:


I mean, who talks like that?……..🤢

In all seriousness, I do have some exciting news.

I’m excited to announce that I will be part of the Raise the Bar Conference. An event focused on the missing links in our industry: Communication, collaboration, connection, behavioral psychology, business & marketing skills, and much more.

When: February 4th-6th, 2022
Where: BioFit Performance, Oviedo, FL (Orlando area)

And more importantly who? Who will be presenting at this event?

I gotta say: This is undoubtedly one of the most stacked line-ups I have ever seen; even more than the 1990 Oakland Athletics.

The Line-Up

I’m flabbergasted whenever my name gets lumped into the same circle as the bunch above, but there I am. Like a boss (alongside my wife, Dr. Lisa Lewis).

You can attend this event either in person or virtually (albeit, spots are limited in-person). You also have the option of purchasing a direct pass or direct pass + recordings.

The SUPER early bird rate lasts through the end of September so act quickly – HERE.

I’m pumped for this event. Not only because it’ll be my first in person speaking event in almost two years and I’ll have the opportunity to catch up with friends & colleagues I haven’t seen in a long time, but also because you KNOW I’m staying an extra day or two to visit Hollywood Studios.

I told myself I’d never do it; the thought of being around a massive crowd and waiting in long ass lines has never appealed to me.

And that was before a pandemic.

Alas, the opportunity to see Darth Vader in person and to walk around the Millennium Falcon with my 5-year old will be a splendid experience. At the very least they’ll be some potential for me to finally utter the words “I’LL TURN THIS CAR AROUND RIGHT NOW!,” in true vacation dad fashion.

#family.

I truly hope you’ll consider attending this event. I think it’s going to be pretty special. Go HERE for all the details and to register at the Early Bird rate (<— which, again, only lasts through September).

Categoriespersonal training Program Design Rehab/Prehab Uncategorized

Should You Train Through Pain?

We live in a world surrounded by inevitabilities:

  • Summers in Florida will be hot.
  • Winters in New England will be cold..
  • People will perform stupid antics on social media (the latest being the Milk Crate Challenge)

Additionally, if you’re an active person, particularly if you lift weights, unless you’re name is Wolverine, it’s inevitable you’ll (probably) experience pain during exercise.

Maybe your knees will feel a little cranky after a serious squat session or your shoulders will be mad after prioritizing the bench press for several weeks.

What’s more, many people after a hiatus due to injury have to navigate the rehab process, which can be a painful experience and about as fun as sitting on a cactus.

Pain is never desirable.

Then question, then, is…

…should you train through pain if it’s present?

Copyright: ocusfocus

Should You Train Through Pain?

Well, it depends.

If you have a knife lodged in your thigh, no.

You should go to the ER.

However, if we’re discussing any of the aforementioned scenarios highlighted in the introduction my response is an emphatic “YES!”

Albeit, with some caveats.

If you want to elicit change, you need to move. When we move, we induce something called mechanotransduction, which is just nerd speak for “tissue begins to heal.”

Pain, when DOSED ACCORDINGLY, can be beneficial during exercise. When we push into a little pain there’s generally better short-term results than if not.

Whenever I’m working with a client/athlete experiencing pain during exercise (especially in a rehab setting) I like to use a “pain threshold” scale.

On a scale of 1-10 (1 = no biggie, I got this and a 10 = holy shit, a panther just latched onto my carotid), exercise should hover in the 2-3 realm.

Elaborating further, my friend and colleague, Tim Latham of Back Bay Health in Boston, uses a stoplight analogy when it comes to pain during exercise:

  • 0-3 on the pain scale = green light. GO.
  • 4-5 = yellow light. Proceed with caution and modify ROM, technique, sets/reps, etc
  • 6-10 = red light – stop and revisit at a later time.

Let’s Put This Into Action

Let’s say I have a client who had ACL surgery a few months ago and has been cleared by their doctor and physical therapist to begin more aggressive strength training.

My expectation isn’t that (s)he is going to walk in on Day #1 and feel like a million bucks; there’s going to be some degree of discomfort. However, I am not going to shy away from it and attempt to avoid it at all costs.

Remember: A little pain is okay, if not preferred. It’s imperative to challenge the body. I’d make the argument that a lot of what inhibits or slows down the rehabbing process for many is the threat of UNDERloading.

I.e., doing so little that the body is never forced to adapt to anything.

Tendons, muscles, and bones NEED (appropriate) load in order to heal and come back stronger.

Taking my ACL client through the process I may have them start with a deadlift. So long as their pain stays within the 0-3 range, it’s all systems a go.

If that number jumps to a 4-5 it doesn’t mean we have to omit the exercise altogether. Instead we do the following:

  • Modify ROM – Elevate the barbell off the ground (less knee flexion)
  • Modify Tempo – When in doubt, slow down. It’s actually quite profound how effective this simple tweak can be.
  • Adjust Technique – Play around with foot position or stance to see if something feels more comfortable.
  • Adjust Volume – Sometimes we’re too overzealous with volume and need to ramp up more slowly.

If the pain threshold at any point falls in the 6-10 range then we know we’ve overstepped our coverage and we need to stop that exercise immediately and regress.

It’s not a perfect system and there’s no doubt an aspect of subjectivity to things, but I hope this helps encourage people to not be deterred if pain is present during exercise.

It can be an important cog in the healing process.

CategoriesProgram Design Strength Training

3 Reasons Why You’re Not Getting Better At Lifting Heavy Things

“I haven’t come across anything yet that can’t be cured by getting stronger.”

I heard this quote several years ago. I can’t recall who said it, but whomever it was was assuredly someone who’d make my top 10 list of people I’d want to hang out with.6

It stuck with me, and save for male pattern baldness I agree with it 100%.

Copyright: spotpoint74

3 Reasons Why You’re Not Getting Better at Lifting Heavy Things

Outside of the minor nuisance of being the default person your friends & family rely on when furniture needs to be moved, there’s very little that can go wrong with getting stronger.

Athletes will typically jump higher, run faster, be able to change direction on a dime, and otherwise dominate the competition in their respective sport.

And they’re not the only ones who reap its benefits.

Getting stronger works wonders for regular gym folk (both male and female) as well. While many have a goal to perform better in their recreational basketball, flag football, softball, or Laser Tag league…

…building a solid foundation of strength bodes well for the more aesthetically minded individual too.

BTW: If you’re actually in a Laser Tag league, congratulations. You’re awesome.

For the most part strength = muscle.

Guys who can deadlift 2.5x bodyweight aren’t small.

To steal a train of thought from the great Dan John, women who can perform 5+ chin-ups (I’d even make the case for ONE chin-up) typically don’t need to fret over eating an extra slice of carrot cake.

And to that point, even if someone’s goal is fat loss, the more muscle they have the less “aggressive” they’ll have to be on the dietary side of the equation. This isn’t to imply the process is any easier and that you’re less likely to want to stab someone in the throat whenever you’re hangry. But, for all intents and purposes, those who have more muscle (and therefore probably a solid base of strength) generally don’t need to go into “I hate my life mode” when it comes to dieting.

Stronger people tend to be more resilient and don’t get hurt as much either. The saying “getting strong(er) is corrective“ can’t be stated enough.

Above all, those who are stronger are generally harder to kill once the zombies eventually take over.

So what are some factors that prevent or deter people from getting stronger?

Omitting the obvious culprits like not using progressive overload, listening to one syllable that comes out of Tracy Anderson’s mouth, or, you know, dying, below are a few less common talked about factors.

1. Recovery

I put this first because:

1. It’s that important.

2. Admittedly, it’s the most boring and most likely to be glossed over.

HINT: DON’T SKIP THIS.

 “You’re only as strong as how well you allow yourself to recover.”

Physiologically speaking you don’t get stronger (or bigger) during a workout. You break down muscle tissue and accumulate fatigue.

Both are necessary and it’s what causes the body to adapt, grow, and become stronger and stuff.

However, it’s how well you allow yourself to recover in between bouts of training which dictates consistent and long-term progress.

This can mean any number of things.

It’s hydration, it’s ensuring ample total calories in a 24 hour period (peri and post-workout nutrition isn’t nearly as life-and-death as we’ve made it out to be in the past), it’s keeping up with soft tissue quality (foam rolling, occasional massages), and most importantly it’s making sure you go the fuck to bed.

via GIPHY

Nothing kills all the hard work you put in the gym then not getting ample sleep at night.

I can’t tell you how many conversations I’ve had with high-school, collegiate, and professional athletes throughout the years where they’re scratching their heads as to why they’re not getting stronger and why they always feel as if a mack truck ran them over:

  • Are they not doing enough sets/reps?
  • Maybe it’s because they’re not taking “x” supplement?

Only to find out they’re up until 2-3AM every night playing Halo or flipping left/right on Tinder.

It’s a drastic example, and most reading right now aren’t quite as oblivious.

But this does speak to those of you who stare at a television, computer screen, or iPad for hours leading up to bedtime (or what I like to call nighty nights sleepy time) which then results in less quality rest.

I’m a huge proponent of setting a ritual for bed.

My wife and I bought room darkening curtains to block out as much outside light as possible, and I always sleep with a fan on at night to serve as “white noise.”

In addition I’ll always read in bed.

It’s more or less a signal to my body to “shut up.” And, to be honest, it’s rare that I can get through five pages before I’m nodding off.

So, long story short: GO TO BED.

Also, to the CrossFitters reading: it’s okay to take a day off occasionally. It works wonders for recovery. And no, going into your box on “free days” to perform a front squat Tabata or, I don’t know, ‘Alejandro’7 doesn’t count.

If you want to do something go for a walk.

2. You’re Lifting Heavy Things Too Much

I know many of you reading are thinking I’m off my rocker with this one, but hear me out.

There’s a popular line many strength coaches have used throughout the years:

“Far too many people are concerned with constantly testing their strength (1RM) rather than building it.”

I couldn’t agree more.

For the fun of it, audit yourself.

When was the last time you tested your 1RM in something?

If you’re like most people it was yesterday. And prior to that it was last week. And prior to that it was the week before that.

Don’t get me wrong: Training in the 85-95% 1RM range IS important from a strength development standpoint. Here we see many positive adaptations, like:

1. Maximal number of motor units are recruited.

2. Fastest MU’s are activated (high-threshold motor units).

3. The discharge frequency (rate coding) is increased.

4. Activity – inter and intra muscular coordination – is synchronous.

5. Potential for future hypertrophy gains (especially when you revert back to a “hypertrophy” specific training phase).

6.  At least 37 IQ points (<=== it’s science).

Photo Credit: Elitefts.com

However, it’s important to understand that most of the popular strength-based programs out there – 5/3/1, Cube Method, Juggernaut, etc – the bulk of the volume hovers in the 60-80% (1RM) range.

That’s in stark contrast to what many people perceive as the right approach when strength is the goal.

To reiterate: It’s still very important to train heavier than that – and the above programs do include work in the 90% + range – but it doesn’t have to be as frequent as one might think.

Training heavy all the time is going to wear you down. Not only will your joints take a beating, but it’s neurally taxing as well.

In the end, for most people most of the timer, it’s SUB-MAXIMAL work that needs to be prioritized more frequently.

Not only does it ensure immaculate technique – which allows people to “express” their strength more effectively – but it helps in building a much larger base so you can attain a higher peak (in strength).

3. Making Stuff Harder For the Sake of Making It Harder

Some people just want to be crushed in the gym, and that’s cool. I appreciate and respect whenever someone likes to work hard and get after it.

Here is where I have a TON of respect for CrossFit.

But making an exercise “hard” for the sake of making it hard (or to make yourself feel tired) won’t necessarily equate to better results.

When I write a program I need to be able to back up my rationale for every exercise I have someone perform. It’s easy to make someone tired.

Push a Prowler for 30 minutes.

It’s a whole nother ball game to enhance someone’s performance; to get them better. I need to be very particular with what movements and exercises I include given someone’s goals, injury history, and current ability level.

You know the saying “you’re only as strong as your weakest link?” Well, if getting stronger is someone’s goal that’s pretty important.

When most people think “get strong” they look to the big 3: squat, bench press, and deadlift.

In terms of any accessory movements I include in a program, 95% of them are going to be aimed at addressing some form of weakness or technique flaw in the aforementioned big 3 lifts.

The other 5% is dedicated to bicep curls.

Because, biceps.

A Few Examples

  • Someone is falling forward or having a hard time out of the hole in the squat – An easy fix would be to have them spend more time within the ROM they’re having the most trouble in. Pause squats for 2-5s (with 50-70% of 1RM) is an excellent choice. Another option here is to perform more Safety Squat Bar squats
  • Someone is weak off their chest in the bench press –  Again, more time spent where they’re weakest would be ideal. Pause bench press or maybe high(er) rep sets with the Spoto Press.
  • Someone is weak at lockout with the deadlift – Dedicated speed/technique work with a lower % load would work, as would adding chains to the lift, or maybe some RDLs.

The theme to hammer home is to use your accessory work to address something useful, rather than making exercise hard for the sake of making it hard.