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Let Them Eat Twinkies!!!! A Clarification

Last week, I welcomed everyone into my fridge (in case you were wondering, it’s still clean!). Predictably, a few people got their panties all up in a bunch when I stated that one of the keys to getting (and staying) lean is to make an effort to eat “clean” food. Specifically, I mentioned how I felt it was a good idea for people to fill their fridge and cupboards with more nutritious foods like lean meats, fruits, veggies, yogurt, sprouted grains, rolled oats, etc- as opposed to Ho-ho’s, potato chips, and Twinkies. The logic being: if the “bad” food isn’t there to eat, the likelihood you’ll eat it is zero, cause it’s not there! That’s what I like to call math people. Try it sometime.

For the sake of brevity, and to avoid the shit-storm that will invariably follow (let them eat Twinkies!!!!!!!), I’ll be the first to admit my lack of clarity. It was erroneous of me to suggest that one can’t eat Ho-ho’s or Spaghetti O’s to get lean. Obviously, that’s not the case. In the context of basic human physiology (and the Law of Thermodynamics), it most certainly comes down to calories in vs. calories out. Provide a large enough caloric deficit, lift heavy things, and good stuff will happen.

I like to think of myself as a “middle ground” kind of guy, and like everyone else, I too enjoy my pizza and ice-cream on occasion. Heck, I’ve even had a Skittle or two (bags) from time to time- I’d be a hypocrite to suggest that I never indulge in such foods. However, I don’t really see what the uproar is about. Is it really that big of a deal to advocate people try to make a more conscious effort to eat “cleaner,” more nutritious foods, while limiting industrialized fat, sugar, and other highly processed foods from their diet? I mean, it’s not like I’m suggesting that everyone go out and club a baby seal- or worse, wear white after Labor Day. All I’m suggesting is to, you know, stop eating shit every single day.

Besides, it really comes down to structure. The same people who tell me they’re able to get lean eating Oreos tend to be following a very strict diet which allows for structured refeeds and/or cheat meals. These meals serve a physiological purpose when dieting- increasing leptin levels, decreasing gherlin levels, boosting T3-T4 levels, etc. It takes a fairly disciplined individual to be able to follow such a diet. Unfortunately, the average American doesn’t have this same discipline, and the only physiological purpose eating a bag of Doritos serves is to stave off their boredom.

Again, my bad for using such a blanket statement to begin with. I DO realize it’s about calories in vs. calories out. But when I see people saying stuff like, “Tony you’re stupid. Look at me. I eat all the stuff you’re not supposed to, and I got lean,” I have to laugh. Sorry, but their n=1 study doesn’t mount to much. All it really tells me is that they like to argue semantics- not to mention are pretty naive in regards to what it’s like to actually coach people not over the interwebz.

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Exercises You Should Be Doing: Elbow Touches and Some Other Exercise That Has a Long Name That I Don’t Want To Include Here Because Then It Will Make the Title of This Blog Post Too Long

I have like 30 minutes to pack all my food for the day, brush my teeth, get dressed, and catch up on a few e-mails before I head to work. So here’s a quick post containing not one, but two exercises you should be doing. Enjoy…….

What Is It: My arms look jacked Elbow Touches

Who Did I Steal It From: I’m pretty sure I thought of this bad boy all by myself.

What Does It Do: This is another great exercise that helps to “engage” the core musculature, as well as help promote proper lumbo-pelvic stability. As well, indirectly, you’re also going to get a lot of serratus anterior activation on the supporting side of each repetition.

Key Coaching Cues:

1. The wider the base of support, the easier the exercise is.

2. Think: tight abs, tight glutes.

3. While there will be some slight movement alternating side to side, the trainee should be cognizant of staying as stable as possible throughout the duration of the set. I.e. the lumbar spine and hips should barely move

4. Make sure your chin is tucked and that you maintain the natural curve of your spine (stay “neutral”).

5. Simple alternate hand to hand, touching the opposite elbow as you go. I like to go for a set time with this exercise- typically 2-3 sets of 20-30 seconds.

What Is It: Walking Spiderman w/Reach +Hip Lift

Who Did I Steal It From: Eric Cressey mentioned the walking spiderman w/reach in a recent blog post, but I went a head and made it even sexier by adding in the in-step (which I stole from Mark Verstegen).

What Does It Do: As Eric noted, you’ll get thoracic spine extension and rotation from the reach, and hip flexor and adductor length in the lower body from the lunge angle. Additionally with the in-step, you’ll get a bit of a hammie stretch as well. And just to cover my bases, I realize that by adding the in-step, there’s some slight flexion involved- albeit un-loaded flexion. For those trainees with lumbar spine issues, I’d probably nix the in-step; however for everyone else, it’s a great added benefit.

Key Coaching Cues: Goddamit, I just burnt my eggs. I’m so late……. where are my pants?

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Training Tips From A to Z

Back in the summer of 2006, I read a book called The Alphabet of Manliness. Like all the great literary classics, it covered a breathtaking range of topics, from beef jerky to lumberjacks to Chuck Norris. All that was missing was information specific to muscleheads like us.

So I wrote my own A-to-Z guide, focusing on the issues we care about, from Accommodating resistance to Zatsiorsky, et al.

I updated the list in 2008, covering 26 additional concepts ranging from Asymmetry to, uh, a bunch of books I like. (It made sense at the time.)

Now I’m back with another list of the techniques and tricks that can make or break a workout program, ranging from Assessment to …

I guess you’ll just have to read to the end to find out. (No scrolling allowed.)

Continue reading……

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Ever Wonder What’s In My Fridge?

I’m showing this picture of my fridge for two reasons:

1. The likelihood that it will ever be this this clean again is slim to none, and I wanted photographic evidence. I’m pretty sure Britney Spears has a better shot at writing a Pulitzer Prize winning book on motherhood than my fridge has at staying this clean.

2. To show exactly what a fridge should look like if you’re really serious about looking better naked. Lets be honest, if you have easy access to crap (cookies, ice-cream, potato chips, soda, etc), you’re going to eat it. Conversely, if you take the necessary strides to fill your fridge (and cupboards- I know where you hide your chocolate stash. You’re not fooling anyone) with wholesome, nutritious foods- you’re more apt to eat them! Yes, it’s really that simple.

I’m always asked what the key is to fat loss or getting lean is. People want to hear me tell them about some elaborate training system from some remote Eastern Bloc country, or some secret fat-burning supplement that’s going to work miracles while they sit on their ass all day. Truth be told, their first line of defense is generally going to come down to the food in their house. How someone can expect to get results by eating Ho-Ho’s or Spaghetti O’s every day is beyond me.

Every weekend I make my grocery list and head down to Trader Joe’s, as well as a few other local markets. And while I may have a few wild-cards or miscellaneous items here and there- for the most part, my list stays relatively the same week in and week out:

8-10 cartons of eggs (2 of which are Omega-3 eggs)

4-5 packages of lean meat- ranging from chicken breast to ground turkey, and 90% lean beef

5-6 containers of cottage cheese

I carton of organic milk

3-4 containers of Chobani Greek Yogurt

7-8 packages of frozen veggies (usually broccoli and green beans)

3-4 containers of salsa

3-4 packages of fresh colored peppers (that I dice up and put into a large bin)

1-2 containers of pre-diced veggies: onions/carrots/celery (that I add to the same bin)

Various fresh fruit ranging from Gala apples, pears, bananas, to bags of frozen mixed berries.

Miscellaneous items as needed: rolled oats, Ezekiel bread, butter, olive oil, flax seeds, natural peanut butter, canned pumpkin, spices, and about 200 rolls of toilet paper for obvious reasons. Oh, and is that new Kelly Clarkson cd? *But since you’ve been goooooooone. I can breath for the first time……….*

I’ve mentioned this before, but it bares repeating- you’re never going to out-train a poor diet. Likewise, do yourself a favor and go through your fridge and cupboards tonight, and get rid of the shit. Yes, that includes your 100 calorie snack packs! If those foods aren’t there to tempt you, you’re not going to eat them.

Since you’ve been gone

Since you’ve been gone

Since you’ve been gone

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18 Seconds of Awesomeness*

Yesterday I mentioned how CP client Dede Griesbauer won Ironman Brazil over weekend. Well, here’s the last 18 seconds.

Wanna know what’s funny? This is eerily similar to what kind of crowd reaction I get every time I “courtesy flush” in a public restroom. HI-HO!

Again, congratulations Dede. We’re very proud of you!

* That’s what she said.
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Miscellaneous Miscellany Monday (A Day Late Because I Moved Into My New Apartment and Didn’t Get the Interbwebz Hooked Up Till Yesterday Edition)

As the title states, I moved into my new apartment at the tail end of last week, so I apologize for taking so long to write another post. Suffice it to say, I’m digging the new pad. My cupboards are stocked with beef jerky, Star Wars posters are up, and I bought a plunger. Oh, and I’ve got Sade pre-set in my stereo. Ladies?

1. Because I promised I would, I’d like to give a quick shout out to my boys (Clark, Dan, and Omri) for taking time out of their day on Friday to come into Boston to help me move. All three drove into the city from CP that day AFTER completing a brutal squat session. Thanks fellas, I really did appreciate the help.

2. Also, a ginormous congratulations goes out to CP client Dede Griesbauer for winning Ironman Brazil over the weekend with a time of 09:10:15-setting a 10 minute coarse record. For those that don’t know, Ironman Brazil consists of a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, followed by a 26.2 mile run. Way to go Dede!!!! And here I thought I accomplished something impressive by walking to the local CVS this morning to buy some gum.

3. I recently discovered a new grocery store that sells cottage cheese for $1.50 less than where I usually buy it from. It was pretty much the happiest day of my life. Okay, I lied. The happiest day of my life was when I completed my first undefeated season in Super Tecmo Bowl with the Washington Redskins. Mark Rypien to Art Monk……..dolla dolla bill ya’ll. Well, it’s either that or the first time my ex- girlfriend let me have sex with her-with the lights on. It’s a toss up.

4. Oftentimes at CP the staff likes to challenge one other and come up with random “feats” of strength to perform. It’s machismo at it’s finest. The other day, Pete called Eric out and said that he couldn’t do 20+ chin-ups on the spot. Understandably so (and because he’s really a stubborn 12 year old kid) Eric took this to heart, threw off his shoes and this is what followed:

5. Cassandra Forsythe wrote a really good blog post the other day titled Reasons Why You Don’t Need Bottled Water. It definitely makes you think and puts things into perspective. Which is to say, dammit Cass, why do you always have to make sense?

6. I also want to take this time to welcome our new summer interns- Phil, Roger, and Alex. For the next few months, all three will be helping out around the facility working with a wide variety of athletes, as well as getting a lot of valuable “real world” exposure in regards to learning how to coach, how we design programs, and OKAY MAGGOTS WELCOME TO MY WORLD. DROP DOWN AND GIVE ME TWENTY!!! PHIL, GRAB A MOP. ROGER GO STAND IN THE CORNER AND LOOK BUSY. ALEX, WHAT IN THE HELL ARE YOU WEARING?? THAT’S IT, YOU JUST PULLED BATHROOM CLEANING DUTY FOR THE ENTIRE SUMMER. Hahahahahaha. Just kidding fellas. No, but seriously, that peanut butter sandwich isn’t going to just make itself. Chop, chop.

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Another Day at the Office

When all is said and done, a man’s life can be defined as an on-going journey of milestones. Examples include hitting your very first Little League home run, watching Star Wars for the first time, getting into your first fight (and not losing), beating Super Mario Brothers on the NES, or more importantly- the first time you realized that Skinemax existed. OMGBOOBIES!!!!!!!!!!!!

Needless to say, there are a plethora of milestones that will undoudtedly shape a man’s life- for better, or for worse. But lets be honest, the bench press holds a special place in our hearts, and will forever be recognized as the holy grail of manhood. Although picking your date up in a Stealth bomber is a close second.

All that said, here is reason # 2,845 why I love my job. This is a video of Lincoln-Sudbury senior Jason Shuman hitting a bench press PR of 200 lbs:

200 lbs may not seem like such a big deal to many of you reading this, but when you consider the fact that Jason weighed like 54 lbs three weeks ago, and 185 stapled him not too long ago…………………………..and I told him he’d have to clean my fridge if he missed this lift- well, all I can say is great job buddy!

UPDATE: Jason just informed me that he wants to bench 225 by August. To be continued………

UPDATE II: Oh, and if he plays his cards right, he’d also like to make out with a real live girl by September. Whoa whoa whoa. Lets not get too carried away here dude. One thing at a time.

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Exercises You Should Be Doing: Side Lying Windmill

First off, sorry for the delay in getting this blog post out. I’m actually in the process of starting to move into my new apartment this week, and to say it’s been a bit of a nuisance would be an understatement. Of course, I have yet to start packing- then again, I don’t have much to pack since my ex-girlfriend got rid of all my vintage t-shirts and movie quality Chewbacca mask when we originally moved in together. Dammit!

Moreover, I was dreading the call I had to make to the electric and cable companies this morning to get all of those things squared away. Thankfully it was relatively hassle free, and I didn’t feel the sudden urge to want to watch a Dane Cook special and/or commit sepuku on myself. Tough call on which is worse.

Secondly, I hope everyone had an awesome Memorial Day weekend. I’d really like to give a heartfelt “thank you” to all of the servicemen/women who (past or present) have put their lives in danger to protect and serve us, and this great country. Additionally, least we forget the other reason we celebrate this monumental holiday: sun’s out, guns out baby!!!!

Lastly, each week at Cressey Performance we write down a general dynamic warm-up on one of our dry erase boards for our athletes/clients to follow. While there are definitely times where we prefer to write a more personalized warm-up for certain individuals dealing with specific injuries/musculoskeletal disorders/postural issues, etc- oftentimes it’s not practical. As such, by changing up the general warm-up on a weekly basis, everyone gets exposure to a multitude of different exercises- as well as break some of the monotony of doing the same things over and over again.

That being said, one of my favorite dynamic exercises to include is the side lying windmill:

Who Did I Steal it From: I “think” I originally saw this one on Andrew Heffernan’s blog a while back

What Does it Do: We actually get a lot of “bang for our training buck” with this particular exercise in that we’re working on glenohumeral external rotation/mobility, thoracic extension, as well as eliciting a great pec stretch. All in all, this is a superb exercise for those who spend a great part of their day hunched in front of a computer.

Key Coaching Cues: Ideally, you would want to place a med ball or even a foam roller underneath the knee to “save” the lumbar spine; but other than that, I think the video is pretty self explanatory. With your hip flexed to 90 degrees, you essentially want to “glide” your hand across your chest and then follow it with your eyes as you extend to the opposite side. Try to shoot for 1-2 sets of 6-8 reps before each training session.

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Kim Kardashian Makes an Exercise DVD. Grown Men Weep.

I heart my readers. Someone sent me this link to Kim Kardashian’s new workout dvd, Fit In Your Jeans by Friday, and I just had to pass it along and share it with all of you:

Lets be honest, we all know that Kim Kardashian is famous for one thing, and one thing only. Her intelligence. I mean, she uses the word volu(M)tuous to describe herself in the video. Clearly she’s a wordsmith. Admittedly, given my past diatribes on the likes of Tracy Anderson and such, I think you know that the chances of me actually advocating this dvd as a viable option for women is slim to none.

Kim can claim all she wants that women “can expect a hard workout- we’re not playing around here,” but she wouldn’t know what a real workout was if it smacked her in the face with a pink dumbbell.

That being said, I’m pretty sure this dvd deserves the Nobel Prize for most awesome video ever made. It has everything you could possibly want from an award winning film :

1. Kim Kardashian

2. Kim Kardashian in tight clothes

3. Kim Kardashian in tight clothes talking about her booty

4. Amazing cinematography

5. Kim Kardashian in tight clothes talking about her booty while being Kim Kardashian

I’m already looking forward to the sequel, How to Squeeze an Aircraft Carrier* in Your Jeans by Next Friday. You smell that people? That’s an Academy Award.

*and two football fields
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Product Review: Strength Training for Fat Loss and Conditioning

It’s no secret that the majority of people who begin a fitness program, do so to look better neked. Sure there are plenty of people who do it for ulterior reasons, such as performance enhancement, increased strength, or for general health purposes. But lets not beat around the bush-for most trainees, there’s only one reason, and one reason only they step foot in the gym- to make people of the opposite sex want to hang out with them.

If I had to guess, about eight out of ten clients I work with, list “fat loss” as their main goal when they fill out their initial evaluation. As well, they’ll go on and on about how they’ve tried everything, from spending endless hours on the treadmill to well, spending endless hours on the treadmill. Here’s something to ponder- if something doesn’t yield optimal results, why do we insist on doing more of it? And if I hear one more person say, “well Jillian MIchaels says that’s the best way to burn fat,” I swear to god I’ll hunt you down and one nut punch you. Don’t think I won’t do it!

I don’t blame people for drinking the Kool-Aid. Thanks to the mass media (magazines, the interwebz, television), we’re essentially programmed to think that doing copious amounts of “cardio,” and following diets that have us eating nothing but seaweed, and I don’t know, camel dung, are the best way get lean.

Furthermore, it’s no coincidence that the most popular pieces of equipment in every commercial gym are the elliptical trainers, recumbent bikes, and the selectorized machine circuits. Weird how they also happen to be the easiest.

I’m willing to bet that if you were to actually watch those people in your local gym who happen to have a physique you admire train- they’re doing the exact opposite of what you’re doing. I call it the 180 Rule. Which is to say, their program probably consists of things like squats, deadlifts, chin-ups, rows, bench variations, and a healthy dose of single leg training. Not to mention they’re probably lifting heav(ier) weights, incorporating things like complexes and circuits, as well as steering clear of the elliptical trainer and flat screen televisions. You know, cause they’re there to train, not to watch E! True Hollywood Story: Perfect Strangers. Don’t laugh, you know you watched it!

To make a long story short, every week we get a fair share of dvds sent our way at Cressey Performance to check out. As you can imagine, sometimes I end up wanting to swallow my own tongue while watching some of the stuff (i.e they’re not very good). However, every now and then I come across a product that I really like and have no issues recommending to people.

One such product is fellow t-nation contributor Nick Tumminello’s new dvd Strength Training for Fat Loss and Conditioning.

Nick is a very bright guy and someone who I respect because he “gets it.” He doesn’t fluff anything, and isn’t scared to go against the grain and tell people what they really need to do in order to get into phenomenal shape. In his new dvd, he covers well over 100 new combinations, complexes, and circuits that will undoubtedly get you into the best shape of your life.

As a strength coach/personal trainer, I’m always looking for new and innovative ways to get my clients to hate me, and I would highly recommend this product to any fitness professional looking to take their fat-loss programming to the next level. Check it out here.