CategoriesNutrition Supplements

Supplement Review: Supplements That Suck, Supplements That Work, and Supplements That Are Underrated Part I

The topic of supplements is about as controversial as they come – right up there with homeland security, government deficit spending,  global warming, that silly ban on big gulp sodas in NYC, and trying to figure out who the best Spice Girl was back in the day.

Scary Spice obviously.  No, wait…..Sporty Spice! 

On one end of the spectrum you have those who take a minimalist approach (like myself) and generally advocate people to lean more towards those supplements which elicit positive health benefits outright; such as fish oil, vitamin D, multi-vitamin (or a Green’s product), protein powder, and I’d even throw creatine into the mix.

On the other end of the spectrum you have those who take anything and everything under the sun and whose kitchen cabinets look more like a pharmacy than where they keep their peanut butter and canned peas.

Regardless of which side of the spectrum you fall on, to say that the supplement industry is a bit confusing is a massive understatement.  Which ones work?  Which ones are a waste of money?  Which ones cause explosive diarrhea?  These are all very important questions.

Thankfully my buddy, Sol Orwell of Examine.com, offered to sift through the muddy waters and provide some much needed insight on some common supplements and whether or not they’re worth the hype.

Enjoy!

Overrated Supplements

Glucosamine

Glucosamine is usually marketed as a joint health supplement, and is commonly used by many athletes to either help alleviate joint pain and/or increase the mobility of joints.

Despite how popular glucosamine is (one survey found that 5% of the entire population had taken glucosamine), beyond exhaustive research into people with osteoarthritis, there is very little research done into glucosamine usage by athletes.

Glucosamine is usually associated with being a building block of collagen or otherwise stimulating its synthesis. While glucosamine can do that, it’s in concentrations that you cannot achieve with oral supplementation. What it can do is help decrease the rate of collagen breakdown; essentially it can slow down further degeneration, but it cannot actual cure the problem.

Glucosamine is not outright crap; it could potentially be an anti-catabolic (but not anabolic) agent for connective tissue in athletes undergoing high impact training.

However, using it to help deal with joint health is likely wasted money. It can slightly help (a meta analysis found that it can slightly reduce pain), but it is nowhere near as amazing as marketed.

Tribulus Terrestris (and “testosterone boosters” in general)

Tribulus is a triumph in marketing and human psychology. It is one of the few supplements that has ample evidence to outright demonstrate that it doesn’t work. Still, it is the most popular testosterone booster on the market (with d-aspartic acid coming up fast).

Tribulus is a libido enhancer, confers some urogenital benefits (reduced formation of kidney stones), is generally a healthy herb, has some antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties, and is potentially heart healthy.

It does not boost testosterone, nor luteinizing hormone, at all; there is no evidence to support this claim and there is quite a bit of evidence against it. Treat it like a vegetable (good for you) that also makes you horny, but does not actually increase testosterone

On the topic of testosterone boosters in general – they do exist, there are a few studies (mostly  in animals) to support their actions and efficacy in increasing testosterone.

The category is just overhyped; no testosterone booster will give you the muscular gains that are classically ascribed to testosterone boosters and no study has actually measured the muscular gains from a testosterone boosting herb intervention. Theoretically, it should be dose-dependent (assuming you eat right and work out, the more testosterone the better) but the magnitude of benefit could be so small it isn’t even that visible.

Statistically? Significant. Practically? Irrelevant. Most of the testosterone boosters being marketed increase your libido; people incorrectly assume their increased libido is due to a correlated increase in testosterone.

Testosterone boosters should be viewed as cognitive enhancers. They make you horny and a bit confident and might increase cognition and output in the gym, but the ones currently on the market are unlikely to ‘pack on muscle’.

Glutamine

With the importance of dietary protein come the individual amino acids being sold as their own supplements. Common ones include BCAAs, leucine, glutamine, arginine, and tyrosine. Glutamine is one of the more popular ones, and really the only one that truly does not fit its claim (arginine technically does, although is subpar; glutamine just seems to be lying).

Glutamine is said to build muscle, and supplementation of glutamine in real-life situations just does not.

Glutamine is involved in cell anabolism, and is especially important for the cell when it is sitting outside of a body in a culture. When glutamine is introduced to a muscle cell in isolation, there is dose-dependent muscle growth; this has been demonstrated repeatedly, and glutamine is basically a requirement for a proper in vitro study to just keep the cell alive (glutamine being the food source).

That being said, glutamine is highly regulated in a living system; there will not be such an excess of glutamine at a cellular level since it can simply be converted to carbohydrates in excess or otherwise partitioned to other organs. Oral glutamine supplementation is well known to be sequestered by the intestines and liver, leaving barely any to reach the muscle cell (only as much as the body seems to allow).

The only time glutamine builds muscle mass is when the body is in a glutamine deficient state. This is obscenely rare, and seems to only frequently occur in physical trauma patients or burn victims. Glutamine can build muscle in these settings (or at least, slow the incredible rate of muscle loss) and has absolutely no evidence beyond these settings.

There is a school of thought that glutamine can be a sacrificial amino acid during periods of carbohydrate and caloric restriction, and thus provide an anti-catabolic effect by being gluconeogenerated itself in place of skeletal muscle; this works in theory, but has not yet been demonstrated.

Check back tomorrow for part two, where I’ll cover supplements that I actually like and those I feel are drastically underrated.

Author’s Bio

 

Kurtis Frank and Sol Orwell are cofounders of Examine.com, where they spend their time making sense of scientific studies on supplements and nutrition. They also have a Beginners Guide to Supplements, which you should really, really check out (subtle hint).

CategoriesExercise Technique Program Design Strength Training

Shoulder Training Tips: 6 Coaches Weigh in on Shoulders

This one is short and sweet today. We’re on a very, very tight schedule (spa, tour of the Mets training complex, etc)) and I was warned by Lisa that if she caught me on my computer she’d either Sparta kick me in the chest or force me to listen to nothing but Katy Perry on our way to Miami.

Neither sounds like a great scenario.

*tap, tap, tap, space key, space key, tap, tap, space key, tap, tappidy tap, space key, taparoo*

“Excuse me. But…..What. Are. You. Doing?”

Lisa!  Uh, I didn’t see you there.  I was just, you know, I thought I heard a noise on my computer, and I opened the screen, and, I, uh, just wanted to make sure it was alright. Since I was here I thought I’d go a head and donate to Greenpeace, and maybe look into adopting a baby seal.

Okay, I was checking my emails and writing a quick post.

Honey, why are you stepping closer? HONEY!!!!  NOooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

Two hours later from a hospital bed:

I was asked a few weeks ago by the editors of T-Nation if I’d be willing to offer some advice on shoulder training.

It turned out awesome and includes solid information from other top-notch coaches like Tim Henriques, Dean Somerset, Bryan Krahn, Ben Bruno, and Dan Trink.

===> Check it out here <===

 

CategoriesMiscellaneous Miscellany

Miscellaneous Miscellany Monday: Greetings From Florida Edition

1. I’m in Florida as I write this – Jensen Beach/Stuart area in fact – and since my girlfriend and her mom decided to have a little mother-daughter “lets shop till we drop” marathon today, which I absolutely wanted no part of, I’ve had a nice, relaxing day to myself where I went to a local commercial gym to get a lift in, and now I’m sitting here in the outdoors area of a Panera in 80 degree weather loving life.

As it happened, I wore my Cressey Performance t-shirt to train this morning and was approached by a random woman who had nothing but great things to say about us.  I had just completed a set of squats and happened to make eye-contact with her when she looked at me and gave me a hearty thumbs up.

Acting all cool, at first I thought she was giving me some kudos on my squat technique, which would have been awesome, and a boost to my ego. But really it was the shirt she was impressed with.

I should have known better.

We chatted for about five or so minutes and she mentioned how she always tells people to read our stuff and that, despite being a regular ol’ kick-ass general fitness enthusiast and someone who just enjoys to train (ie: not a trainer), she really appreciated all of the content we provide.

It was just a really nice experience and simultaneously surreal.  It always amazes me how much of a reach we have at CP that a random person in Florida knew who I was.

2. And, for those who are reading and inevitably going to give me flack (maybe rightfully so) for doing some work while on my vacation, yesterday, per Lisa’s request, we spent the ENTIRE day out on the open ocean on our friend’s boat doing some serious fishing.

As you can see from the picture above (the one where I felt compelled to do my best Zoolander impersonation, and failed miserably) I wore what I felt was the most appropriate fishing shirt ever.  Who says guys never accessorize!?!?!

The game plan was to catch a great white shark, and get myself on the local news, but all I caught were a few measly Spanish mackerel.

Not quite Jaws, but close enough.

All wasn’t lost, though.  We caught so many (20), that we all went back, cleaned those bad boys out and ate them for dinner.

So today has been a “lay-low” day.  Like I said, Lisa and her mom are off shopping somewhere and doing whatever it is that women do when they shop, and I’m just sitting here outside getting some writing done and taking care of some email correspondance.

Tomorrow we’re heading to Port St. Lucie to check out the Mets spring training complex and to hopefully check out some of our CP guys in action.  Then, we’re off to Miami to visit some if Lisa’s friends and to REALLY get the party started.

Speaking of which:  this will be my first trip to Miami since I was a sophomore in college playing baseball.  I’ve never really had an opportunity to explore the city itself and know both Lisa and I will want to check out some sights and sounds, as well as eat at some fancy schmancy restaurants.

For those in the Miami area – any suggestions???

3.  As a quick reminder, I’m going to be speaking at my alma mater, SUNY Cortland, on April 1st.  I’m really excited to head back to my old stomping grounds and speak to the student body.  It’s a huge honor to be asked to come speak, and it’s my hope that those who attend will remember my name walk away with some newfound insight on assessment, anatomy, and program design.

While the talk with be geared towards undergrad and graduate students, it is OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!  And it’s FREE.

For those looking for more information whether it’s directions to Cortland, where on campus it will be held, or taking bets as to what my walk out music will be, please contact Justin Kompf at [email protected] for more details.

4.  Looking a bit further down the yell0w-brick road, I’m happy to note that Cressey Performance will be hosting the next Elite Training Workshop on Sunday, April 21st.

This is undoubtedly going to be a huge event as the following people will be speaking:

Eric Cressey
Mike Robertson
Mike Reinold
Dave Schmitz
Steve Long
Jared Woolever
And some joker with the last name Gentilcore.

Additionally, there will be a bonus “business day” hosted by Pat Rigsby and Nick Berry on Saturday, April 20th.

===> Click here for more information and to register <===

5.  I’ve been very grateful in my career to get to the point where I’m now featured in the likes of Men’s Health Magazine on an almost monthly basis.  But in this month’s issue (April 2013) I’ve finally weaseled my way into an actual full-length, semi-feature article.

What’s it about you ask?  How to Get Tank-Top Arms:  13 Top-Level Moves on the BOSU Ball.

LOL – just kidding.

It’s actually on the one part of a program that most guys dismiss but can arguably be considered the most important:

The Warm-Up

Check out pg. 114-116 for more of the deets.  And yes, I’ll be more than happy to sign your issue if we ever cross paths.

5.  And finally, I’m really good friends with Ben Bruno, and since he also lives in the Boston area, it’s not uncommon for he and I to get together and train or just go out for some burgers* on occasion.

Of course, like everyone else, I read his stuff and love it.  Unfortunately I’m not one of those creative types that can sit in his evil strength coach lair and conjure up sadistic exercises that will make people hate life.

Ben, though, is a pro at it.

He can be a real a-hole sometimes.  Check out this single leg variations he posted up on his Youtube Channel today:

BRUTAL.  “Might have to give those a try sometime.”

Said no one, ever.

 

*  = and ice cream.**

** = okay, and pizza.  What?  Don’t judge us.  The ice cream is gluten free…..;O)

CategoriesMotivational Program Design Strength Training

Muscle Confusion

Sorry I’ve been a bit absent this week.  Between fighting off this bitch of a cold, prepping for a presentation on posture and low back pain I’m doing at Bose Headquarters this afternoon, and tying up loose ends before heading off on vacation this weekend, my hands have been a bit full.

There’s all of that and a funny story about Lisa almost attacking me with a pillow in the middle of the night thinking I was someone breaking into our apartment. But I’ll save that for a Miscellaneous Monday post down the road.

Nevertheless, today I have an awesome guest post by Nate Palmer on muscle confusion.  For those who enjoy my writing style, this one will be right on par.  Enjoy!

Muscle Confus….. whaaaa????

If you’re reading this right now, I’m making some broad assumptions about you:

  • You have above average knowledge of muscular and athletic training.
  • You’re a 7.5 or better on the general attractiveness scale.
  • You know and respect the work of people like McGill, Polquin, Bieber, and Cressey.
  • You are passionate about squatting, building muscle, moving well, and quoting Bane as much as possible.

If you fall into any of those categories, I believe it’s safe to assume that you’ve also heard the phrase “muscle confusion” thrown around like a hipster at a Ramstein concert. It’s all over the news, in radio ads, general fitness articles, and p90x.

Generally the definition of muscle confusion is that by continuing to mix up the exercises/sets/reps/tempo etc. one can ‘trick’ the muscles into growing or burning more fat based on the idea the muscles will adapt to the same stimulus over and over again.

The benefit here is that it is possible to continue to coax new growth out of your muscles without them ever catching on to the fact that you are not, in fact, Mariusz Pudjianowski. Another benefit is that the same routine can be used by a variety of types of trainees with good results.

This is actually science, and since science should not be ignored, I wanted to help clear up the mystical BS surrounding the theory of muscle confusion, and help you create your own muscle confusion workout.  At the end, I will give you an example of a workout that I have used for many years with great results, both in my own training, and for many of my clients.

Here is a proven 10 step system that will help you go from Hayden Christiansen status to being a training Yoda in just minutes.

  1. List your goals out on a piece of paper. Be as specific as you can. (i.e. don’t just put “I want to be ripped” put that you want to be bodyweight of 185 at bodyfat percentage of 8%. Don’t put “get stronger” but say you want to squat 315 x 10)
  2. Underneath each goal, write 2-5 exercises that will contribute to your success in that activity.
  3. Now take 12 sticky notes and write down other activities that you enjoy doing, whether that’s sewing, rock climbing, or watching Jumanji on repeat.
  4. Put the sticky notes on your fridge for motivation
  5. While you’re at your fridge, grab something to eat. You don’t want to be hungry while dealing with the advanced principles of muscle confusion.
  6. Grab a calendar for the month. Write down your 7 favorite numbers on it.
  7. Tear all the papers into small pieces and put them into your protein shaker bottle. Shake vigorously for 30-60 seconds to maximize triceps involvement.
  8. Go to the gym with said protein shaker, and begin removing pieces of paper. If legible, tear into smaller pieces and repeat step 7.  If you’re becoming confused, that means your muscles are becoming adequately prepped for the workout. While pulling out scraps of paper, you should be haphazardly guessing what they say and doing the exercises with the sets and reps in the way they come out of the shaker.
  9. Your workout should end when the sum of all your sets and reps = 37, or when the minute hand of the clock hits a really cool number.
  10. Make sure to end every session with a naked bosu ball kettlebell snatch on the stair master. Your muscles won’t have any idea what the F just happened!

******BONUS *******

Muscle Confusion Nutrition; the do’s and don’ts.

DO:

Mix 3 parts margarita, with 1 part jack3d and 1 part goji berry extract for the perfect pre-workout beverage. For optimal results, use as a suppository.

Consume as much rotisserie chicken as possible during the workout to involve the digestive system, and to confuse the abs from the inside out.

DON’T:

Have a traditional post workout meal, but instead eat the third thing you see on the way home from the gym. Take a different route every time, or close your eyes while driving to ensure proper confusion.

Listen to the experts. Every body is different, and needs different stimuli to continue growing. Optimize your gains the right way! The confusing way.

DISCLAMER:

Please don’t do this. Any of it really. Except the naked bosu ball snatches. You should do those.

If you’re interested in the actual scientific principle of muscle confusion, look no further than progressive overload, which very simply states that in order to make progress, you must challenge your muscles in ways they haven’t been challenged before. This can take the form of something as simple as adding another rep, or another 5lbs to the bar.

If you are the guy who constantly goes to the gym and does the same 3×10 with 135 every Monday on bench press, you’re not going to make any progress because you haven’t given your muscles any reason to change from the size they are, because they are fully capable of doing your workout.

Constantly changing the stimulus by doing more work per session is the way to create and maintain lasting gains. You don’t need to be jumping from program to program week after week. This will never allow your central nervous system (CNS) to adapt to the movements (which is a good thing that will help you lift more), and you’ll never get any bigger or stronger.

Want to get big and strong? Pick 2-3 big exercises and get really, REALLY strong at them. Add 5lbs per week to start, then add 2.5lbs per week, and if necessary, add 1 lb per week. Do that for a full year. That way, at the end of this year, you will have put somewhere between 50 and 150lbs on your squat. Instead of what you did last year, which was jump around too much and end up with a strained shoulder and a 180lbs squat.

If you want to get brutally strong, stay lean and get legs the size of tree trunks, institute a 20 rep squat protocol.  Start lower than you think you should, and add between 1 and 10lbs per week, making lower jumps as you increase weight. At the end of a year, you can easily go from doing 135×20 to doing 250×20.

The most confusing thing you can do for your muscles is squat 300lbs 20 times.  Do that, and ditch your fitness DVD’s.

You’re welcome. That will be 49.99.

Author’s Bio

Nate Palmer is a NASM certified personal trainer and corrective exercise specialist. He specializes in weight loss, rehabilitation and stretching, and athletic training. He also loves the smell of vanilla candles, and looking at pictures of puppies online, but he would never admit it.

He’s currently employed at PRO Sports Club in the greater Seattle Area, and for more information check out his website HERE.

 

 

CategoriesExercise Technique Strength Training

Bench Press Technique: Why the Hand-Off is Kind of a Big Deal

I know I’m a bit of an anomaly in saying this, especially considering I make my living as a strength coach and fitness writer, and you know, I’m a dude, but here it goes:  I really, really dislike bench pressing.

Not that I think it’s a bad or dangerous exercises or anything. On the contrary I’d rank the bench press right up there as one of the top exercises one can perform to build overall strength and muscle mass – especially in the upper body.  It’s not considered one of the “big three” (squat, deadlift, bench press) in powerlifting circles for nothing.

And least we forget:  chicks dig a big bench press.  Right, ladies?

Outside of overhead athletes or someone with a significant history of shoulder injuries, where it would contraindicated, the bench press is pretty much a staple exercise in any well-rounded fitness routine.

But back to me for a second. Because, you know, it’s all about me….;o)

I dislike the bench press because, well, I suck at it!

In fact if I had to make a list of things I dislike in this world, I’d place the bench press in the same breath as Jar Jar Binks, Rocky V, poodles, belly button lint, and Tracy Anderson.

Yeah, I hate it that much.

I still do it, of course. But I’ve come to the foregone conclusion that, because of my abnormally long arms, I’ll most likely never be a great bencher.

I just picked the wrong parents in that regard.

Nevertheless, my best bench (so far) is 315 lbs, and I’m cool with that.  If it goes up, it goes up.  If it doesn’t, it’s not the end of the world.

So yeah, there you go: I have a personal disdain for the bench press, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love to coach it and help others improve their performance.

I’ve written in the past some common tips that I feel will help improve one’s bench press prowess, so I’m not going to get into the ins and outs of proper foot position, elbow positon, leg drive, bar path, grip, the efficacy of a back arch, or any number of other things that have been discussed ad naseam on the interwebz.

Instead I want to touch on something that hardly ever gets talked about, and something I feel can help improve one’s bench performance almost instantly.

And that is:

Getting a Proper Hand-Off

At Cressey Performance our athletes and clients don’t ask for a “spot.” Rather they as for a hand-off.  Ask any top-notch or world class bencher what one of the main keys are, and he (or she) will say……TIGHTNESS.

You have to get tight.  Especially in the upper back.  Without getting into the extreme details, I like to coach guys to place their feet on the bench (relax, it’s only for a few seconds), grab the bar, lift their hips up, and drive their upper back into the bench.  Simultaneously, I’ll tell them to consciously think to themselves, “together and DOWN” with the shoulder blades.

For the anatomy geeks out there – basically what I’m looking for is that the shoulder blades are adducted  and posteriorly tilted.

Really it’s all fancy schmancy talk to try to get them more compact and tight so that they’re more stable and able to transfer force more efficiently through the body.

Which begs the question:  Why go through all that trouble to get tight, compact, and ready to hoist a barbell off your chest, only to NOT get a proper hand-off, and lose all of it when you un-rack the bar?

Think about what happens when you un-rack a bar on your own.  You essentially have to press/protract the shoulders just to get the bar off the j-hooks.  As a result, the scapulae abduct and (most likely) anteriorly tilt as well, and stability is compromised.

Seems a bit counterproductive in my eyes, and serves as the impetus behind today’s video.

Bench Press Technique: The Hand-Off

A few points to consider that I didn’t cover in the video:

1. The “spotter” or hander-offer guy isn’t lifting the bar off the j-hooks, but rather “guiding” the bar to the starting position.

2.  Moreover, the lifter shouldn’t think of it as pressing the bar up and into the starting postion, but instead “pulling” into position.  Kind of like a bastardized straight-arm pressdown (albeit on your back).

3.  Getting down the cadence of 1….2….breath….lift off is the key here. It’s going to take some practice, which is why I highly advocate finding a training partner you trust.

3.  If at any point the guy providing the hand off starts chirping, “all you, all you, all you” when he’s clearly got his hands on the bar, immediately rack the bar and scissor kick him in the face.

CategoriesFemale Training

The (New) New Rules of Lifting for Women

I’ve stated this in the past on numerous occasions, but I’ll say it again:  I (and the fitness industry in general) owes a huge debt of gratitude to Lou Schuler and Alwyn Cosgrove for writing The New Rules of Lifting series.

I believe there are five books in total; two more and JK Rowling will have to look over her shoulder.  But it’s the second in the series – The New Rules of Lifting for Women – co-written by my good friend, Cassandra Forsythe, that holds a special place in my heart.

You see, the fitness industry is kind of funny.  Not funny “haha,” but rather, funny in the sense that its done a fantastic job of confusing the hell out of people.

It seems every week another fad diet or workout gadget or gimmick makes a splash on television or on the New York Times best seller list, and does nothing more than throw more fuel on the “who’s right/who’s wrong, and what the hell am I supposed to be doing?” fire.

Or, maybe the more appropriate analogy would be throwing more napalm on the fire.  Heck why not go for broke and just say it’s a nuclear bomb of bulls***!

Yeah, that works.

For example, here are some doozies I “stole” from personal trainer Nate Palmer from his Definitive Guide To Weight Loss:

Rule 5: On day 8, 14, 19, and 27, it’s important to recover vital minerals by eating 32oz of nut butter. However, to maximize electrolyte intake and to put your body into “fat burning mode” the nut butters must be eaten by hand.

Rule 8: To keep oxidants at bay, blend 1 dark chocolate bar and 2 cups of blueberries into a bottle of red wine. Apply generously to the skin before going outside. This will dispel the suns harmful rays and eliminate cancer causing radiation from your cell phone.

While you and I know better and understand Nate’s being a bit facetious with his tone, I have to say:  I wouldn’t be at all surprised if there are people out there who are that gullible and would take such advice to heart.

Furthermore, it wouldn’t surprise me if there was some website or book or DVD out there that would advocate such things.

It’s the nature of beast nowadays with information so easily accessible.

By that same token, training is no different.  There’s certainly no shortage of opinions out there as to what’s the ideal way to train:

Should we train on an empty stomach, and will doing so turn us into an Olsen twin?

Is CrossFit really the bees knees?  I mean, not being able to feel the right side of your face after completing a circuit of 47 clean and jerks followed by a 2-mile jog while holding a 25 lb plate over your head (for time) is normal, right?

Are body-part splits better, or is it more advantageous to perform full-body or upper/lower splits?  How about right leg, left arm days?

Is it better to bench with the arms 16 inches apart using a 5321 tempo, or 14 inches apart with a 4442 tempo?

It’s crazy talk, right? What ever happened to just keeping things simple?

See that barbell over there?  Go pick it up.  Repeatedly.

A few days later, add a little more weight.

Hell, why not live life dangerously, place the barbell on your back, and squat it!

There you go.  Simple.

But that’s the rub: The water gets a bit murky when you start talking fitness with women.  While many out there “get it,” and understand that there’s really no inherent difference as to how a man should train opposed to a woman, it’s dumbfounding how many people cater to the fears that many (not all) women have towards fitness.

In a weird, ass-backwards kind of way, it’s almost like we live 100 years in the past where women we expected to stay in the kitchen and weren’t allowed to vote.

What’s next……allowing them to read!?!!?

Heresy!!!!!

Lets Turn Off the Stupid

We all know there’s no shortage of gurus out there who seemingly “specialize” in training women, but really do nothing but placate into the fears that many have towards strength training – telling women that they shouldn’t lift anything over 3 lbs or else they’ll grow an Adam’s apple, for example.

Which is why I feel I’m indebted to Lou, Alwyn, and Cassandra for writing The New Rules of Lifting for Women.  No other resource, in my opinion, has done a better job at giving women no-nonsense, infalible, researched (and real world) based information that works.

In more ways than one they turned off the stupid, muted all the chaos and noise, and brought people back to the middle where things make sense.

And with that, today I’m stealing a page from their book (figuratively, of course) and starting a new “series” where I provide some of my own “Rules of Lifting” for women.

Although to be fair – and to provide a bit of warning – there will be times where I won’t be so “nice” or careful with my words.  I believe everyone needs a dose of “tough love” from time-to-time.

The idea of this series stemmed from a conversation I had recently with a current client who, upon getting engaged, wanted to up the ante as far as her training is concerned.

A woman’s wedding is kind of a big deal. Akin to a young boy dreaming of the day when Optimus Prime comes blasting through the front door and making him an honorary member of the Autobots, a young girl dreams of the day when she finally starts planning for her wedding.

I can’t say this is the exact case for my client, uhhhh, Kate Upton, yeah, that’s who it was, Kate Upton, but I’m going to play the law of averages and say that she’s been waiting for this day for a while now…..;o)

After congratulating her on her engagement, we started talking “game plan” for getting her into rocking shape for the big day.

Not like it’s any surprise, but in the time that she’s been training at Cressey Performance (about a year and a half), she’s done her fair share of deadlifts, squat variations, push-ups, Prowler pushes, med ball throws, and a litany of other stuff most people hate.

She’s made phenomenal progress in that time, and in many ways, I’ve made her a gym snob.  On an almost weekly basis she’ll come to train at CP and tell me some story about some trainer at her gym doing something asinine or how she saw the most god-awful squat technique.

It’s enough to bring a tear to my eye.

Which is why I was caught off-guard when she told me that she had started adding in some quick 10-15 minute bicep/tricep circuits with ten lb dumbbells throughout the week.

Perplexed, I asked “why?”

“You know to get my arms in shape for the wedding.”

More or less this was my reaction.

I kinda gave her “the look,” as if to say, “really, did you just say that?”

Of course I was understanding.  On one hand I couldn’t knock her for wanting to do more.  I was proud of her, actually.  This is someone who, when she first started, wasn’t sold on this whole strength training thing, and it was a struggle to get her to buy into doing the OPPOSITE of what she’s always been told to do.

“What do you mean running on the treadmill for 45 minutes, four times per week isn’t the best way to lose fat????”

But on the other hand, I asked her “do you really – I mean really – think performing those cute arm circuits with something that weighs less than your purse is going to have any effect?”

Again, to reiterate:  I was proud of her. Here she was asking me my advice on what she could be doing to get more exercise in, and of course I told her that doing something was better than nothing.  I understood where she was coming from. I was just bummed that she reverted to her default setting of “light weight, high reps for long, sexy, lean muscles.”

Which brings us to one of my (New) New Rules of Lifting for Women:

1 Chin-Up, 5 Push-Up Rule

Until you can perform one, clean, dead-hang chin-up AND five, clean, chest-touches-the-floor push-ups, you have no business performing isolation bicep and/or tricep work.

The way I explained it to “Kate Upton” was that the total muscle involved, calories being burned, and overall work being done by the body to get to the point where you can perform a chin-up or push-ups for reps trumps ANYTHING you would ever be able to do with a pair of pink dumbbells.

Put another way:  the EFFORT it takes to do a push-up or chin-up (or work up to that point) is where it counts.

That is what’s going to make those arms smokin hot!

And I know there will be some women reading who can’t even come close to performing either.  That’s fine!

Like I said, making the appropriate adjustments and fine tuning things to implement the proper progressions would be a far more valuable use of your time.

Chin-Up Progressions for Women: The One Rep Hump – Part I, Part II, and Part III.

As well, I’m not opposed to tossing in some TRX (or any suspension training apparatus) into the mix here.

And as far as push-ups are concerned, I’m not a big fan of “girl push-ups” where someone performs them off their knees.  Instead I’d rather elevate them so that we can get the full benefit and then progress as needed:

Taking things a step further, you could also use THIS cool push-up progression using a resistance band.

There’s really no excuse that can be used here.  You can do push-ups anywhere.  And you can easily hook up a chin-up bar or TRX in the doorway in your house or apartment. Or, if you’re really a badass – in your office at work.  But that’s contingent on whether or not you have the coolest boss in history. Like someone who doesn’t filter your web access, lets you wear cool t-shirts to work, or lets you leave early on Fridays.

But, if YOU’RE the boss then it won’t matter now will it?  Get it done!

In any case, hopefully most reading can appreciate my logic.  Do you agree?  Have any of your own “rules” to add or want me to expound on in future installments?  Share your comments below.

And, if you could, “Like” this post and share it on your social media.  The more we get this kind of message out there, empower women and give them confidence, the less likely I’ll want to swallow a cyanide pill.

CategoriesCorrective Exercise Rehab/Prehab

Recovery Revisited: The March Madness Edition

Today’s guest post comes from certified personal trainer and massage therapist, Geoff Pritchard. Geoff actually wrote a fantastic guest post for me last year around this time (link below), and when he extended the offer to write a follow-up I accepted without any hesitation.

I know for some, the topic of recovery is about as exciting as watching NASCAR or an episode of Downton Abbey.

Ironically, it’s a topic that most people could benefit from reading more on, as it’s generally the one thing that people tend to gloss over on day-to-day basis.

That said, READ IT!!!!!!

A year ago I posted on Tony’s blog about some ideas and people who were shaping the fitness industry in terms of recovery and regeneration. I wrote that article to inspire you to spend more time working on tight muscle tissue. But I realized in my massage business that my athletes were still coming in broken from lack of focused recovery work. So, what advice did I give them? Let’s take a step back in time, revisit what I said before and continue the dialogue with some new action steps to save your soft tissue from harm!

My objectives (as stated in my previous post):

  • Review the foundational items you should do to achieve better performance
  • Evaluate the research and evidence based practice of fitness and bodywork professionals, and
  • Incorporate simple changes into your schedule

These objectives are the key components of what I tell my clients to do for maximum results.

The foundational items are still nutrition and sleep.  The body can only recover from the daily demands of stress from appropriate nutrient intake and adequate amounts of rest. If this foundation isn’t solid, then no matter how hard you try, your recovery steps will be severely compromised … and crumble quicker than the #1 ranked teams in men’s college basketball!

Research and Evidence Based Strategies

Last year I mentioned the names of Nick Grantham and Sue Hitzmann for their recovery strategies and products. Nick is continuing to mentor athletes and fitness professionals in England, while in recent weeks, Sue has published her book, The MELT Method (currently #3 on the New York Times bestseller list) and appeared on Dr Oz to describe the structure of fascia and how it relates to mobility and optimal movement.

Sue was even able to convince NBC to show Gil Hedley’s video of dissection on national TV. If you want a true “inside look” at our muscle and fascia – and have a few hours to be amazed – Gil has made these videos absolutely FREE on his YouTube channel. In my opinion, you need to check it out – it’s pretty freakin’ remarkable!

My 2013 Recommendations

So, which experts are making a huge impact on resolving soft tissue dysfunction and therefore helping to eliminate the long-term consequences of poor movement – chronic pain and muscle damage? My list comes from two sources:

Kelly Starrett

Ok, so this won’t be a new name to most people, but his recent two-day seminar hosted by creativeLive was probably the best all-encompassing workshop I’ve attended.

He spoke for over 12 hours on the mobility paradigm and methods he uses with all clients – and how it all relates to athletes and the general population.  In addition, he enlisted the help of his friends … Carl Paoli (GymnasticsWOD), Brian Mackenzie (CrossFit Endurance), Jim Kean (WellnessFX) and Jill Miller (Yoga TuneUp). This workshop should go right alongside your collection of Assess and Correct, Muscle Imbalances Revealed – Upper and Lower Body, and Training = Rehab, Rehab = Training.

While full access to the videos at creativeLive will cost you $99, most of the content can be filtered out through his blog and videos at MobilityWOD (which contains over 400 posts). Just search and go!

My Peers –Bringin’ It in Baltimore.

Fifteen months ago I moved away from one of the major hubs of fitness – Boston, MA – and home of Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning, Cressey Performance, and the kids of Harvard (where the Ancestral Health Symposium was held) to be living near family in Baltimore. It was a big transition for my family and my uprooted business – as well as my physical health – would be dependent on meeting great trainers and great bodyworkers.

[On a side note… it eases the transition when your Super Bowl success in New England (2002, 2004, 2005) follows you south and you watch the Ravens bring the trophy to Charm City … which I credit my son for doing, since only days before a Wild Card game with Indianapolis he got his first sports jersey J]

Fortunately for me, the local Baltimore community is outstanding. I have access to a wonderful network of people:

Not too shabby!! (And we even get to enjoy the local clothing scene from Under Armour, who just opened their first storefront)

So, how does this relate to recovery and restoration? What changes should you incorporate into your program? My suggestion is anything you HAVEN’T been doing. We get stuck in our ways pretty frequently – think Groundhog Day with Bill Murray – and forget to challenge our soft tissue in areas that need assistance.

One way to do this is to get an outside opinion. Here’s your A-ha moment … Contact someone from your network of local experts (who’s not your regular gym buddy) and ask them to assess and find your weak links! By fixing these areas of dysfunction and stagnant tissue, we restore better resting muscle length, alleviate unwanted fascial restrictions and improve our chances for optimum performance.

You can even utilize online coaching – it’s easy to access the best movement specialists around the world with an Internet connection and webcam. If you have the funds to pay for a couple sessions, then utilize those experts to get you moving, literally and figuratively, in the right direction.

After you know what to do (trigger point, soft-tissue work, and/or active stretching – AIS or PNF), then these restorative changes should be incorporated into your schedule for 15 minutes a day, every day until the change is permanent and integrated (this could mean between two and five trouble areas). And, don’t forget to move! If we don’t integrate the new patterns with movement, then we haven’t fully reset our neuromuscular motor control.

Be vigilant to complete those 15 minutes EVERY DAY! And be aggressive and focused – constantly remind yourself of the agonist / antagonist relationships and go deeper as long as you can control your breathing.

Need Any Help? Free Skype Consultation?

If you want suggestions on movements, leave a comment about what’s hampering your performance or recovery and I’ll reply with a couple ideas to get you started.  Whether it’s “gliding surfaces”, “hydration”, “breathing patterns”, “joint centration”, or “wow… how do Bikram Yoga teachers have such crazy mobility?”, search your favorite blogs and YouTube channels for ways to achieve better movement patterns.

I also want you to comment about local experts in YOUR city that are making a difference – and pushing the envelope against the barrage of magazine and TV mis-information – to educate and influence our understanding of recovery and regeneration.

BONUS… to show my love for Tony and his loyal audience – I’m offering a FREE Skype consultation to one person – chosen randomly – who posts a comment and/or question over the next two weeks.

Now, I’m off to practice my recovery and mobility routine: trunk rotation and extension using active isolated stretching and a couple internal hip rotation mobility exercises from Evan Osar.

Author’s Bio

 

Geoff Pritchard is an NSCA certified personal trainer and a licensed massage therapist. He has eight years of training experience at gyms, health clubs, and corporate wellness centers. He is passionate about using bodywork and exercise to help people move better. He recently relocated to Maryland and opened up Charm City Massage – Therapeutic Bodywork for Optimum Performance – in Lutherville-Timonium. If you want to contact him, please connect with Geoff on Facebook.

 

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff To Read While You’re Pretending To Work: 3/7/13

And so it begins.  According to the weather reports, the east coast (Boston) is supposed to get hammered with yet another winter storm today through tomorrow. I’m looking outside my window as I type this and it’s getting a little suspicious for sure.

But then again, we were supposed to get a 12+ inch storm two weekends ago and ended up getting nothing more than a few rain drops (and a lot of empty bread isles in the grocery stores).  I think after Snowmeggedon 2013 the meteorologists are all leaning on the side of “better to be safe than sorry,” and preparing people for the worst in every scenario.

A forecast of two inches miraculously turns into 18.  And predicted gusts comprable to a few branches being blown down inevitably turn into DEFCON FOUR gail force winds.

It remains to be seen what’s going to happen, but in the meantime here are a few things to read while I go stock up on batteries and sit in the fetal position in my bathroom……

3 Reasons To Never Trust Estimated Calorie Burn On Cardio Machines – Pat Koch

You know that annoying “friend” or colleague of yours who comes back from his or her lunch break and brags about how they just burned 789 calories jogging for 30 minutes on the treadmill while watching The Price Is Right?

You know it’s BS and want nothing more than to call them out on it, grab the closest sharp object within arms reach (envelop opener, scissors, a machete), and heave it at their head like an 0-2 fastball.

The worst part is that while they’re sitting there at their desk telling you how awesome they are, they’re crushing a burrito from Chipotle topped off with an eight ounce Gatorade.

Well here’s your chance.  Hand them this article. And for dramatic effect, when you do hand it to them, slap it on their desk and yell out a triumphant “Ah….HA! I told you!!!”

The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food – Michael Moss

This was a fascinating, thorough, well-researched piece on the food industry (more specifically: the food science industry) and the lengths that they go to to get a share of our stomachs.

After reading it myself I wouldn’t be surprised if they could take sandpaper dipped in cancer and make that an appetizer of the day.

RFD and Superhero Athleticism – Sean Guevremont

I’ve stated in the past that absolutely LOVE paying it forward, and pointing people in the direction of fitness professionals, writers, and bloggers that many of you otherwise may have never heard of.

I get a fair number of people who reach out to me asking me to “plug” their articles, and if I were going to be honest a fair number of them are utter crap.

Occasionally, however, the stars align and I get sent something that I feel is pretty darn good.

For me, what makes a good article isn’t so much its length or use of fancy words (although some may think differently), but rather how effective it is at getting its message across in a simple-to-follow yet engaging format.

Here’s a quick, to-the-point post by Sean on rate of force development and why including some dedicated speed work into your repertoire may be the missing ingredient.

CategoriesExercise Technique Strength Training

Squat Technique: Maintaining “Tightness” and Why It’s Important

Some of you may recall a video blog I filmed a few weeks ago where I discussed the importance of paying closer attention to the set up with regards to squatting.

It’s a component that I feel many people glaze over, and something that deserves a little more love. Unfortunately, many approach squatting – especially the set-up –  with a nonchalant attitude, and subsequently either 1) performance suffers or worse 2) someone gets injured.

What really surprised me was just how much attention the video garnered. It certainly wasn’t for my good looks.  I mean I’m pretty, but not that pretty.

What it told me was that it’s a topic that people are interested in and want to learn more about.

Or maybe part of the popularity was that it gave people an opportunity to debate.  I couldn’t believe how many people made a stink over something as nondescript as my preference to coach people to grab the bar with their thumbs (rather than set up with the thumbs over the bar).

Some made the case that it places more stress on the wrists.

Okay.  So what?  Correct me if I’m wrong here, but genrally speaking, squats suck.  Like, a lot.  We’re not picking daises and running underneath a rainbow here.  There’s going to be some level of discomfort going on.

And NEWSLASH: squats are going to place a stress on the body, wrists included.

If for some reason your wrists hurt while grabbing the bar, fine, do it your way.  I really could care less, and understand there is some degree of personal preference here.

The main point to hammer and what I felt was lost in translation was the notion that one PULLS DOWN on the bar to increase stability and tightness.

And it’s the latter point – the whole concept of “tightness” – which is the crux of today’s post.

What do we mean by “staying tight” when squatting?  And why is it beneficial?

In this short video I cover:

1.  Why getting your air, twice (which is something both Mike Robertson and Jim Smith have discussed in the past) is crucial.

AND

2.  Why, when box squatting, I’m not a fan of allowing people to rock/relax on the box itself.

While I didn’t mention it in the video, I liken it to a melting candle.  Which is to say:  losing tightness at the bottom is not going to do your back any favors.

Give it a look, and let me know what you think!

 

CategoriesMiscellaneous Miscellany

Miscellaneous Miscellany Monday: Upcoming Speaking Engagement, Mastery, and #CPfamily

1.  I’ve got some pretty cool news to start off the week.  I’m heading home!  Well, to be more specific:  I was invited back to my alma mater – SUNY Cortland (which is ten minutes from my hometown) – to speak to a group of exercise science majors and graduate students.

The game plan is to arrive on Monday, April 1st, and after kissing a bunch of babies and attending the ticker-tape parade that’s going to be held in my honor (I think there may even be a statue unveiling as well), I’m going to be hanging out on campus the entire day.

I’ll be speaking to one exercise science class and discussing what it really takes to become a fitness professional.  Namely, lots and lots and lots of hours of hard work and understanding that you’re probably not going to be training professional athletes on day one.

Then I’m almost 99% positive that they’ll be an hour or two window of lifting heavy things, where I’m sure I’ll put on my coaching cap for a bit.

This will be followed by a possible cameo appearance at The Dark Horse (which, coincidentally, is the popular student hang-out where girls completely ignored me back in the day).

Then, later in the afternoon, will be the BIG event where I’ll speak for 2-3 hours and dig a little deeper on the whole notion of assessment, functional anatomy, and how to design effective “corrective” programs around common injuries and dysfunctions while still eliciting a training effect.

Thinking back to my own undergrad experience and where I felt my major knowledge gaps were…..assessment (and by extension, functional anatomy) was an area where I felt I wasn’t remotely prepared.

The bicep tendon thingamajiggy does what now?

To that end, I’ve been given the thumbs up to open this event up to the public, so anyone reading who lives in or around the central New York area, has a few hours to kill, and wants to spend them hanging out with me, please contact Justin Kompf at [email protected] for more details.

2.  For some reason people are curious as to what I’m currently reading and I’m constantly getting emails asking me for recommendations.

One book that I’ve dived into recently is Mastery by Robert Greene.

Written in the same vain as Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers or Talent is Overrated by Geoff Colvin, the premise of Mastery is that there’s really no such thing as innate talent, and that at the end of the day it comes down to putting in your 10,000 hours like everyone else.

What’s different about this book, however, is that Greene uses examples such as Charles Darwin, Henry Ford, and Temple Grandin to demonstrate that there’s a “master” inside all of us.

In many ways, the one thing that prevents us from succeeding and realizing our true potential is, well, us!  We just need to learn to get out of our own way.

Anyone addicted to behavorial economics such as myself will devour this book instantly.

3.  Speaking of Malcolm Gladwell, word on the street is that his new book, David and Goliath:  The Triumph of the Underdog hits the book shelves in October 2013. Likewise, another favorite author of mine, Michael Pollan (of The Omnivore’s Dilemma and In Defense of Food fame), will be releasing a new book later on this year as well.

After doing a little searching, I found this quote from Pollan himself:

“It’s about the transformation of food through cooking methods such as baking, fermentation, and cooking with liquids or heat. So it focuses on the science of cooking, the classical elements; I’ve been doing research about fire, for instance. It should be out in early 2013.”

4.  And since I’m on the topic of stuff I’m recommending, I can’t talk about books without making at least one reference to a movie.

Everyone who reads my blog knows I LOVE watching movies.  Sure, I like the “popcorn movie” flair of things like The Avengers, The Dark Knight Rises, and anything dealing with Star Wars.

I have a Y chromosome so that shouldn’t come as a surprise.  Pretty much anything with explosions, ninjas, zombies, or Gwenyth Paltrow’s character dying is cool in my book.

But I do have a softer, more movie-snobbish side of me that almost always prefers the independent, artsy-fartsy movies.

You are talking to a guy who went and saw both Brokeback Mountain and The King’s Speech on his own accord, sans kicking and screaming. 

Alone.

Yep – that happened.

One movie which Lisa and I sat down and watched recently was The Perks of Being a Wallflower:

Based off the book of the same name, the guy who wrote the book – Stephen Chbosky –  also directed the movie; and for a first time director, he rocked it!

It’s definitely a “darker” movie compared to some, but for some reason I’m always drawn to those types anyways.

I think one of the reasons this movie appealed to me so much was because 1) it’s based in the early 90’s, and 2) the main character is more on the introverted side, and as such has a hard time fitting in in high school.  But I’m sure many of you reading can sorta commiserate with that, right?

Anyways, for those looking for a quirky, well acted, well-written, somewhat on the darker side (towards the end) movie, I’d definitely give this one a try.

And yes, that’s Hermione (Emma Watson, in her first “American” role)……;o)

5. Congrats to my boys – Bret Contreras, Ben Bruno, John Romaniello, Matt McGorry, PJ Striet (and others) who made Shape Magazine’s list of 50 Hottest Trainers in America.

** Credit to Ben Bruno (#34) for providing quite possibly the best photo in human history.

6. And lastly:  there are a lot of things that make Cressey Performance successful.  Sure, we have a top notch staff that can coach with the best of them and offer unparalleled programming to boot.  But I think that goes without saying.

One of the lesser known – albeit equally as important – factors, is the sense of camaraderie and “family” we’ve gone out of our way to establish amongst our athletes and clients alike.

As an example, both Pete and Eric are heading down to Florida later this week (I’m heading down a week after them) to visit several of the spring training camps to check in with our athletes.  Moreover, they’re also heading to Miami to support CP athletes Tim Collins and Steve Cishek as they represent Tean USA in the World Baseball Classic.

Along those same lines, it’s not unheard of to see CP staff members attend games of our high school and collegiate athletes throughout the year.  Extending it a bit further, we also attend weddings, birthdays, BBQs, and other “life events” of various CP clients.

In short, we go out of our way to demonstrate that we care and that we’re “invested” in the lives of our clients.

At first glance it may seem trivial, but something as simple as asking a client how their kids are doing or even just asking them how their weekend was can go a long ways.

As much as people come to CP to improve their strength and performance or to finally address that nagging shoulder or back problem, I believe a large reason why people consistently come back is that we’re also good dudes to just hang out with.

And this isn’t to say that this phenomenon is unique to us.  I think the same can be said for any strength and conditioning facility for that matter.

We have some people who will literally spend hours at the facility after they train hanging out, talking shop, and busting my chops for putting techno on.

To which I say: Deal with it…..;o)

To give you a vague idea of some of the shenanigans that go down, I made a friendly bet with one of our high-school athletes the other day.

To his credit he’s worked his tail off this off-season – to the tune of adding on a solid 20+ lbs of weight and setting himself up for a very successful season on the diamond.

We made the bet that if he were to double his homerun count from last season (3), that I would wash his car while wearing a bikini top.

Yeah, I’m really sorry for that visual.

If he doesn’t double his HR total, and hit at least six, he has to sing Carly Rae Jepsen’s Call Me Maybe in front of the entire staff and whoever else is at the facility that day (which, trust me, will be A LOT of people).

And I don’t mean just stand there and sing it.  He has to give a Broadway worthy performance and siiiiiing it.

Either way it should make for a nice viral video.