Back pain can be tricky. First off, anyone who’s ever dealt with it (pretty much everyone) knows it’s no fun. Second, there’s no overwhelming agreement as to what actually causes it. One person says weak glutes, another says tight hip flexors or hamstrings, and yet another may point to a bad hair day (NOTE: read this footnote, it’s a doozy —>).1
Third, if the stock photo I chose is any indication, back pain can also put a real damper on what can only be described as an Old Spice or Abercrombie & Fitch ad shoot.
In my career as a personal trainer and strength coach I’ve worked with hundreds of athletes and clients battling low back pain. It comes with a territory as a fitness professional. I’ve tried my best to arm myself with the best skill-sets possible (within my scope of practice) to help my clients work through their low back shenanigans. I can assess – not diagnose – and try to come up with the best game plan possible to address things.
And, to be honest, addressing one’s lower back issues can be mind-numbingly simple.
In short:
“Find what movements hurt or exacerbate symptoms, don’t do those movements, and then find movements that allow for a degree of success or pain free training.”
I’d be remiss not to mention Dr. Stuart McGill’s work here. Not only is he one of the world’s Godfathers of spine research, but he’s also one of the world’s best mustache havers.
He’s co-authored hundreds of studies and written several books on the topic of low-back pain – with Ultimate Back Fitness & Performance (now in it’s 6th Edition) and Low Back Disorders being his flagship pieces of work.
Speaking of Ultimate Back Fitness & Performance, look who makes a cameo appearance on pg. 289 in the latest edition.
HINT: It’s a bald strength coach whose name rhymes with Macaroni Flentilzore
For the Record: TG Life Bucket List
Get to a point in my career where Dr. Stuart McGill not only knows who I am, but emails me out of the blue and asks permission to use a picture of me in his latest book update.
Appear in a Star Wars movie.
Become BFFs with Matt Damon
My bedtime becomes 8 pm.
I’d have to say, however, that his most “user friendly” book is Back Mechanic. In it, he breaks down his entire method for “fixing” low back pain covering everything from spinal hygiene, assessment, corrective exercise, and strength training.
I’m not going to belabor anything, you can purchase the book and peel back the onion on his protocols (seriously, the assessment portion is gold).
I’ve noticed a trend in recent years, though. Dr. McGill has done so much for the industry and his work is so ingrained in our thoughts as fitness professionals that I feel the whole idea of “avoiding spinal flexion (sometimes at all costs)” has bitten us in the ass.
Yes, avoiding spinal flexion is a thing, especially if someone is symptomatic and flexion intolerant.2. It’s that point, though, “avoiding spinal flexion” that has gotten the best of us for the past decade or so.
We’ve done such an immaculate job at coaching people to know what “spinal neutral is” via prone planks, side planks, and birddogs, and then used strength training to engrain that motor pattern, that (some, not all) people transitioned into more extension-based back pain because they lost their ability to move their spine into (pain free) flexion.
Dr. Ryan DeBell discussed this phenomenon recently where he discussed his own back pain history. He started as flexion intolerant, trained himself into “spinal neutral,” (which is what you should do), started to avoid all flexion like an episode of Emily in Paris, and after awhile, extension-based movements & positions started to hurt…because he was locked into extension.
As a corollary, I see this quite often myself: someone comes in to see me and both flexion and extension based movements hurt. It’s so frustrating for the person and I can understand why.
My job, then, as the coach is to garner confidence and self-efficacy with my client/athlete and work with him/her on what I know tends to work….find movements that do not hurt and work from there.
Dr. McGill has his own version of the “Big 3,” or his go to exercises when first starting with a low-back person:
The Curl-Up (I.e., not a sit-up)
Side Bridge or Plank
Birddog
Even when we master those movements, which are often very challenging for people when performed right, I’ll stick with them for a couple of weeks and just up the ante with appropriate progressions.
Lets take the birddog for example.
Birddog w/ RNT
The band adds an additional kinesthetic component where increased stiffness or engagement occurs in the anterior core and glutes. Truthfully, it’s not uncommon for me to START with this variation so the person can feel what their limbs are doing in space.
Birddog – Off Bench
Doing the birddog off the bench takes away a component of stability (feet off the floor) and forces people to slow the eff down and learn to control the movement. If they don’t, they fall of the bench. And I laugh.
Your Spine, Move It!
Going back to the assessment for a quick second, it’s not uncommon for me to assess someone and to find that their spine doesn’t move. Whether it’s because of a faulty pattern or they were coached to avoid flexion at all costs (even when asymptomatic) it’s as if their spine is Han Solo frozen in carbonite.
One screen I like to use is a the toe touch drill. When someone bends over to touch their toes there should be a consistent curvature/roundness of the spine. Often, what I’ll see is more of a “V” pattern where they’ll bend over, but instead of seeing a nice curve I’ll see their lower back stay flat throughout the movement; as in zero movement.
This can be just as detrimental as anything else. It may or may not be a root cause of their low-back pain, but I know it’s a red flag I’d like to address.
Segmental Cat-Cow
Below is a drill I’ve been using more and more with my low-back clients. We’re all familiar with the Cat-Cow exercise, where you round and arch your spine moving through a full-ROM.
Cool, great. The human body is great a compensating, and unless you have a keen eye for detail it’s easy to assume that if someone can round and arch their back they’re good to go. But
But are they? Often, if you SLOW PEOPLE DOWN it’ll become abundantly clear that they may move well in certain areas of their spine (thoracic), but not in others (often lumbar).
Coaching them through the movement – point by point, segmentally – is a fantastic way to hammer this point home and to help nudge them to move their spine in a slow and controlled fashion.
Give this one a try with some of your clients. COACH THEM. This drill doesn’t require more than two passes (up and down) per set, for a total of 3-4 sets. Helping them understand that they are allowed to move their spine – assuming it’s pain free – is a sure fire way to set them up for long-term healthy spine success.
Final Note (Because, #douchebagswillbedouchebags)
To appease the hoity toity internet warriors, couch coaches, and fitness influencers who have never coached an actual person (let alone a ham sandwich) out there. All of this DOES NOT insinuate that I am not ALSO using regular ol’ strength and conditioning to address things. All of the drills showcased above are just entry-level ideas or starting points.
I’m actually a massive fan of introducing unloaded rotational and/or spinal flexion/extension movements into the mix as well as loaded exercises such as Jefferson Curls to help build more resiliency within the spine and the musculature that supports it. In addition I’ll introduce things like tempo deadlift and squatting variations, various hip/low back dissociation exercises (I.e., other hinging alternatives), as well as a consortium of single leg exercises to help build overall strength.
As I always like to say…
You need to lift shit to fix shit.
It’s usually not a one or the other scenario. Both sides of the spectrum (motor control strategies and lifting heavy shit) need (and should) be considered.
I became a personal trainer and coach back in 2002. Shows like Alias and 24 were all the rage, *NSYNC still had Justin Timberlake, and The Two Towers was rocking my world. So much so that I went to the theater to see it like four times.1
Admittedly, it seems like eons ago. I mean social media didn’t exist back then. Or Warby Parker for that matter!
Needless to say in the 20+ years I’ve been in “the biz,” I’ve seen my fair share of good trainers which make me proud to be in the industry, and bad trainers who make me sometimes want to light my face on fire.
I could sit here and type endlessly about the traits I feel any “good” trainer should encompass: a basic understanding of anatomy, movement, and program design would be a swell start. Do they look the part? As callous and nebulous as it may come across – what does looking the part even mean? – my friend Bryan Krahn hits the nail on the head:
“In the fitness industry, appearances matter. Now, that doesn’t mean six-pack abs or muscles the size of boulders need to be prerequisites for the job. But your trainer should be healthy with a physique that suggests some level of mastery in his chosen field. If they talk the talk, they should walk the walk.”
Do they dress professionally or as if they just stepped out of an MMA class? Are they punctual? Are they prepared and organized? Do they take the time to ask questions and perform some semblance of an initial assessment? Unfortunately I’ve witnessed a few trainers in my time do nothing more than demonstrate how to insert the pins on various Cybex machines as part of their “thorough assessment.”
Why not just make paper airplanes for an hour?
Are they friendly, personable, able to exhibit some empathy, and maybe most important of all, just generally a non-douchy person to be around? Because, lets be honest, no one wants to train with an asshole, much less pay for it.
All, I believe, in a slightly tongue-in-cheek way, are relevant questions and observations to note when deciding who to hire as your personal trainer. I find it weird how some people are more diligent with who changes the oil in their car more so than who’s in charge of telling them what to do with their own body.
Some Other Stuff to Consider
Finding the right personal trainer that fits your goals and needs can be just as much of a nuisance as car shopping. Granted few things are as annoying as car shopping – save for an uncontrollable eye twitch or yet another Taylor Swift song about breaking up with a dude (all of our fingers are crossed Travis) – and you (generally) don’t have to deal with the shady salesmen antics when seeking out a quality trainer.
However, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be on guard and go out of your way to be a more proactive consumer when hiring a personal trainer. Consider many people shell out upwards of $60-$90 per session (sometimes more depending on one’s location), it only makes sense to try to get the most for your personal training buck.
Two Questions to Ask a Trainer
Omitting the obvious questions such as “are you certified?(1)” or “do you have any references/testimonials to share?(2)” or “what’s your favorite hip hop album of all time?(3)” here are a handful of less common (albeit no less important) questions to ask a someone you’re considering in hiring.
(1) = Being certified is a “must have” when vetting a trainer. Gold standard certifications in the industry are NSCA, ACE, ISSA, NASM, and ACSM. Also, I believe any trainer who has gone through the Show Up Fitness course(s) is more than qualified as well.
(2) = Just having a few letters next to their name doesn’t mean much. Do they place a premium on continuing education? When’s the last time they attended a national conference? What’s the last book they read? Do they have a list of current clients you can contact about their own experience with this trainer? All are pertinent questions to ask, and questions any trainer should be able to answer without hesitation.
(3) = anything by Tribe Called Quest, Wu-Tang Clan, Gang Starr, or not anything past 1996 are acceptable answers here.
“Do You Workout Yourself?”
I understand it comes across as a bit uncouth or oxymoron(ish) to ask a trainer/coach if (s)he workouts. It’s analogous to asking Jason Bourne whether or not he knows where all the exit routes are when he enters a room, but it’s unsettling how often this happens.
Before co-founding my own facility in 2007 I worked in numerous commercial gyms beforehand, and it amazed me how many colleagues never worked out.
I’m not referring to looking the part (I.e., fit), which has already been covered above.
I’m referring to personal trainers who literally do not exercise themselves!
It’s a blunt question to ask, but if you’re going to spend good money hiring a trainer, do you really want someone to be in charge of your body who doesn’t practice what they preach?
“What’s Your Training Philosophy?
Likewise, it’s also smart to ask what a trainer’s general training philosophy is.
Are they someone who places an emphasis on strength training or are they more endurance based?
Do they include a thorough assessment – movement screens, going over injury and training history, etc – as part of their approach? If not, I’d say “bye, Felicia” and shop elsewhere.
More importantly, if they’re a competitive powerlifter, bodybuilder, figure competitor, or CrossFitter (to give a few examples), do they have the ability to separate their own training preferences to yours?
What good does it do you if you’re interested in improving your deadlift and squat numbers and your trainer has you performing a “bicep day” because it was his bicep day?
Or maybe you’re goal is to add some strength training to help you prepare for a half marathon. If so, why are you doing all these crazy MetCon workouts and kipping pull-ups?
The point is: your trainer should cater to YOUR training towards YOUR needs and goals. Not their own
Bonus: One Question a Trainer Should Never Ask You.
I can’t begin to tell you how many times I heard this question being asked when I worked in various commercial gyms.
A client would walk in, greet their trainer, and the trainer would then ask….
“So, what do you want to do today?”
Um, isn’t that what you’re paying THEM to figure out? That’s like me walking into my accountant’s office and him looking at me and saying, “so, you read up on all those new tax codes?”
This comes down to my comment above regarding organization and preparedness. Whomever you hire should have a game plan.
They should be writing programs not workouts!
This isn’t to say they shouldn’t ask for your feedback or insight on any given day – maybe you were up late the night prior with a sick kid or you had a long day at work and were thiiis close to ending your boss’s life – which may require tweaking that particular day’s session.
However, in the grand scheme of things, they should be prepared a head of time. With few exceptions they shouldn’t be “winging it.”
And, as you can guess, I was a massive hit with the ladies. ↩︎
He and I go back to the early 2000’s. You know, when smart phones didn’t exist, cold plunges and eye rolley alpha-male behavior was (less) of a thing, and the show Alias was my life (due to an insatiable crush on Jennifer Garner).
I think this was my third time on his podcast which means I’m approaching Ryan Gosling 5-timer club on Saturday Night Live territory. We approached this as more of a “two dudes just catching up” conversation as opposed to doing something more traditional like going into the weeds on deadlifting mechanics or why improved scapular upward rotation helps with everything from shoulder ouchies to curing gluten intolerance.3
In this show, Mike and I talk about the power of consistent training, how my philosophy has changed over the years, and why after years of reluctance, I finally decided to become a gym owner.
We had a few technical difficulties throughout the show, so apologies because the audio is a bit suspect. He did his best to clean it up and I hope you still enjoy the show!
Being married to a psychologist has it’s disadvantages:
I have to talk about my feelings.
All
of
the
time
There are some perks, however. Most of what “drains” me as a coach isn’t so much the x’s and o’s of writing programs or the ability to figure our what may be the root cause of someone’s shoulder pain. Those are pretty much second nature at this point in my career.
No, what drains me the most is figuring out people.
Specifically, what motivates one person to workout (and stick with it) as opposed to what makes the next person do the same?
It’s a quagmire to say the least, and often takes far too much mental gymnastics for my liking.
Before we met, anytime I worked with someone who seemingly lacked discipline or “chutzpah” to get after it in the gym…I’d often resort to some tough love.
I’d assume (s)he didn’t want it enough and my default was to question their work ethic. I wouldn’t be a dick or anything, but I also didn’t go out of my way to demonstrate much compassion or empathy.
When my wife and I started dating I’d often bring up work with her and I’d attempt to commiserate on how this client wouldn’t work hard during their session or how that client just seemed to not care about getting results or how it just really, really sucked that I had to wear pants.
I’d be all like “what the hell!?!” and then throw a chair through a window or something, and then she’d be all like…
…“you know, maybe you just need to do a better job at learning about what actually motivates people?”
And this was when I was first introduced to the Self-Determination Theory.
There’s no need to go too far into the weeds. All you need to know about SDT is that it was popularized by psychologists Edward Deci & Richard Ryan and that it revolves around…
“a macro theory of human motivation and personality that concerns people’s inherent growth tendencies and innate psychological needs. It is concerned with the motivation behind choices people make without external influence and interference. SDT focuses on the degree to which an individual’s behavior is self-motivated and self-determined.”
The three main components are:
Competence
Autonomy
Relatedness
For the sake of brevity I’m going to hone in on autonomy or the power of choice.
In short, people don’t like to be told what to do.
In the fitness industry this comes across as bit absurd given that that’s exactly why most people hire us in the first place.
However, one of the biggest changes I’ve made in my coaching philosophy – in no small part due to my wife’s nudging through the years – is working on autonomy and offering clients more choice in their programming.
It’s not only made a profound difference in helping clients stay motivated to workout, but it’s also helped to expedite their results and progress.
Here’s a few suggestions and examples.
1. Allowing Them to Choose the Main Lift of the Day
I live in a bit of a strength & conditioning bubble. Most people who start to work with me already know what they’re getting themselves into.
They’re going to lift heavy things and they’re going to listen to some EDM while doing it.
One “trick” I’ll use – especially with beginners – is to let them choose their main lift of the day. If performing some squats will fill their training love tank that day, that’s what we’ll do.
Likewise, if they want to deadlift, we’ll deadlift.
The only exercise I’ll say a hard no to is kipping pull-ups.
I’d rather them jump into a shark’s mouth.
But can you see the inherent advantage this approach provides? If you have a client who’s having a hard time with motivation or just can’t seem to get “jazzed-up” for a particular session, maybe all you need to do is give them a bit more choice.
Assuming, of course, you’re taking into consideration their goals, injury history, and ability level.
2. Choosing the Variation of a Particular Exercise
It’s squat day.
[Cue the cacophony of moans]
Admittedly, not many people – outside of the truly masochistic – draw a sense of butterfly kisses and rainbows from squat day.
That being said, another trick to employ is to allow clients to choose what variation of a particular exercise they’re going to perform that day.
Squat
Box Squat
Back Squat
Front Squat
Goblet Squat
Landmine Squat
2-KB Front Squat
There are many options; and we haven’t even discussed things like ladder sets, drop sets, rest/pause sets, or even tweaks that can be made with stance, tempo, or even utilizing speciality bars (SSB, Duffalo, Cambered, etc).
Giving clients some say on the variation they’re going to perform that day is a game changer in terms of creating more “buy in” in that session.
3. Free Time
Another tactic I use often to help increase motivation is to give clients a 5-10 minute “window” at the end of their session to do whatever they want.
Most of my male clients choose to do some additional arms or “Gun Show” work.
Most of my female clients choose to do some additional glute or “badonkadonk” work.
And, not coincidentally, most of the wizards I work with prefer to use their time pecifying their pecs.
Science.
#dumbledoreisswole
All told, this approach serves as a nice compromise. So long as the client completes what’s on their program – and does what I want them to do – I am more than happy to give him or her some free time and choose their fate at the end of the session.
If they leave with a bicep or glute pump, and are happy, I am down with that.
There’s obviously a lot more that can said here, but I’ll defer to the expert on motivation, my wife!, in this case. Her popular course, Psych Skills for Fitness Pros is now offering open enrollment at $60 off the regular price.
There’s a degree of bias here, so take this however you wish…
…but THIS is the shit most fitness pros need to be educating themselves on. Yes, it’s important to know anatomy, assessment, and the intricacies of effective program design. But what really separates the good from the great is understanding people and how to navigate the human psyche.
Click HERE, choose your preferred payment method, and enter the coupon code PSYCH24 to receive your discount.
I have an excellent guest post for you today. I was recently invited back onto the More Train, Less Pain Podcast hosted by my good friends Dr. Michelle Boland and Dr. Tim Richardt.
This season on their show they’re focusing on training around injury. This is one of my wheel houses (alongside deadlifts, how to look jacked even while wearing sweatpants, and Ted Lasso), as I am always preaching the benefits of finding each client’s or athlete’s TRAINABLE MENU.
My episode – #13 – dropped today (links below), but in concert with that Tim was kind enough to write a little “companion piece” that ties in nicely with the overall theme of the show.
Think back to the first time you consistently trained a squat- Linkin Park blaring, a thin haze of aerosolized pre-workout and chalk filling the air – and being able to add 5-10 pounds, like clockwork, week after week after week.
It’s the honeymoon phase of strength training- nothing hurts and there’s seemingly no impediment to riding this sweet, sweet train of linear progression to, inevitably, being able to sit down and stand up with the weight of a Honda Fit on your back.
But, like all marriages, reality eventually has to settle in.
Over the years, aches, injuries, and movement limitations accumulate and the simple strategy of adding more pounds to the bar is suddenly not so viable.
What, then, is an iron warrior to do?
I host a podcast called More Train, Less Pain (on which the venerable Tony Gentilcore has guested twice), along with another contributor to Tony’s blog- Michelle Boland- where we dive deep on strategies to keep people training hard in the gym despite injuries and mobility restrictions.
The focus of our current season is on maintaining a strength training practice in the setting of persistent pain, something of personal obsession of mine as I’ve struggled with persistent hip pain due to congenital structural hip defects for virtually my entire adult life. Over the past dozen or so episodes, we’ve talked with some of the brightest minds in the industry (Mike Boyle, Bill Hartman, some schlub we’ll call “Tony G”) about this very problem, and one theme keeps re-emerging over and over. We can’t keep progressing load forever. Infinite progression, in the weight room or any other endeavor, is a myth.
NOTE From TG: You can listen to my most recent chat with Tim HERE – titled “Easy Training, Stoplights, and Making Bigger Cups.”
In order to stay in the strength training game and continue to build muscle, power, and movement quality, we need to find ways to evolve our exercise selection and programming strategies so that we can continue to train without creating undesirable tissue damage or reducing access to comfortable range of motion.
Below are three strategies to do just that, lifted directly from this season’s podcast guests and thoroughly vetted by my own personal and professional experience.
1. Timed Sets
In the most straightforward manner of progressing lifts, we add load to the bar every week, keeping the set/rep/rest scheme the same, essentially the missionary of the strength-training world.
Not THAT missionary. Head out of the gutter
As we stated – this works…until it doesn’t. What if, instead of increasing load, we simply increase time under tension? In fact, what if we throw away the conventional “rep” dosing structure and just endeavor to dose an exercise by time, increasing the time (under tension) over the course of a 6 week training block.
In practice, that progression might look something like this.
Exercise Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4
Foam Roller Wall Squat 3×1′ 4×1′ 4×90″ 4×2′
In this way, we can accumulate absurdly high amounts of workload (and stimulus) with reduced axial loading. If you struggle with SI joint pain every time you get under a bar loaded with over your bodyweight, give a single set of a 2’ timed Roller Wall Squat a try.
With only a fraction of the loading required for a conventionally-dosed barbell back squat, you’ll still feel every bit as fatigued, and continue to stay engaged with the training process as you build time under tension across a program.
This strategy works particularly well for exercises where increasing weight isn’t convenient due to the nature of the position or loading- think anything with a zercher or goblet hold OR a position that requires a more involved set up.
2. EMOM Supersets
People in our industry love talking s&^t about CrossFit, but they’ve popularized several things that have impacted the general fitness landscape for the better – gymnastics skills, concurrent training, snorting lines of grass fed whey protein isolate before a set of 30 hang snatches, and EMOM sets.
In an EMOM set, you’ll keep the load of an exercise the same but perform a certain number of reps every minute on the minute (EMOM).
In my own training, I’ve found it useful to combine two exercises into an EMOM superset – meaning that every minute we’ll do a predetermined number of reps for each exercise, rest for the remainder of that minute, and repeat. In practice, a 6 week progression might look like this:
Exercise Rest Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4
A1. Trap Bar DL 0′ 4×3 5×3 6×3 7×3
A2. Alt. 1-Arm DB Bench Remainder of 60″ 4×8 5×8 6×8 7×8
Trap Bar DL EMOM
1-Arm DB Bench Press EMOM
The cool thing about EMOM sets, especially for athletes making the switch from conventional, load-obsessed strength training, is that they possess an entirely novel strategy for dramatically ramping up total load in a program without increasing axial load for any one particular set.
Mathematically, we can contrast a session of EMOM deadlifts with a session of conventionally-progressed deadlifts, which would look something like this:
Over time, this may represent a more sustainable long term strategy for continuing to progress workload when absolute loading on any given repetition can no longer be increased. Additionally, plugging a few EMOM supersets into your training each week can serve as a mild conditioning stimulus for those who struggle to fit in aerobic work.
3. Feel-Based Training
The previous two strategies have emphasized unconventional strategies for increasing the overall workload of a training session, but our final strategy is a different beast altogether.
We love to think about increasing an exercise’s output via weight on the bar or overall pounds lifted throughout working sets. But what if we got “stronger” simply by executing an exercise more efficiently, potentially using a larger range of motion, while making no changes to dosing or loading throughout a cycle?
Depending on a client’s goals and injury history, somewhere between 20%-50% of exercises I program will be progressed by “feel” alone. This means they’re not allowed to do anything “more” over their 4 week cycle. Not more load, not more reps, not faster reps, not even more cowbell.
We’re deliberately freezing these variables to clear cognitive bandwidth for getting as close as possible to *flawless* execution of the drill.
In something like a FFESS, for example, I may stick to 4 sets of 8 reps per leg throughout the entire cycle, loaded with a #25 KB in a goblet hold, but endeavor to improve other aspects of performance. Can a client maintain foot contacts on both the front and rear foot? Does their pelvis stay fairly level in the frontal plane? Do they control the degree of anterior and posterior pelvic tilt at the top and bottom of the range of motion, respectively?
Can they get the back knee further down towards the ground? Are they able to push UP and BACK to take advantage of the retropropulsive, joint-opening qualities of this drill?
In some ways, this is the most boring option for “progression,” but if you can get it into your and your client’s respective heads that we can freeze dosing and simply work on movement integrity and fidelity, a myriad of other training options open.
And options, more than anything else, help folks train consistently for years to come.
If you liked the content in this article, I’d recommend checking out More Train, Less Pain; Engineering the Adaptable Athlete- S3E13 with Tony drops today.
Tim Richardt is a Colorado-based Doctor of Physical Therapy and Strength and Conditioning Coach. He works with runners, climbers, CrossFitters, and tactical/mountain athletes to better help them manage long standing injuries and reach higher levels of physical performance. He also mentors young clinicians and coaches to help them develop their own unique treatment/training model. You can find out more about him at TimRichardt.com or through his IG HERE.
Before you move on, I wanted to let you know that Dean Somerset and I have just put our flagship product, the Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint, on sale this week.
You can purchase both CSHB 1.0 and CSHB 2.0 separately this week at 30% off the regular price using the coupon code EVOLVE at checkout.
Or you can purchase the bundle pack HERE which gives you the greatest value.4
“Oh, I forgot to tell you…my previous trainer said I have a winged scapula, my left hip is a bit internally rotated, and that my posture isn’t great.”
This was less than five minutes into an initial assessment with a new client and it took everything I had to prevent my eyeballs from rolling out of their sockets. The snarky side of me wanted to say something like, “Oh my god, yes, I totally see it. Did (s)he also mention how your left ear is lower than the right? That’s messed up. We need to fix that.”
But I didn’t.
Nope, all I did was sit there, nod my head, listen intently, and kept repeating to myself “don’t stab yourself with this pen, don’t stab yourself with this pen, no, Tony, NO!”
People Think They’re Broken
It never ceases to amaze me how some people will harp on the most inane things when it comes to their body and performance and then regale me with stories of how their previous coach or trainer was a “corrective exercise specialist.”
I won’t invalidate their stories or experiences, of course, but it’s hard for me to listen to sometimes.
They’ll outline their “training” for the past few months (if not years), and it’s rife with positional breathing drills (which, for the record, I’m a fan of), postural stretches, and describe a foam rolling series that rivals the length of a Ken Burns’ documentary.
I’ll follow with “So, did you actually ever follow a strength training program consistently?”
“Yeah, sure, we did a bunch of corrective exercises and, after 19 weeks, we finally worked up to a bodyweight squat. I still have to work on my big toe dorsiflexion, though. Fingers crossed I can improve that by December.”
As an industry – and I’ll call myself out on this too (particularly early in my career) – we’ve done a splendid job at helping people feel like a bunch of walking balls of fail:
Your shoulders and upper back are too rounded.
Yikes, your pelvis is anteriorly tilted.
Oh…my…god…we need to work on your scapular upward rotation.
Shit, your FABER screen tested positive. How are you able to walk?
Also, FYI: you have Chlamydia.
It doesn’t surprise me in the least why so many people walk around thinking they’re fragile snowflakes who need to correct or “fix” everything before they do any appreciable training.
It’s our fault.
Strength coaches, personal trainers, physical therapists, athletic trainers, sherpas, we’re all culpable.
We can and need to do better.
And it starts with re-acquainting ourselves with what our main role as fitness professionals actually is…
…to elicit a training effect with our clients/athletes.
Again…Getting Strong(er) is Corrective
I say this with a grain of salt because “strong” is subjective, and can mean different things to different people.
Being able to deadlift 2x bodyweight is strong.
Being able to perform 15 pull-ups is strong.
Walking from Trader Joe’s to your apartment without putting down the bags is strong.
The ability to pull off wearing white after Labor Day is strong.
Doing whatever it is Cirque du Soleil performers can do is strong.
However, since I’m a little biased “getting stronger” in this sense – and more cogent to the conversation – refers to TRAINING.
I.e., lifting heavy things.
Unfortunately, many people have been led to believe lifting weights is dangerous. It seems you can’t go more than three clicks on the internet (or investigate certain certifications available) before being told barbells, dumbbells, machines, kettlebells, squats, deadlifts, high-reps, low-reps, and/or kittens are dangerous.
Who, me? Dangerous? Noooo. I mean, I’ll slit your fucking throat in your sleep if you don’t pay me any attention, but all in all….cuddles.
And just to set the record straight, and to push back with all my will to those people (worst of all, doctors, PT’s, etc) who keep spreading the message that strength training is dangerous (particularly when addressing a current injury)…
…I give you the LAWS of Loading:
Wolff’s Law – Bones will adapt to loads under which it is placed
Davis’s Law – Soft tissue will heal according to the manner which they are mechanically stressed.
For the “you only have one back” guy…is this then not why we train?5 Squats and deadlifts, when properly loaded and progressed, will do far more good for someone’s recovery from injury than most alternatives.
I hate the “everything makes you dysfunctional or causes dysfunction” crowd.
To which I say…the fuck outta here.
My friend Bret Contreras has the perfect antithesis to this faulty mindset:
“If you think lifting weights is dangerous, try being weak. Being weak is dangerous.”
And this is why I’m a firm ambassador in encouraging people to get strong(er), or more to the point, helping them figure out their “trainable menu.”6
Rather than pointing out everything that’s wrong with someone, I’d rather use the initial assessment (and subsequent training sessions) to highlight what they can do.
Lets use the classic example of someone who has “computer guy” posture. I.e., rounded shoulders, forward head posture, an affinity for pens.
When someone walks in exhibiting this posture a lot of trainers will write down a laundry list of stretches, thoracic (mid-back) mobility drills, and other “corrective” exercises to do.
Well, first, some will go out of their way to make the person feel like Cersei Lannister during her walk of shame.
I’m not opposed to utilizing corrective modalities to address postural deficits or mobility restrictions.
But I find when these sort of things are accentuated and serve as the “meat-n-potatoes” of a training program, it often sets people up for failure; they become more fixated on perfection at the expense of progress.
And lets be honest: NO ONE gets jazzed-up at the gym to do more T-spine extension drills.
I don’t want my clients to feel like a perpetual patient.
I want them to train, because training tends to be more palatable than Scapular Wall Slides. It helps people stay on task and not bored to tears.
And on that note, wanna know an excellent drill that helps nudge people into a bit more thoracic extension?
Kipping pull-ups.
FRONT SQUATS.
As you descend closer to the ground you have to “fight” to keep from folding over. In many ways the proper execution of the exercise itself is self-coaching; or dare I say, corrective.
If you don’t maintain thoracic extension the barbell rolls off your shoulders.
I may come across as the cantankerous strength coach in saying this, but I find more value in having my clients train – in a way that emphatically demonstrates success to them (by matching the programming to their goals and ability level) – than to corrective exercise them to death.
After two failed attempts since 2019 – one due to a pandemic, and the other to what I’ll simply chalk up to as a bunch of shit-fuckery – CORE Collective is finally going to happen.
What Is CORE Collective?
Well, just so we’re clear: My first choice for this project was to call it “Tony’s Techno Palace of Deadlifts & Dreams,” but to no one’s surprise, that idea was quickly de-flamed when I realized that there was zero chance the Town of Brookline (where I live) would approve that for the name of a gym.
As most who read this blog know, my training studio is called CORE. I’ve been training people out of the space since 2015 after I left Cressey Sports Performance. It’s a space that serves its purpose…
…appointment only semi-private training where people get after it and do their best to increase their general levels of badassery.
In addition, I also sublet the space to other coaches in the Boston area. In this sense, the space is still generating revenue when I am not there using it myself, and, more importantly, it allows the opportunity for other fitness professionals to build and grow their own brand & respective businesses with limited risk.
In reality, their only responsibility (I.e., overhead) is to pay their monthly rent for usage of the space. And to also KNEEL BEFORE ZOD every time I walk into the room.
For the past few years I have had an itch to expand my business. For starters, and admittedly, selfishly…to scale things and to (hopefully) increase my ability to generate more revenue as I ween away from coaching. Secondly, I have always felt there was a large gap in this industry between the commercial gym trainer and gym owner.
Commercial trainers sometimes (not always) feel trapped in their situation, stuck playing the corporate game with limited (if any) leeway to build autonomy and increasing their earning potential without having to put in more, and more, and more hours.
Gym ownership seemingly makes sense and the obvious “next step,” but many lack the means to make that happen.
CORE Collective will be designed to bridge that gap.
For Real This Time, Now I’ll Tell You About It
CORE Collective is a work environment for independently operating coaches and healthcare practitioners – physical therapy, massage, nutrition, psycho therapy, etc – who share a belief in holistic, synergistic care of people.
(And maybe also have an affinity for sick 90’s hip-hop beats).
We work to improve health, wellness, performance, and life for our clients.
And we operate under the core values of:
✅Autonomy
✅Competency, and
✅Connection.
CORE Collective is a working environment in which we hope health & fitness coaches and practitioners can do their best work, and enjoy the benefits of working independently while also having the advantage of nearby and accessible colleagues & complimentary practices.
The new 5500 sq foot space, which is slated to open in March/April 2024 in the heart of Brookline Village with easy access to Boston, will be a combination of a strength & conditioning facility and healthcare offices.
The S&C facility will be managed by myself and the healthcare offices by my wife, Dr. Lisa Lewis.
Coaches and practitioners interested in becoming a part of the collective can “apply” to become a collaborator and to start the journey to grow their own brand & business. Collaborators are independent entities (LLC, INC, etc) who apply to sublet space at the Collective, who align with our mission, values, and culture.
A “team” spirit is encouraged and supported. Collaborators will have the opportunity to work together on client cases, and to learn from one another.7
If you’re interested in learning more or to apply please shoot me an email via the contact form on this site.
What separates good gyms or trainers from the mediocre ones?
Some would make the case it’s a certain style of training, access to state-of-the-art equipment and amenities, the results their clients/athletes are able to achieve, or even their knowledge on topics like anatomy, assessment, program design, or, I don’t know, long division.
Don’t get me wrong: All of the above can help with separating yourself from the masses, but what really drives client loyalty (as well as woos new ones) isn’t the fancy equipment or the fact you’ve read Mel Siff’s Supertraining 47 times and can cite every page.8
No, what gives you the competitive edge is the culture you create.
How To Create a Winning Culture (<– Not An Exhaustive List, But You Should Continue Reading Anyways)
1. It Starts With You, Sherlock
Nothing wraps this message in a nice, neat, eloquent bow than something I read from Alwyn Cosgrove not long ago:
“A team that is tanking brings in a new coach and they totally turn things around.
A company like Apple, removes Steve Jobs, starts to take a nosedive, then brings back Steve Jobs as the leader and the company starts crushing it again.
Or alternatively, an assistant coach takes over a program when the head coach leaves, and even though that assistant is running the same system, that team never reaches the level of where they were before.
Why does this happen?
It all starts at the top.
It all starts with you.
It’s more than just the systems that were in place, it was the culture (or lack thereof) that was created.”
I think it’s safe to say everyone, at some point or another, has experienced the dichotomy between a good leader and a godawful one. It might be hard to put a finger on the exact characteristics that divide the two, but it stands to reason you know it when you see it.
Back in 1997 I earned a scholarship to play baseball at Mercyhurst University in Erie, PA. I loved the the coach who recruited me to transfer there. During my recruiting visit he came across as someone who was a straight-shooter and someone who demanded (and received) the respect from his players.
I spent an entire weekend watching practices and hanging out on campus with guys from the team and there wasn’t one instance where they talked smacked behind the coach’s back.
They described him as someone who was strict, albeit fair, and as someone who stayed consistent with his expectations of everyone. He wasn’t someone who said one thing one day and did a complete 180 the next.
He exemplified leadership.
The guys enjoyed playing there and spoke highly of the program as a whole. And, as it happened, at the time, the team was coming off a successful 40-6 season and a Top 10 ranking in the Division II baseball polls.
Without going into too many details, I arrived in the Fall of 1997 and within a few months the coach who recruited me to come to Mercyhurst left to take over another program.
I was bummed and more than a bit agitated. But I was confident I had still made the right decision (Humblebrag: I turned down a full-ride at a Division I school to go there) and that the team would still be competitive moving forward.
I was wrong.
The coach who was subsequently brought in was the antithesis of leadership. A ham sandwich would have been a better leader.
He was nothing but a blowhard and an egregious asshat.
By the end of his first (and only) season at Mercyhurst he had burned a lot of bridges with the players and administration at the school, not least of which because it was discovered he had lied about his previous playing and coaching career.
Keep in mind: This was the pre-internet days so it was the Wild West of making shit up. I mean, I once struck out Ken Griffey Jr three times in one game and also made out with Rosario Dawson once.9
Anyways, as far as culture was concerned…the proof was in the numbers:
1997 Team: 40-6
1998 Team: 26-18.
Now, 1998 wasn’t a complete horror show of a season from a Win-Loss perspective (most teams would love to finish 8 games above .500)…but it was clear the vibe and culture of the program was tainted.
And, honestly, it was the first time I had personally witnessed how poor leadership bred a toxic environment.
Now, as a trainer or coach, think about how this parallels with gym environments you’ve been in? I’ve worked in places that gave zero thought or value in building great trainers, who gave two shits in providing any continuing education, and reneged on cultivating a winning culture, and it showed:
High turnover.
More concern over whether trainers hit quotas on packages sold rather or even how to hold a genuine conversation with potential clients.
General clusterfuckery.
Taking it a step further (and taking the corporateness out of the equation), what does it say about you as a fitness professional if you constantly show up late, you forget appointments, you aren’t prepared, and/or you show up dressed like a homeless pirate?
Leadership always and concretely starts at the top.
And, whether you work in a commercial gym or you’re your own boss, leadership and the culture you curate starts with you.
2. Stop Being a Cantankerous Curmudgeon
One of my favorite comedies of all-time is Grumpy Old Men.
In a nutshell the movie is based around two friends, John (Jack Lemmon) and Max (Walter Matthau), and their lifelong rivalry.
It’s filled with “old guy” cliches, humor, and amazing Burgess Meredith (of Rocky fame) quotes.
The movie’s theme often reminds me of the fitness industry today and how it’s rife with the same antics and toxic hostility.
We expect a lot from our athletes and clients. We want them to show up and give us their undivided attention and full effort. Moreover, in many ways, we aim for them to be more responsible and to take accountability for their actions…
…to be leaders in their own right.
Yet, we (the so-called integrity police) will hop on Twitter (er, excuse me “X”) the second Dieselchest2277 has the audacity to disagree with us on anything from squat technique to achilles tendinopathy protocols to best keto recipes that taste like sawdust.
It’s kinda hard to develop a civil culture, one that’s respectful of other’s backgrounds and experiences (and opinions), if you have the temperament of a twelve year old. Or, more to the point, a cantankerous old man.
Grow up.
Recognize that not everyone has to agree with you and that maybe, GASP, you may be wrong or out-dated in your line of thinking.
This epitomizes good leaders.
3. Be Human. Not Superhuman
Lastly, I’m a firm believer that people don’t respond well when we demand perfection from them.
It doesn’t bode well for culture and camaraderie when you’re an insufferable douchehole and expect all your athletes and clients to be Captain America 100% of the time.
It’s okay if they’re unable to nail that hip hinge on their first try.
It’s not the end of the world if they miss a lift. (but it also shouldn’t be happening on a consistent basis)
Eating carbs isn’t a punishable offense.
Part of building a winning culture, especially a winning gym culture, is encouraging PROGRESS not perfection.
What’s more, I think relatedness is an underrated component of building a winning culture. Part of the reason why I think some of my clients like training with me is because I’m just as excited to talk about deadlifts and scapular upward rotation as I am There Will Be Blood quotes.
Client: “So, after this set of incline presses what’s next?”
Talk about movies, gossip about the latest season of The Bachelorette, go crazy and listen to boybands radio.
Show your human side. Be authentic to who YOU are. Demonstrate you’re vulnerable and that sometimes you’re wrong, aren’t perfect, and don’t know all the answers. Your athletes and clients will love you for it.
That’s the key to a winning culture.
Come Listen to Me Talk in Person About This Stuff
I’m heading to Europe this fall to put on two separate in-person workshops:
1. Coaching Competency Workshop – Prishtina, Kosovo: Saturday, October 21st
This will be my first visit to Kosovo and I couldn’t be more excited. Topics covered in this event range from how I assess clients and go about writing (strength) programing for gen pop clients to how to work around common injuries and trouble-shooting common exercises like squats and deadlifts (of course).
For more info and to register please email my host Dr. Rita Parashumti at: [email protected].
2. Building the Complete Fitness Pro – London, UK: Saturday & Sunday, October 28th & 29th
Full details (including itinerary) can be checked out HERE.
(NOTE: Very limited early bird spots are available for this event, so if you’re even remotely interested pounce NOW)
For those of you who celebrate it, I hope you have a happy 4th this weekend. Not that it compares to a delicious bbq or fireworks display, but I to help get everyone in the mood I wanted to share my latest media appearance.
This time on the Pursuit of Progress Podcast hosted by Joe Drake
Coaching is the Answer
In this episode Joe and I discuss the simple strategies personal trainers can use to attract more clients and what it takes to really become a successful coach in the fitness industry.
Note From TG:This is a re-publication (with updated edits/additions) of an article I wrote a few years ago. I figured since I’m currently working with four women at the moment – three in person, and one distance based – who are pregnant, it was something I felt required a little dusting off.
Hope you enjoy it.
Okay, I know what some of you may be thinking: What does someone who has succumbed to male pattern baldness, hates The Notebook11, and pees standing up know about the female body, let alone speaking to something that’s arguably the most precious, magical, and delicate time of a woman’s life?
(insert shrug emoji here)
Close-up pregnant woman doing exercise indoors.
What to Expect (In the Gym) When Expecting
Well, first off: Not for nothing, I took health class in 9th grade, so I know where babies come from Smarty Pants. For those who don’t know, when a man and a woman love one another they place a note in a bottle and throw it into the sea.
Eventually a mermaid reads it, sends her pet seahorse to the Galapagos Islands where he then relays the message to Henry the stork.
And wah-lah…a baby arrives nine months later.
Don’t argue with me, it’s science.
Secondly, in the just over two decades I’ve been a strength coach I’ve worked with and trained a few dozen women through their pregnancies and I thought I’d share some of my own thoughts on the topic because I feel much of the information out there directed towards women is regurgitated, archaic, hogwash.
Admittedly I have a strong viewpoint and recognize that not everyone will agree with me (and that’s cool). But it’s my hope that this post at least opens up the conversation and helps encourage people to think outside the box.
For me there’s a massive dichotomy between what I do and what most (not all) of the research says we should be doing when working with someone who’s pregnant.
Obligatory Disclaimer: Every pregnancy is different; each woman needs to consider her own specific situation. And, to cover your bases, it’s best to consult with your physician. Preferably one that lifts…;0)
No one should be made to feel guilty or lazy if they need to take it easy; the health of the baby and mother are paramount.
While it always comes down to the individual, their comfort level, their ability to listen to their body, as well as their past training history, I find it somewhat disheartening that there are health professionals out there (both primary and tertiary, as well as many of us in the fitness industry), and even more articles, that suggest “training” should orbit around light walking and what mounts to folding laundry.
For me, when I’m working with someone who’s expecting, it’s about preparing them for something a helluva lot more significant than lifting pink dumbbells (or for that matter anything I’ll ever have to do as a member of the Y chromosome club).
I mean, I think it’s an accomplishment I can grow chest hair, but if you’re able to grow and push a human being out of your body, that’s next level shit.
If that’s the case, you’re also capable of lifting a barbell off the ground.
Repeatedly.
But let me be clear, and this is going to serve as the proverbial umbrella of the entire conversation:
It ALWAYS comes down to the woman’s comfort level.
Regardless of one’s experience in the gym, whether they’re a seasoned veteran or a newbie, I always instruct the women I work with to listen to their body. After a few hundred thousand years of evolution, the human body is pretty smart, resilient, and will let you know when it’s pissed off or doesn’t like something.
Now, I’m not insinuating that every expecting mother out there should go out and try to hit a deadlift PR on a weekly basis or snatch a mack truck over their head. But I’m certainly in the camp that feels we can offer a lot more than simply telling them to “go walk on the treadmill” or what mounts to playing patty cake for shits and giggles.
As an example, here’s one of my former female clients, Whitney, when I was a coach at Cressey Sports Performance performing some heavy(ish) deadlifts at roughly 32 weeks out.
And I say “heavy(ish)” because the weight in this video was no where near her best effort.
Because this is a gargantuan topic and because my head is spinning in several different directions – and because it’s something I can’t possibly cover in one simple blog post – I’m just going to shoot from the hip and blurt out some thoughts in random order.
Stuff
1. Before I begin I’d be doing a huge disservice to the discussion if I didn’t point people in the direction of Dr. Laura Latham,Julia Ladewski, and Stacey Schaedler all of whom are three very strong (and very smart) women who have written extensively on women training through their pregnancy.
Likewise, I’d be remiss not to mention Dr. Sarah Duvall’s excellent Pregnancy & Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist Certification – it’s not only THE best resource on the topic of training during pregnancy and postpartum, but, if I’m be honest, its THE best course I’ve ever taken.
2. Lightsaber Self-Defense Against the Dark Arts (and fit-fluencers)
3. CPR.
To quote the Dr. Duvall herself:
“You gotta lift shit to fix shit.”
If you’re a trainer, strength coach, physical therapist, or I don’t know, an Orc – it stands to reason this information applies to 50% of your current/potential client roster…
…you WILL need to know this stuff.
I’d also be remiss not to point to THIS amazing archive on the Girls Gone Strong website – everything from myths about strength training during pregnancy to pelvic floor dysfunction is covered. In addition, HERE is a FREE 5-day course by GGS dedicated to trainers who work with postpartum clients.
(On that same front, if anyone reading has any high-quality websites, blogs, or general information they’d like people to know about PLEASE link to them in the comments section below).
2. Just to give you a little insight into the type of information being regurgitated out there, one of the women I used to train had a friend who told her that when she was pregnant, her physician recommended that a great way to get more protein in her diet was to pound milk shakes.
Many women fall into the trap of “Well, I’m eating for two now,” and interpret it as a free-pass or opportunity to ramp up their caloric intake. Granted, there’s no doubt the metabolic demands of the body increases when another human being is growing inside of it, but lets not get too carried away here.
Most of the research and material I’ve read says that an increase of 400 kcals per day is more than enough to cover one’s bases, and to ensure adequate fuel for the body and the growing fetus.
Giving that a little perspective, 400 kcals mounts to roughly four (standard) tablespoons of peanut butter.
That’s it.
No need to go crazy with pizza buffets, a baker’s dozen from Krispy Kreme, or a daily liter of Coke challenge (the drink, not the drug). Don’t try to fool yourself into thinking that just because you’re pregnant, means you can go bonkers with the calories.
I am not saying it’s wrong, and I can attest to the weird food cravings that come about. For instance my wife was obsessed with tacos for a four-week span, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t more than happy to hit up our local taqueria several times per week; it’s not like she had to pull my arm.
However, just take this as a little dose of “tough love” and expectation management.
“Eating for two” is a bit overplayed and overstated.
3. While the topic of nutrition is HIGHLY individual, when in doubt stress protein. But really, I don’t care what side of the fence you preside on…low carb, Paleo, Vegetarian, Vegan, or whether you only eat foods that start with the letter Q:
The important thing to remember is to provide adequate calories.
Need a little nudge? Check out THIS amazing infographic from Dr. John Berardi of Precision Nutrition.
4. KEEP THINGS SIMPLE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD
But remember…
It all comes down to what THEY’RE comfortable with.
If I’m working with a current client it’s really more a matter of tempering down intensity (load) than it is reneging on any specific exercise. All of the women I am working with currently still deadlift, squat, row, press, etc. As their body changes we’ll of course modify things, but for all intents and purposes it’s business as usual.
I just make sure to check in prior to each session to see how they’re feeling and will make a judgement call on whether or not to adjust a specific session or not.
If I am working with a new client through her first pregnancy I will spend a fair amount of time on proper breathing mechanics and honing in on teaching basic stuff like Goblet Squats, TONS of core stability work (think planks, chops, lifts, Farmer carries, and Pallof Presses), teaching a proper push-up pattern, band resisted hip thrusts(<— video of my wife doing them at 24 weeks), single leg work, and the like.
You’ll notice it’s not that much different than working with a new client who isn’t pregnant, and that’s the point…
…a pregnancy doesn’t automatically mean you’re unable to go to the gym.
The last thing I want is for them to feel like a delicate flower.
Remember: Our job as their coach is to prepare them for something bigger…child birth. Assuming a thorough assessment, taking into consideration any contraindications, using appropriate progressions/regressions, and always checking in on comfort level, a barbell, used in a controlled setting, is no more dangerous than bathing in a tub of seed oils while drinking a diet soda on a yacht full of Paleo CrossFitters.
Likewise, HERE are some thoughts on postpartum considerations for those curious.
Putting things into context, Whitney G (from the deadlift video above) had been training with me for three years, and I knew she knew what she was doing – so I felt completely comfortable throwing deadlift and squat variations (and she still did chin-ups!) into her programs.
Speaking of chin-ups here’s my wife, Lisa, using (natural) progressive overload to complete a rest/pause set.
A video posted by Tony Gentilcore (@tonygentilcore) on
5. Look at Cara, another mom-to-be I worked with a few years ago who was still training and getting after it 34 weeks into her pregnancy.
Here she was deadlifting 200 lbs for eight reps:
Cara trained with me at CSP for well over two years prior to becoming pregnant, and, slight humble brag, was coached very well. We had no problems staying on task with her training when she was expecting.
Which is to say…while certain “tweaks” and modifications were made trimester to trimester, we were still able to maintain a significant training effect.
While she’s definitely an exception to the rule, despite being a first-time mom, she never experienced any morning sickness – something she attributed to not flaking on her training.
From Cara herself:
It was hard to find information specific to heavy weight lifting. Most “advice” given about exercise has to do with cardio, probably because that’s what doctors expect most women are doing. In general, there’s an attitude that if you are already fit, you can continue what you are used to. So I made my own decision to continue what I was doing, to the best of my ability, just paying attention to what felt comfortably to me personally. Taking longer breaks, adjusting weights and positions as needed.
Others might think I lift “too much” or let my heart rate get “too high” but I don’t believe in one-size-fits-all limits on what pregnant women should be doing. We’re all accustomed and able to do different things when not pregnant, and I think the same can apply during pregnancy.
6. By that same token, I don’t want to give the impression that every woman who’s pregnant has to lift heavy things. There are quite a number of other things to pay close attention to.
Shedding some light here are a few thoughts provided by Boston-based trainer Laura DeVincent, who’s Pre/Post Natal Certified through FitForBirth:
The first ten minutes of a session are spent diaphragmatic breathing, which I think is vital for keeping connected with the core. Although kind of awkward to coach, kegals are also important to prevent problems down the road. The next 30-40 minutes are spent on corrective exercise and strength training, and the last 10 minutes are spent interval training.
7. Expounding a bit further, something else to consider is stretching. Does it have a place? Many women (and fitness professionals) are under the assumption that stretching is an important factor, but I’d actually caution against it in this case.
In fact I’m actually not a huge fan of stretching in general – as most people suck at it, only stretch what they’re good at, and, what’s more, you’re not actually “stretching” anything anyways (only increasing the tolerance to stretching).
But that’s a debate for another time.
As the pregnancy progresses the body produces more of a hormone called Relaxin, which, as the name implies, makes the tendons and ligaments (soft tissue) “relax” or more “pliable” as the body gets closer and closer to the due date.
This can make activities such as running, yoga, and group classes not as much of a better or “safer” alternative as many will have you think.
Mirroring my thoughts, Laura notes:
In my experience, most women that are used to doing group ex classes feel nervous doing intense plyometric and cardio workouts, so they love the fact that they can get intense with weight training!
What most women deem “intense weight training” can be left to interpretation, but it stands to reason that contrary to popular belief, weight training can be argued to be SAFER than most other options…if for no other reason(s) than it is generally more controlled, can be more easily individualized, and focuses more on improving stability (via strengthening).
8. Taking it a step even further, and touching on the whole heart rate issue, my good friend Dean Somerset offers his insight as well:
The big cautions come from not wanting to have large blood pressure fluctuations early on in the pregnancy or having too much of an anaerobic load that would cause stress to the fetus. If the muscles are pulling all the oxygen and not enough is going to the fetus, it can cause some issues, so most cardio is best performed beneath anaerobic threshold, or in short bursts where fatigue isn’t a major factor.
Loading tends to have to be decreased over time due to changes in core stability, pelvic dilation, presence of lumbosacral ligamental laxity, and increasing pressure on the bladder and bowels. It’s cool to deadlift in the second trimester, but something to avoid in the third trimester in favour of squatting, moving from a conventional stance to more of a sumo stance as the pregnancy goes on.
I’m not going to sit here and diss on CrossFit – because there is plenty about CrossFit that I like.
All I’ll say is that if you’re someone who’s pregnant and you’re still adamant on going to CrossFit every week (and that’s completely fine), please, please, PLEASE use some common sense and recognize that it’s okay to pump the brakes a bit and not feel like you’re going to cough up a spleen when you train.
9. Shedding some more light on this topic, here are some sage words from strength coach, John Brooks:
The problem with training pregnant women is no two pregnancies are the same. With our first born my wife hit rep PRs into the early third trimester, did chins, and lots of unilateral leg work deep into the pregnancy. This latest (due in march) had some complications and bleeding early on, so she was on pelvic rest (which means you can pretty much do somewhere between jack and crap) now she’s back up to some basic body part split stuff. Totally different response to training stress in those conditions.
I’ve worked with a couple other women who didn’t have complications and for me the HR monitor was the key, Keep their HR down below threshold, keep a training effect going, and (especially if this is the second+) no movements that abduct the legs either quickly or under load (if you don’t know why ask your mother).
10. And bringing everything to a nice succinct stopping point, I want to share one of my former distance coaching client’s, Laura, (whom I trained through her second pregnancy), perspective on everything:
I was one of those lucky women Tony trained through a pregnancy. During this time, I also regularly attended kettlebell classes in preparation for my RKC certification, which I passed 7 month after delivery.
With solid programming from Tony that included a lot of heavy compound lifts and modifications where necessary (no barbell glute thrusters), I was fitter at the end of the pregnancy than I had been at the beginning, with a slew of new PRs in my pocket as well – including squats and deadlifts.
My daughter presented in a posterior position (sunny side up), but I only had to go through 20 minutes of pushing — believe me that’s rare. With doctor approval, I was back swinging kettlebells in the gym the day after I was home from the hospital, and I healed like a champ.
Now, I’m not trying to blow sunshine up my own butt, but how many women do you know who are back in the gym a mere day after returning from the hospital? [Pats self on back].
Mind you: This SHOULD NOT be considered a standard goal for everyone.
That said, there’s no way Laura could have done that – let alone even think about doing it – if she had only resorted to yoga classes and basing all of her training sessions around weights that are lighter than the purse she carries around on her shoulder.
11. Something else to think about is the fact that Laura had a very progressive MD (which is rare, but a breath of fresh air) and midwife, who, according to her, “understood that pregnancy is not an illness or handicap.”
As well, according to her, “I also took a lot of comfort from the wonderful book Exercising Through Your Pregnancy by James Clapp, which examines study after study showing the value of continuing to engage in strenuous exercise during pregnancy.
The book also provides advice for people who go into pregnancy in more of a de-conditioned state.
So there you have it
While not an exhaustive list, and certainly a topic which deserves someone taking a more proactive approach into what’s the right course of action for HER, I feel this post provides a rather unique (and dare I say: anti-status quo) approach to how women should go about exercising through their pregnancy.
I’m in no way saying that my opinion is right or should be considered the gold standard. But it deserves every bit as much consideration as all the other advice being given.
Coming full circle, isn’t it funny how people will often scoff, give double takes (or worse panic) if they see a pregnant woman lifting appreciable weight in the gym, yet fail to recognize that women have been partaking in far superior activities – walking across continents, manually plowing fields, hunting, and gathering – loooooong before barbells existed.
