Categoriescoaching Conditioning rant

Why CrossFit Doesn’t Make an Elite Athlete

Note From TG: I apologize in advance for the “click-bait” nature of this article.1 I have to assume that, based off the title, many of you have travelled a long distance across the internet to read what follows.

Welcome.

I hope you stick around. This is a guest post from strength coach, Travis Hansen. Do I agree with every word? No. Do I feel he brings up many valid points? Absolutely.

And on that note, happy reading. 

Without a shadow of a doubt, the question that I get asked more than any other as a coach, goes something like this: “Is your training style like CrossFit?”

Rather than get upset or start verbally bashing CrossFit like many do, I just simply inform the person that our training system is different in that it’s “athletic based” and CrossFit simply is not. But wait, Crossfitters are tremendous athletes right?

Unfortunately, they aren’t and by the end of this article you will know exactly why.

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Copyright: tonobalaguer / 123RF Stock Photo

Now if you have an extreme bias and preconceived notion regarding the CrossFit training philosophy, please try to stay objective and hear me out. I promise to stay completely objective even though it may come off harsh, and I will provide you with the facts for why we can’t and shouldn’t refer to Crossfitters as great athletes.

Athletic = CrossFit?

Lets begin with the actual definition of being athletic. What does it mean, who has it, and who doesn’t? Automatically, it is safe to say that we would associate this term with people like Calvin Johnson, Lebron James, Mike Trout, Yasiel Puig, Michael Jordan, Russell Westbrook, Serena Williams, and many more.

And we definitely should since these individuals undoubtedly epitomize athleticism. The definition of being athletic is the capacity to perform a specific skill set or series of skills at a high level to help improve sport performance. Below is a list of the predominant athletic based skills.  

Athleticism:                              

Power

Strength

Speed

Agility and Quickness

Conditioning

Now if a person can perform each of these at an ultra-high level they are going to be insane on the field, court, or wherever more times than not. Why? Because he or she will be able to express any specific sport skill, and research has shown that sport skill attainment is enhanced with increased athletic ability.

Next, I would like to also include some areas of training that serve as secondary and will help regulate performance in the athletic skill set. I will just call these secondary factors.

Secondary Factors:

Nutrition

Prehab-Rehab

Program Design

Muscle Building

Fat Loss

So taking into account just shear athletic skill, how should we rank CrossFit? I scored the system a 1 out of 5 or 20%. In other words it fails miserably for an actual athlete looking to perform better in a specific sport setting.

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Copyright: ammentorp / 123RF Stock Photo

Words and opinion are very cheap, so I will show from a scientific and evidence based standpoint why they receive such a low score. Afterwards, I will elaborate on how crossfit fares with the support areas known as secondary factors, and finish by addressing any other areas of athletic development in which you didn’t see listed and how they fall into the puzzle.

Are You Still Reading?

The first skill on the list that we need to tackle is power. What is power? Power by definition is Force x Velocity. I like Strength x Speed which essentially means the same thing and is a bit easier to understand for most.

So it’s the ability to express as much force as possible as fast as humanly possible. Common displays or formal assessments for power that we use as athletic development or strength and conditioning coaches that you commonly witness in the sport realm is the Vertical Jump, Broad Jump, Running Vertical Jump, Throwing Velocity, Hang Clean/Snatch, etc.

Now how many people in CrossFit do you see perform a standing 40” Vertical Jump? How many do you see perform a 45-50” Running Vertical Jump? How about a 10’+ Broad Jump? Or a PROPERLY performed Hang Clean executed with a load that is 1-1.5 times that person’s bodyweight?

Before I continue, please don’t go out and scour the web desperately in an attempt to locate one individual who attained some of these values and had to have been practicing CrossFit at the time.

There are exceptions to every rule.

What’s important to note is that the system as a whole doesn’t come close to implementing the methods necessary to elicit these types of performances on a regular basis like so many athletic training systems across the country do. Keep in mind that these figures have become commonplace in team sport settings and scale MUCH MUCH higher in the elite population of athletes.

The next skill on the list is Strength. The ability of a muscle or muscle group to produce maximum voluntary force without time being a factor. A population that demonstrates this better than any other on the planet should immediately come to mind, and this is Powerlifters!

[Also, any athlete looking to become more athletic should adopt and perform a modified version of a powerlifting system such as Westside Barbell to maximize their athleticism.]

Lets stay on the topic at hand though. How does CrossFit as a whole score in the strength training department? Unfortunately, not very well at all. Without providing personal observations of this, I would way rather provide you with some valid “Strength Standard Charts” to reference as sound evidence HERE:

Now taking into account this solid reference which has factored in a legion of lifters across various federations at different body-weights, how would CrossFit score?

Not very good.

How many of these individuals do you know that can Bench Press 1.5-2x their bodyweight, or Squat and Deadlift 2.5-3x their bodyweight following a CrossFit training system? Not very many if you are being honest.

Ok this next one should not take too long. Speed! How many people in CrossFit do you know who can record an electronic 2.5-2.6 second 20 yard dash, or a 4-2-4.4 second 40 yard dash, or a sub 6.7 second 60 yard dash? Few and far between.

Agility and Quickness are next on the athleticism list. Also known as “Change of Direction Training” in many sectors, Agility and Quickness is the ability to accelerate and begin rapid motion in one direction, decelerate in that same direction, plant properly and then re-accelerate or “cut” in a new direction fast!

Exercises such as the 5-10-5, Cone Drill, 1-2 Stick Series, etc. are great variations that serve as Agility and Quickness Training Tests.

Note From TG: it kinda-sorta looks like this…..;o)

Moreover, guys like Barry Sanders and Darren Sproles are brilliant examples of this athletic skill at work. If you really watch it’s not very hard to identify that just the shear nature of CrossFit fails to deliver here.

Team sports such as football, basketball, baseball, soccer, hockey, lacrosse, etc. are so athletic and require that a male or female constantly move and react in all 3 planes of motion as fast as possible through the entire muscle contraction spectrum (concentric, eccentric, and isometric). CrossFit on the other hand lives on a tightrope as events are practiced in an exclusive linear fashion, omitting an essential athletic quality.

As I’ve visited different “boxes” just mainly out of curiosity, or heard Crossfitters brag to me about how athletic they were, I’ve never actually seen drills practiced that encourage the development of this athletic function. Have you? Therefore it’s only fair to discount this system as an option for enhancing Agility and Quickness.

Conditioning is obviously going to be the one area of performance where I would have to credit CrossFit absolutely.

Several Crossfitters possess tremendous work capacities and development of the 3 metabolic energy systems (Alactic, Lactic, and Aerobic) much like boxers and MMA fighters. This can be seen at any of the CrossFit Games on ESPN. In regards to strictly conditioning, the feats exhibited by these competitors is quite impressive.

What Next?

So as of right now I believe I’ve proven to you why CrossFit fails in terms of effectively enhancing athleticism. Next I think it’s important to briefly analyze all secondary measures which could impact the primary skills to show what else may or may not be missing for athletes looking to get more athletic and better in a particular sport, who regularly practice CrossFit.

The first element that I would like to discuss is Nutrition. Obviously, “The Paleo Diet” is the foundation for all of the CrossFit population. I must admit that I think there were quite a few positives I took away from both books. The intent of the content is very health-based, the food selection is very nutrient dense, and Dr. Loren Cordain disclosed some interesting scientific points surrounding the topic for sure.

In his book “The Paleo Diet for Athletes,” Dr. Cordain does a great job of adjusting the modern Paleo diet recommendations and states the need that athletes following the Paleo Diet could derive half of their total caloric intake for the day from healthy carbohydrate sources:

“For example, an athlete training once a day for 90 minutes may burn 600 calories from carbohydrates during exercise and needs to take in at least that much during stages 1, 2, 3, and 4 of recovery. This athlete may be eating around 3,000 total calories daily. If he gets 50 percent of his daily calories from carbohydrate, he would take in an additional 900 calories in carbs that day in stage 4, above and beyond the carbohydrate consumed in the earlier stages of the day.”1

And if you would like to know exactly why athletes need more carbohydrates than check out this series of articles I recently wrote:

5 Scientific Reasons to Eat Carbs

5 More Scientific Reasons Athletes Should Eat Carbs

Even More Reasons Why Athletes Should Eat Carbs

Prehab and Rehab Techniques are critical for competitive athletes who want to excel indefinitely, and it should be categorized as its own type of training if it officially is not already.

Techniques such as immersion baths, contrast, EMS, massage, tempo work, mobility/bodyweight circuits, meditation-relaxation, cat naps, static stretching, corrective exercises, and much more have been scientifically proven to hasten recovery from all the high intensity work and provide several benefits (Blood flow, nutrient and hormonal delivery, etc. etc.) to ultimately assist in athletic enhancement.

A majority of this should be implemented into a competitive athlete’s program from the get go, however, I’ve never really seen much discussion or emphasis of this type of training from Crossfitters, so I can only assume it’s not very important to this culture even though it’s undoubtedly essential to athletic performance.

Without a properly structured training program it would be very difficult to ensure that athlete’s are staying healthy and improving in all facets of performance over the long-term. Periodization is key and serves as the foundation for everything in the program.

However, I’ve never officially heard of any type of scientifically valid program design model being implemented for athletes who follow CrossFit. Do you guys elect a Linear, Alternating, Undulating, Concurrent, or Conjugate based System?

What I do know is that the works of famous programming researchers such as Tudor Bompa, Charlie Francis, and several others have shown us that having a pre-planned annual training model is a must for an athlete looking to reach his full potential. 2

A simple “WOD” which is arbitrarily designed to satisfy that particular day’s workout in the name of a male or female, will not suffice and the results will show.

Note From TG: here’s where I’ll chime in. The idea that all CrossFit boxes don’t adopt some semblance of programming structure is a bit harsh (not that I think that’s what Travis is implying). I’ve trained at and observed numerous CrossFit gyms and have been very impressed with numerous staff’s and their attention to detail on this topic. 

To say that Ben Bergeron – who coached both winners (male and female) at this year’s CrossFit Games – doesn’t implement a “plan” or pay special attention to detail with regards to how to best set up/periodize his athletes for success is unrealistic.

Just wanted to give some props when props is due.

The last two remaining secondary factors are fat loss and muscle building qualities. 

I must give kudos to CrossFit for creating a lot of fat loss testimony all over the world. I’m sure that thousands of people have lost weight/fat utilizing the CrossFit system. 3

However, what really bugs me is that you rarely if ever hear credit being distributed by CrossFit authorities on where specific training strategies were adopted. Did they just magically guess and innovate methods proven to work better than anything on the training market?

Hell no.

Furthermore, I see many specialized fat loss techniques being regularly implemented by CrossFit such as: HIIT, Metabolic Resistance Training, Timed Sets, Complexes, etc. but where the hell did that come from?

Not Crossfit unfortunately.

Ten years ago a guy by the name of Alwyn Cosgrove was busting out fat loss manuals left and right and disclosing drills and methods I nor anyone had ever seen before. The training concepts were brilliant and revolutionary at the time, but still hadn’t hit the mainstream yet.  He was also sending out newsletters at the time which validated these now popular methods through sound research and tremendous data he was collecting at his training facility in South California with his wife Rachel, who was also a proven expert. I still have them. But how many of you actually know Alwyn and Rachel Cosgrove? I guarantee not as many as there should be.

Muscle Building is the final remaining topic that needs to be discussed. It’s no secret now that the CrossFit system involves primarily a moderate intensity/high training volume approach for general fitness, conditioning, and fat loss purposes.

With that being said this form of training environment will lend well to acquiring quality muscle mass pretty fast and it’s also why so many of the guys that practice CrossFit are pretty jacked. If you want to know more in depth info on this topic then definitely checkout the research and works of guys like Jason Ferruggia, Brad Schoenfeld, Bret Contreras, and Lyle McDonald.

Specific muscle mass or cross sectional area is also going to be a very strong indicator of athletic success in many cases, so this is one area where CrossFit has a decent foundation laid out if they can implement all of the training concerns mentioned previously.

Inter and Intramuscular Coordination, balance and stability training, and core training are I’m sure other areas that coaches or anyone reading this would think needs to be a primary concern. Fortunately, the methods employed for the primary skill set I provided you will do a tremendous job of enhancing these qualities indirectly. Here is a piece I wrote for the ISSA awhile back which illustrates my point as it pertains to balance-stabilization training:

Does Balance Training Improve Speed?

Well That’s it Everyone.

I hope you enjoyed this piece and learned the distinction between CrossFit and real athletic training.

They are presently very dissimilar, although they get tied in together many times based on my experience for whatever reason. Too re-iterate I’m really not trying to demean or be destructive towards the CrossFit philosophy at all. Peer review should be overly critical and brutally honest. I’ve written many articles and a couple of books and I can tell you firsthand that this is the case from the experts that analyzed my work, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

If CrossFit is really serious about crossing over into the athletic training realm, then they need to start taking science more seriously, credit the founders, and utilize methods that are actually intended for athletes that truly work.

Lastly, I really think we currently underrate just how great so many high level team sport athletes really are. Genes aside, contemporary team sport athletes are amazing. On a final note, understand that athletic development is a big puzzle, and there is a lot that has to come together for any one athlete to be successful.

SCIENTIFIC REFERENCES:

#1-Cordain, Loren. The Paleo Diet for Athletes. Rodale. Emmaus, PA. 2005.

#2-http://articles.elitefts.com/training-articles/sports-training/overview-of-periodization-methods-for-resistance-training/

#3-http://www.bjgaddour.com/what-do-you-think-about-crossfit

About the Author

Travis Hansen has been involved in the field of Human Performance Enhancement for nearly a decade. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Fitness and Wellness, and holds 3 different training certifications from the ISSA, NASM, and NCSF. He was the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Reno Bighorns of the NBADL for their 2010 season, and he is currently the Director of The Reno Speed School inside the South Reno Athletic Club. He has worked with hundreds of athletes from almost all sports, ranging from the youth to professional ranks. He is the author of the hot selling “Speed Encyclopedia,” and he is also the leading authority on speed development for the International Sports Sciences Association.

 

CategoriesExercises You Should Be Doing

Stuff To Read While You’re Pretending To Work: 8/5/16

I know, I know…I posted one of these earlier this week. I’m the jerk.

In fairness I normally post my “Stuff to Read” series on Fridays, but since I was taken off track the prior week and didn’t post one I made up for it on Monday. Besides, as this goes live my wife and I are en route to London to present our 2-day Strong Body-Strong Mind workshop.

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Copyright: sborisov / 123RF Stock Photo

We’re excited of course. Not only because we’re visiting London for the first time as a couple (I visited back in 2014 and Lisa studied abroad back in her college days), but also because it’s our first “go” with presenting our 2-day workshop (we did a 1-day workshop in Austin, TX back in June).

We’re expecting 30 or so fitness professionals from across the UK to come in and listen to myself speak to assessment, program design, coaching the “big 3,” and why Jason Bourne could kick James Bond’s ass and Lisa will bring more of a mindset/behavior change/creating autonomy & competency with clients vibe.

Keep your eyes and social media ears peeled, because I’m hoping to announce some Boston dates soon. Or, if you’re someone who’s interested in hosting Lisa and I…shoot me a message. We’re pretty cool to hang out with.

Strong Body-Strong Mind FACEBOOK

Why Having a Strong Pelvic Floor Isn’t Enough – Ann Wendel

A whole lotta “YES” to his article written by Ann Wendel of Girls Gone Strong. Incontinence is not something women should just “deal with” or “shrug off.”

Likewise, the adage of solely prescribing Kegel exercise to fix pelvic floor dysfunction is a thing of the past. The “fix,” in fact, is much more integrated…incorporating positional breathing drills, dedicated mobility work (in the right areas), and even progressive overload strength training.

Give this a read. It’s important stuff!

Strength Beyond Strength – Jaclyn Moran

A wonderful article written by Jaclyn Moran of War Horse Barbell Club (Philly in the house!) that will resonate with many women.

Stop comparing yourself to others. You do YOU.

This is 40 – Bret Contreras

Hubba, hubba, hubba.

CategoriesFemale Training

The Problem With “Female Specific” Training

Before I dive into the meat and potatoes of this tightly batched, to-the-point, soiree of a fitness article lets first address the obvious…

It’s bonkers that in this day and age if you Google the term “female training” or “women’s fitness” you’re inundated with images like this:

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Copyright: zoomteam / 123RF Stock Photo

We all know what it implies:

1. Donald Trump is bat-shit crazy.

AND

2. Women should train with light weights (presumably for higher reps) for that “toned” and “sleek” look many are after.

And we all know what my reaction is:

Somewhere between wanting to toss an ax into my face and this:

GIF in #Dumbfounded

To say I feel it oozes a toxic tone and connotation – that woman shouldn’t (or can’t?) train with appreciable weights – would be an understatement. Not only does it set women’s fitness back decades (I’m talking pre-Thigh Master era), but it also would make Susan B. Anthony shit a copy of “Hey, You, Woman, Get Back In the Kitchen and Make Me a Sandwich” out of pure rage and embarrassment.

For the Record: the above book doesn’t exist.

I’ve written several pieces on this site (HERE , HERE, and HERE, for example) extolling some of my thoughts on the topic of training women. I’d be remiss not to at least entertain the idea that there are many women out there who, by and large, could care less about deadlifting 1.5x bodyweight, performing a strict, un-assisted chin-up, or doing anything with a barbell on their back.

As much of a fan as I am of encouraging women to pursue performance-based goals, many are happy (and do very well) following programs that suggest they use “light” weights or no weights at all.2

Hey, anything that nudges anyone into a consistent behavior that gets them active where the alternative is binge-watching Netflix is cool with me.

However, being the strength coach that I am, I’m biased, and feel such programs (you know, the ones that promise 10-20 lbs. lost in one week, but only if you follow a cabbage soup detox sprinkled with belly-button lint from a Centaur) lead to inferior results.

In all the articles I’ve written and points I’ve made detailing my beefs with female specific training and the problems I have with it, there’s one “thing” I’ve always neglected to point out.

The Biggest Problem With Female Specific Training is Using the Term “Female Specific Training” In the First Place

I kinda feel stupid for not addressing this obvious point sooner.

I remember listening to a story Mike Boyle said once where he chuckles every time he comes across a “ACL Prevention Program,” particularly when it comes to female athletes.

It’s BS.

Yeah, yeah, we can talk about how research demonstrates that female athletes are 6-8x more likely to tear their ACL compared to their male counterparts, how Q-angles enter the conversation, and even how estrogen receptors during the menstrual cycle can affect things.

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But at the end of the day, as Boyle noted, there’s no such a thing as an “ACL prevention program.” Any well-designed program that focuses on getting athletes stronger (particularly the posterior chain), teaches them how to decelerate and land properly, as well as works on change of direction and movement quality in general is an ACL prevention program in its own right.

And lets just call a spade a spade:  I don’t think it’s so much an ACL issue with women as it is “they’re just weak” issue.

Now, this doesn’t apply to all women of course. But generally speaking many women are “hand held” when it comes to programming (see above) and it just comes down to getting them stronger.  Plain and simple.

So while I do agree there sometimes exists a slight dichotomy between men and women, what their goals are, how they’d like to look, and how that affects our approach to training them, any program that teaches the basic movements – squat, hip hinge, push, pull, lunge, carry – caters those movements to fit the individual needs, ability level, and anatomy of the person, and then follows suit with the principles of progressive overload….is a (good) program.

Do we really need to call it “female specific?”

Categoriescoaching fitness business Motivational

You’re a Coach, You’re Busy, Lets Adapt

There’s a thick common thread that weaves throughout the fitness industry, for coaches in particular.

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This common thread is made of stress and loops its way through our daily schedules. It pulls on our time blocks and puts us in a crunch. We’re giving all of our time, and our energy, to our clients and leaving none of either for ourselves.

Our training isn’t consistent enough.

Meals are missed.

The stress compounds.

The frustration mounts.

Instead of carving out time to fill our bucket so that we may give to others, we exhaust our resources then burn through our reserves and leave our buckets empty, with a hole in the bottom. It’s no way to live, and it’s impossible to perform at our best in this condition.

Chris Merritt and I developed Strength Faction to help other coaches and trainers avoid this downward spiral that ends in the burnout pit.

It’s time to open the discussion about busy schedule training strategies.

Take A Deep, Lung-filling, Relaxed, Fucking Breath

It goes in through your nose, fills your belly and expands into your chest. It expands in 360 degrees through your thorax. It comes in for at least three seconds—four is even better. Then you release it for twice as long as it took to take it in.

You do this every time you feel hectic and scattered—when stress mounts and frustration overwhelms because your responsibilities to everyone else are overshadowing your own training desires. You do this until the frustration escapes from your head, releasing your body’s tension.

Break Up The Workout

We all suffer from a fitness industry cognitive condition I call the spreadsheet paradigm—we have to follow a program exactly as it’s dictated on a spreadsheet. There’s no shame in this thought process—it’s rote conditioning at its finest.

We’ve learned over time that if we don’t start the day’s programming at the top, and finish at the bottom, that we’ve failed. This line of thinking continues on. Since if we can’t begin at the top and finish at the bottom, and that denotes failure, there’s no use in doing anything at all.

Bag it. No training today.

The spreadsheet paradigm is bullshit. I mean, it’s totally real, but it’s a bullshit thought parasite that needs extermination—especially for busy coaches and trainers. Reality is we just need to do the work we can manage to do in the time we have to manage it in. We need consistency that fits our work and life.

(Before we move on, note that if you have the full blocks of time, and have the mental, physical and emotional resources to perform the program as is, do that.)

But if you can’t, that’s totally cool. We just have to break up the workout into smaller blocks.

Start by considering your goals. Is your main goal right now to move better, or is it to get stronger? Are you looking to be so hot that you frequently find yourself in precarious sexual situations? All are valid. All are worthy.

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Consider your goals before we break up the workout so that you may prioritize which part of the programs you’ll accomplish. This implies that you may not get all of the components complete. Take a deep breath, one of those breaths we described above, because it’s O-fucking-K.

Now that you have your goals in mind, think of your schedule. Find your breaks and note them all.

Even if they’re miniscule, ten minute gaps between clients.

Now that you know your goals and have noted your breaks, look at the components of the program: warm-up/movement training, strength training, conditioning. Consider which components will most impact progress toward your goals.

Do you have your goals, your schedule blocks and the programming components written out in front of you? Cool.

Let’s hypothetically say that you have a client at 6 am then another at 7:30 am. It takes you a couple of minutes to set up for each client, and your current goal is to achieve ridiculous super hotness that makes underwear fall off everyone, guys and gals alike, as you walk your sweet ass down the street.

So the most impactful components to achieve your hotness are your warm-up, your strength work and your conditioning. Well, on this particular day you only have one break that you’re certain you’ll be able to get training in before other responsibilities overwhelm you and your energy is drained.

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So you say to yourself,

“Sexy, we’re going to get to the gym at 5:40am so we can get our warm-up in before our first client at 6. Then, when that client finishes, we’re going to get our conditioning done and grab a quick meal before our 7:30 client. Then we’re going to feel good that we made good use of the time that we had and we’re going to have a great rest of the day.”

See what happened there? We prioritized based on our goals and we made use of the little time we had. It was awesome.

Now, if you have more blocks of time, you include more components of the program.

Ten minutes here?—do your warm-up.

Another ten minutes there?—do your power and core training.

Oh boy! Another 20 minutes over there?—hit as much of your strength training as you can.

And so on. And so forth.

Most imperative is that we break the spreadsheet paradigm and accomplish what we can with the time we have while prioritizing our actions toward our goals.

What If You’re Just Wrecked?

If the more intense components of the program are too taxing based on your current stress level, bag them. Seriously, it’s O-fucking-K. You’re not going to do anything good by compounding the stress when you feel overwhelmed. Think recovery and regeneration instead.

Do some cardiac output.

Do your warm-up a few times.

Just get out of the gym and take a walk.

Meditate.3

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Read.

Just do something that takes your stress level down. If you’re totally at a loss, do some cardiac output. The light neural stimulation promotes recovery and regeneration. The constant, low-intensity movement relieves stress.

Kicking Ass Is Doing The Right Things For Ourselves At The Right Times

You’re busy, adapt to your situation rather than trying to force something that isn’t there. Just because you’re not ripping barbells to and fro doesn’t mean you’re not kicking ass. Kicking ass is being intelligent and doing what you need to do for yourself right now. Use this article and do just that.

About the Author

Todd Bumgardner, MS, CSCS is a co-founder of Strength Faction, an online coaching program for strength coaches and personal trainers that helps fitness industry folks transform their bodies and their coaching. He and his partner, Chris Merritt, just released a great, free E-book on how to keep your training on track, even while you’re training all of your clients.

You can download it here: Train Yourself…Even While You’re Training Everyone Else.

CategoriesExercises You Should Be Doing

Exercises You Should Be Doing: Deadbug With Extension + Reach

It should come as no surprise to anyone who’s read this site for any length of time that I love me some LOLCats, beef jerky, pantless anything (insert things like writing, cooking, reading, crime fighting here) Deadbugs.

I feel they’re one of the most underused and underutilized exercises out there, due in no small part to how innocuous they look. This is unfortunate because they offer a ton of benefits and have applicability to pretty much every person, athlete or non-athlete, injury-free or not.

Not only are they a superb core training exercise, but their versatility in that they can be tweaked and progressed or regressed (depending on a person’s ability level) is what also lends them to MVP (or, MVE – Most Valuable Exercise) status in my book.

Plain ol’ vanilla deadbugs – when done right (controlled cadence, movement comes from hips and shoulders and not lumbar spine, with a full exhale – are more than challenging for 90% of the population. I’ve had professional athletes and very strong individuals humbled by this “wimpy” looking exercise.

To that point, I am never too quick to jump on the “lets make this exercise harder for the sake of making it harder” wagon. Because, frankly, more often than not…it’s not necessary.

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SIDE NOTE: this is why I’m amused at people who feel the need to up the ante on things like foam rolling. We now have people using foam rollers with spikes and bumps (some even vibrate) on them or even PVC and lead pipes, thinking they’re more effective. 

I’m half expecting rolling on a live grenade to be the next progression.

It has to hurt in order to work.

However, this isn’t to imply that the deadbug exercise can never be progressed or made more challenging. Truth be told: I’m always intrigued whenever I come across new variations. Like this one. which I came across yesterday:

Deadbug With Extension + Reach

 

Who Did I Steal It From: Luka Hocevar of Vigor Ground Fitness and Performance.

What Does It Do: Well, it’s a deadbug, so it’s already a killer anterior core exercise, and serves as a great way to teach someone to dissociate lumbar movement from hip movement. I.e., the idea is to maintain a neutral spine position and not allow the lower back to “fall” into extension as you move the extremities.

With this variation, however, there’s a bit more in play:

1. First, it’s important to “vet” individuals for this exercise. If they lack ample shoulder flexion to bring their arms overhead, it won’t be a good fit.

2. Holding the KB above makes it easier to engage anterior core (which will help to posteriorly tilt the pelvis, which is important for those people stuck in excessive APT).

3. Lowering the KB (under control) cues the individual to create a flexion moment in the abdominals while simultaneously promoting an extension moment in the thoracic spine (where we want extension to occur).

4. Too, adding the “reach” at the end (where you keep the rib cage locked to the pelvis) is another fantastic way to increase more core demand and strength (and allow flexion, albeit with a teeny-tiny bit of load. Don’t worry, you’re spine will live).

Key Coaching Cues: To reiterate above, go SLOW when lowering the KB. Own the movement, keep the ribs down. When it comes to the reach: try not to get movement from flexing the neck. Instead, “lead with your chest,” as if the chest were pushing the KB towards the ceiling. Hold for a 2-3s count, lower, switch legs, and repeat.

3-6 reps per side should be more than enough to respect the movement.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff To Read While You’re Pretending To Work: 8/1/16

Okay, lets cut right to the chase: how badass was Jason Bourne?

Pete Dupuis and I took our wives to go see it on Friday night (you know, cause what says romance more than bare knuckle fist fights and explosions?), and I felt it was a worthy addition to the franchise.

It. Was. Awesome.

I can’t quite put my finger on it, yet4, but Jason Bourne didn’t have the same feel or pizzaz as both Supremacy and Ultimatum (the other two editions which conjoined Matt Damon with director Paul Greengrass). Maybe it was the lack of character development (I felt Alicia Vikander’s character, Heather Lane, was underutilized) or the close-ups of Tommy Lee Jones’ face (ahhhhhh), but this was probably the weakest of the Damon/Greengrass Bourne movies.

Which is to say: even though it was the weakest, it was still better than all of the recent Bond movies (save for Casino Royale). Besides, who am I kidding: no one goes to see a Bourne movie for esoteric things like character development and cinematography. Stop being so hoity-toity Gentilcore!

Go see Jason Bourne, people. Grade: B+

Oh, and in case you missed it last week:

Announcing a Super Special, Yet-to-be-Named 6-Week Beginner Course at CORE

I’ll be unveiling a new 6-week “beginner” course at my gym, CORE, in the very near future.

Do you live in the Boston area?

Are you looking for a little direction, accountability, and sense of community in your training?

The Initial Deets

1. The course will be six weeks, meeting 2-3x per week in a group setting (~2-4 per class), where the objective is to learn and hammer the basics, enhance movement quality, instill a sense of accountability and intent with training, and set the framework to make you more autonomous.

2. There will also be a nutrition and mindset component. Throughout the six weeks participants will have the option to sit in on presentations and have questions answered from a Registered Dietician as well as an Exercise/Behavior Change Psychologist (Spoiler Alert: the psychologist is my wife, Dr. Lisa Lewis).

3. It will serve as a wonderful opportunity to surround yourself with like-minded people and become a part of a community who’s sole purpose is to help increase your general level of badassery.

4. Only 8-12 spots will be made available to start. And I’m not saying this to suggest a false sense of urgency or as a way to lure people in. I’m not kidding, only 8-12 spots will be made available.

5. Attendance subject to spontaneous rap battles.

I’d love to find out if there’s any interest in this sort of program from people in the area. If so, please contact me via the “Contact” tab at the top of the website and I’d be happy to provide more details.

Now on to this week’s list of stuff to read….

What Really Causes Buttwink? – Daniel Mee

This was a very thorough “review” of the butt wink phenomenon via the staff over at StrengthandConditioningResearch.com.

Short Answer: it’s not tight hamstrings.

No, really, it’s not.

What Can a Book About Sprinting Teach Us About Rehabilitation – Doug Kechijian

There’s a trend in rehab (and strength & conditioning) where professionals are reading more and more books that are abstract in nature and have very little (immediate) applicability to their day-to-day responsibilities in dealing with clients, patients, and athletes.

As Doug points out in this article, we tend to gloss over the practical stuff and fail to understand that nothing is new.

The Definitive Guide to Increasing Testosterone Naturally – Stef Muller

10283099 - testosterone chemical structure formula written on blackboard with chalk.

Copyright: maridav / 123RF Stock Photo

Admittedly I’ve only perused the chapter titles and skimmed a few pages here and there, but this looks to be a very thorough and very user-friendly resource on the topic of Testosterone…what it is and how to increase it via diet, training, and lifestyle factors naturally.

If you’re at all interested in body composition, health, and sex…..give this bad boy a whirl.

Categoriesbusiness

Announcing CORE: Remember When I Said I Never Wanted To Own a Gym? Yeah, About That

Some of you may recall a blog I wrote a few months ago titled I’m Not a Businessman, I’m a Business, Man.

36100738 - strong businessman

Copyright: fotogestoeber / 123RF Stock Photo

I spilled my heart into that post and revealed a few personal things. Namely, that after leaving Cressey Sports Performance to pursue other opportunities, I had zero interest in ever running or owning my own gym.

[More to the point: I wanted to iterate to fitness pros that the “end-game” in this industry is not gym ownership, that success should not be dictated by whether or not you own a gym, and that, contrary to popular belief, you can do quite well in this industry – with a lot of hardwork, consistency, and expectation management – without that monkey on your back.]

After watching Pete and Eric in action for over eight years I came to the conclusion that “business” wasn’t my strong suit.5 My strengths weren’t in dealing with spreadsheets, client retention strategies, marketing, ROI, scheduling, and endless phone conversations with parents, athletes, prospective clients, scouts, and Comcast.

Moreover, I wanted no part in worrying about overhead (rent, payroll, equipment replacement, etc) or any other “unexpected” snafus such as CAM expenses, trash removal, and which insurance policies were the best fit for the the business.

You know, Health Insurance, Liability Insurance, In-Case-The Avengers-Show-Up-and-Wreck-Shit-Up-Collateral-Damage Insurance.

When we opened CSP I recognized that my strengths resided in being on the floor, coaching, demonstrating to young athletes that the garbage they listen to today is not hip-hop, and serving as brand ambassador. I’d let Pete and Eric take the reigns on “building” the business.6

Of course, in hindsight, despite my aversion to being a “businessman” in the ten years I’ve been in Boston (eight of which were at CSP) I did end up building a “business,” in that my brand – Tony Gentilcore – became a thing.

Thanks in large part to both Eric and Pete I was able to leverage the CSP brand to facilitate the growth of my own.

Over the years I have seen my website grow in popularity, I’ve become a published author in many of the most reputable fitness publications out there, I’ve been invited to speak in places such as Seattle, LA, DC, Chicago, Sydney, London, and Prague for crying out loud, and ticker tape parades have been held in my honor. <—- Only a slight exaggeration.

Not too shabby for a kid from Groton, NY.

When I left CSP, however, I decided the best fit for me was to sub-lease space. Gym ownership wasn’t for me. I connected with a woman who already had a training studio she was leasing (a mile from my apartment no less) and she was kind enough to allow me to vomit strength and conditioning all over the place and bring in my own equipment to utilize the space. At the end of each month she tallies the number of hours I use it and I pay “rent.”

It’s a beautiful set-up. This way I can still train people throughout the week, yet without the responsibility of running a gym. I show up, I make people awesome, I leave, repeat. I still have ample time to film interpretive dance videos write, take care of my distance coaching clients, and travel for speaking engagements whenever necessary.

It’s the life I’ve been living since October of 2015.

And then this happened a few weeks ago:

Introducing CORE

I now “own” a gym. It’s called CORE.7

Own is in parenthesis because it’s not like I said “f*** it, I’m done with sub-leasing and I’m going to open up a 20,000 sq. ft facility in downtown Boston complete with state-of-the-art equipment, parking, and a juice bar that serves gluten-free, dairy-free, non-GMO protein shakes with organic unicorn tears.”

That’s not even close to what happened. (Mostly because I don’t have a bazillion dollars).

Circumstances arose where the woman whom I was sub-leasing from had her dream-job come to fruition and she decided not to renew the lease. She then asked if I’d be interested in taking it over? To which I responded…

Oh. Hell. No! in #JenniferLawrence

However, after putting pen to paper, hyperventilating into a paper bag running some numbers, and discussing things over with Lisa, it made sense to maybe give it a whirl.

Besides it would have been a nuisance to try to sell or find storage for all the equipment I had purchased, not to mention attempting to find another space to train people out of sounded about as much fun as a prostate exam.

Plus, did I mention the studio is a mile from my apartment?

It’s a mile from my apartment.

Basically, there was no denying the convenience factor. And thanks to my wife’s support (and the lessons learned observing Eric and Pete all those years) the concept wasn’t too too daunting.

So, long story short: as of June 1st I took over the lease and have been busy in the time since making the space more aesthetically “me.”

  • Having more flooring/turf put in, purchasing some new equipment & storage items, and having a platform made.
  • New paint on the walls.
  • New logo (seen ^^^) and decals to go on the store front.
  • Adding in a smoke machine, black lights, and disco ball.

It’s nothing fancy-pants, but I’m pretty excited and darn proud of the initial result.

If you’re located in or around Boston (or stopping by Boston to visit)…don’t hesitate to reach out. Deadlifts and Tiesto will be waiting…;o)

Excuse me while I go try not to destroy the back of my pants.

Trial Run of Untitled 6-Week Beginner Course Coming Soon.

In the very near future CORE will be offering a 6-week beginner program designed to educate and prime people to become their own best health/fitness advocate.

The Initial Deets

1. The course will be six weeks, meeting 3x per week in a group setting (~2-4 per class), where the objective is to learn and hammer the basics, enhance movement quality, instill a sense of accountability and intent with training, and set the framework to make you more autonomous.

2. There will also be a nutrition and mindset component, where every other weekend the idea is to sit in on presentations and have questions answered from a Registered Dietician as well as an Exercise/Behavior Change Psychologist (Spoiler Alert: the psychologist is Lisa).

3. It will serve as a wonderful opportunity to surround yourself with like-minded people and become a part of a community who’s sole purpose is to help increase your general level of badassery.

4. Only 8-12 spots will be made available to start. And I’m not saying this to suggest a false sense of urgency or as a way to lure people in. I’m not kidding, only 8-12 spots will be made available.

5. Attendance subject to spontaneous rap battles.

I’d love to find out if there’s any interest in this sort of program from people in the Boston area. If so, please contact me via the “Contact” tab at the top of the website and I’d be happy to provide more details.

CategoriesAssessment Corrective Exercise Program Design Rehab/Prehab

The Forgotten, Often Overlooked Cause of Low Back Pain

There are many root causes of low back pain and discomfort, and there are many people who’s day to day lives are affected by it.

In my neck of the woods – Strength & Conditioning – the culprit(s) can often be displayed on the weight room floor. Lifters who routinely default into movement patterns that place them in (end-range) LOADED spinal flexion or extension are often playing with fire when it comes to their low back health and performance.

NOTE: this isn’t to say that repeated flexion/extension is always the root cause.

1) There’s a stark contrast between flexion/extension and LOADED flexion/extension. Many people have been programmed to think that all flexion/extension of the spine is bad. It’s not. The spine is meant to move, albeit under the assumption that one can do so without significant compensation patterns (relative stiffness), limitations in mobility, and with appropriate use of both passive (ligaments, labrums, and tendons, oh my) and active (muscles) restraints.

It’s when people start placing the spine under load in ranges of motion they can’t control – often in the name of social media glory – that bad things end up happening. 

2) However, there are plenty of examples of lifters (mostly elite level, which is an important point) who have been utilizing techniques many fitness pros would deem incendiary with regards to the increased likelihood of spines all over the world resembling a game of Jenga.

A great example is a piece Greg Nuckols wrote HERE, explaining the benefits – biomechanically speaking – of a rounded back deadlift.

But back pain – specifically low back pain – can strike at any moment. I’ve heard stories of people hurting their back during training of course. But I have also, and I think many of you reading will nod your head in agreement, have heard stories of people messing up their back while bending over to pick up a pencil or to tie their shoes.

Or while fighting a pack of ninjas (hey, it can happen).

In pretty much all cases it comes down to one of two scenarios going down:

1. Ninjas attack.A one-time blunt trauma. Think: spine buckling under load, car accident, falling off a ladder.

2. A repetitive aberrant motor pattern. Think: tissue creep into sustained spinal flexion for hours on end at work.

Dr. Stuart McGill and his extensive research on spinal biomechanics has been the “go to” resource for many people – including myself – to help guide the assessment process and to attempt to figure out the root cause of most people’s low back pain.

A term he uses often is “Spinal Hygiene.”

It behooves us as health and fitness professionals to use the assessment as a window or opportunity to “audit” our client’s and athlete’s movement and to see what exacerbates their low back pain.

From McGill’s book Back Mechanic:

“Our approach in identifying the cause of pain during an assessment is to intentionally provoke it. Provocative pain testing is essential and irreplaceable when it comes to determining which postures, motions, and loads trigger and amplify pain and which ones offer pain-free movement alternatives.”

People who have more pain and discomfort in flexion (slouching, sitting, bending over to tie shoes) are often deemed as flexion intolerant. Moreover, people who have more pain and discomfort in extension (standing for long periods of time, bending backwards, excessive “arching” in training), are often deemed as extension intolerant.

Ironically, in both scenarios, people will find relief in the same postures that are “feeding” the dysfunction and their symptoms.

What’s the Fix?

Funnily enough, pretty much everything works. There are any number of methodologies and protocols in the physical therapy world that have worked and have helped get people out of low back pain.

It’s almost as if the appropriate response to “how do you fix low back pain?” is “the shit if I know? Everything has been shown to work at some point or another.”

Active Release Therapy, Graston, positional breathing, stretching, mobility work, rest, sticking needles in whereeverthefuck….it’s all been shown to work.

I’ve had numerous conversations with manual therapists on the topic and the ones who tend to “get it” and elicit the best results are the ones who take a more diverse or eclectic approach.

They’ll use a variety of modalities to best fit the needs of the individual.

That said, I’m a fan of directing people towards therapists who take a more “active” approach as opposed to a “passive” approach.

Both can work and both have a time and place. However one approach is less apt to make me want to toss my face into an ax.

Passive Approach = Ultra sound, electric stimulation, etc. This approach treats the symptoms, focuses on instant relief, and not necessarily addresses the root cause(s).

Active Approach = Is more hands on and more “stuff” is happening. Practitioners who fall on this side of the fence tend to focus more on the root cause – poor movement quality, positioning, muscle weakness, mobility restrictions – and work in concert with the patient/athlete to educate them on how to prevent future setbacks.

Above all, an active approach is about finding and engraining a neutral spinal position, and finding pain-free movement.

I think by now you know my preference.

 

Tony, Shut-Up, What’s the “Forgotten” Cause of Low Back Pain?

Well, to say it’s “forgotten” is a bit sensationalistic. My bad.

We tend to solely focus on either flexion or extension intolerance…and granted those are the two biggies.

However, have you ever had someone come in and pass those “screens” with flying colors only to complain of back pain or discomfort when he or she rolls over in bed, rotates, or maybe experiences an ouchie when they sneeze?

What’s up with that? And bless you.

Spinal Instability – That’s What’s Up.

Instability can rear it’s ugly head with flexion/extension based issues too, but it becomes more prevalent when rotation is added to the mix.

The body doesn’t operate in one plane of motion, and it’s when people meander out of the sagittal plane and venture into frontal and/or transverse plane movements, when they begin to get into trouble.8

The muscles that provide intersegmental stability to the spine may be under-active and may need some extra TLC.

I’ve worked with people who could crush a set of barbell squats (they handle compression and shear loading well), but would complain of l0w-back pain whenever they did anything that required rotation.

 

The fix is still going to be helping them find and maintain spinal neutral – I don’t feel this is ever not going to be a thing. Kind of like too much money in politics or LOLcats.

In addition, gaining motion from the right areas – hips, t-spine, for example – will also bode well.

However, I’d like to offer some insight on what exercises might be part of the repertoire in terms of “pain free movement” when spine instability is a factor.9

The Stuff Most People Will Skip (It’s Okay, I Won’t Judge You)

One word: planks.

Dr. McGill has stressed time and time again that improving spinal endurance (and hence, stability) is paramount when dealing with back pain. They key, though, is performing them in ideal positions.

I chuckle whenever someone brags about holding a 5-minute plank. When in fact all they’re really doing is hanging onto their spine….literally.

This does no one any favors.10

RKC Plank.

1. It’s a bonafide way to help people gain a better understanding and appreciation for creating full-body tension.

2. I like cueing people to start in a little more (unloaded) flexion, so that by the end they’re residing  in a neutral position anyways.

3. When performed as described in the video below, 10s will make you hate life.

To up the ante you can also incorporate 3-Point Planks (where you take away a base of support, either an arm or a leg, and hold for time) or Prone Plank Arm Marches:

 

NOTE TO SELF: do more of these.11

You can also incorporate Wall (Plank) Transitions where the objective is to cue people to keep the torso locked in place. Motion shouldn’t come from the lumbar spine then mid-back. Everything should move simultaneously, as follows:

Deadbugs

I’m a huge fan of deadbugs. When performed RIGHT, they’re an amazing exercise that will undoubtedly help build core and spine strength/stability.

A key component to the effectiveness of a deadbug is the FULL-EXHALE (check out link above). However, one variation I’ve been using lately is the Wall Press Deadbug (for higher reps).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmtsGHk34C0

 

Here the objective is to engage anterior core (pressing into the wall), to breath normally, and then to perform a high(er) rep set (10-15/leg) making sure motion comes from the hips and NOT the lower back.

If you want to build stability (and endurance) this is a doozy.

Stuff People Are More Likely To Do (Because It Involves Lifting Things)

1. Offset Loaded Lifts

This is an untapped, often overlooked component to back health and performance. Offset or asymmetrical loaded exercises are a fantastic way to train spinal stability and challenge the core musculature.

By holding a dumbbell on one side, for example, you have work that much harder to maintain an upright posture and resist rotary force:

 

Likewise, with offset presses, the core must fire to prevent you from falling off the bench. Unless you fall off because you’re drunk. If that’s the case, go home.

 

And we don’t have to limit ourselves to dumbbells, either. We can use barbells too.

2. Shovel Deadlift

3. Farmer Carries

Farmer carries – especially 1-arm variations – can be seen in the same light. The offset nature is a wonderful way to challenge the body to resist rotation (rotary force) and to help build more spinal stability.

 

4. 1-Legged Anti-Rotation Scoop Toss

Another option is to perform anti-rotation drills such as the 1-Legged Anti-Rotation Scoop Toss. As you can see from my un-edited video below….it’s tougher than it sounds.

 

5. Anti-Rotation Press

 

A bit higher on the advanced exercise ladder, the Anti-Rotation Press is another great drill to help hone in on increased core strength and spinal stability. To make it easier, use a longer stride stance; to make it harder go narrower.

This Is Not an End-All-Be-All List

But a good conversation stimulator for many people dealing with low-back pain nonetheless. Have you got own ideas or approaches to share? Please chime in below or on Facebook!

Categoriespodcast

Podcast Bonanza: International Edition

Apologies on my end for the increased incidence of abrupt posts of late. I do want to disclose some significant life events and projects that have transpired in recent days and weeks, however I’m afraid I have to play the nebulous card and keep everyone in the dark for the time being.12

Everything is hunky-dory, all is well. I’m just stupid busy with several projects and my writing has been slacking as a result

To help make up for it, I wanted to share two appearances I made recently on two separate (international) podcasts.

1) Sigma Nutrition Radio – How to be an Effective Coach

You’re reading that correctly, I was invited onto a nutrition podcast.

The idea of me discussing the efficacy of high-carb vs. low-carb diets, gluconeogenesis, gluten intolerance, and the absurdity that there’s such a thing as “Paleo brownies” (and that people keep a straight face when they argue that they’re somehow healthier than “regular” brownies) is daunting in of itself.

Nutrition is not me strong-suit.

Luckily, the host, Danny Lennon, knew as much, and he and I had a lovely chat on coaching instead. I had a great time recording this episode, and if nothing else you get to listen to a British accent intersperced in the conversation for 45 minutes.

2) Make Your Body Work Podcast – When Too Much Exercise Becomes Too Much of a Good Thing

Top Canadian trainer, Dave Smith, invited me onto his podcast to discuss the follow reader questions:

“I spend a lot to time training and do a few races each year. My times have actually improved a fair bit recently, and I’m 41, not getting younger, but I don’t love what’s happening to my body composition. I look soft. I know that strength training is the ticket, but I find it hard to make time for weights, run, and have time to recover. When I lift, my running seems to suffer. How can I do it all and get the results I’m looking for. Ha! I guess I’m hard to please. Thanks, from Robert.”

He and I spend about 25 minutes discussing the answer.

CategoriesNutrition

Even More Reasons Why Athletes Should Eat Carbs

Outside of being downright delicious, carbohydrates do serve an important role in day-to-day nutrition, and especially so with competitive athletes.

Today’s guest post comes courtesy of strength coach, Travis Hansen. If you happened to miss the first two installments of this article series, please check them out HERE and HERE.

Right now, I’m going to jump right into things and discuss five more final reasons why any team sport or explosive based athlete requires carbohydrates in order to optimize their performance and physique

#1-CENTRAL FATIGUE MANAGEMENT

This theory continues to be explored, and isn’t fully understood yet. When we train long and hard, levels of free Tryptophan (5-HT) begin to circulate in higher quantities throughout our bloodstream. Eventually Tryptophan crosses the blood-brain barrier where it’s converted into Serotonin.

Serotonin has been shown to elicit key symptoms of fatigue when there is still available peripheral energy sources available to our working muscles. Dr. Mark Davis published a very interesting article in a Sports Nutrition Journal back in the late 90’s which covered nearly every element of “The Central Fatigue Theory.” (1)

If you are a geek like me and want to know all of the ins and outs of this particular subject matter, then I would definitely give it a good look. I’m going to bypass some of the specifics and just give you what’s really important here.

The F-TRP/BCAA ratio becomes very significant. In order to gain access into the brain, Tryptophan needs a specific transporter that BCAA’s (Branched Chain Amino Acids) compete with. Thus, by increasing BCAA’s in the blood, one could simply assume that this would limit Tryptophan levels and subsequent fatigue. Unfortunately, BCAA’s don’t show much promise in this arena directly, and there are a number of factors that Davis discusses which help explain the dilemma that is beyond the scope of this article.

On the upside, carbohydrate feedings show a consistently strong impact on CNS fatigue suppression.

According to Davis, one way in which they do this is by limiting the release of FFA or free fatty acids into the bloodstream. When we train at high intensities, liver glycogen support for the muscles in our body can be reduced fairly quickly. As training continues, we begin to rely upon more fat for fuel.

Fats influence F-TRP and its binding with a protein called Albumin. In other words, if FFA’s are elevated due to a lack of carbs then they will naturally knock of Tryptophan from Albumin which will then allow the now unbound Trytophan to make its way to the brain and subsequently induce fatigue.

I should also note that the exact mechanism for why carbohydrates prevent fatigue is very controversial still, and one theory is that glucose is the preferential source of fuel for neural cells and they absolutely crave this particular energy source when it’s readily available.

#2-CORTISOL LEVELS

When it comes to maximizing your physique and overall athletic performance there is zero doubt that Cortisol is your body’s potential kryptonite!

Several pathways throughout the human body are to be disrupted when Cortisol is high and chronically elevated by consuming less carbohydrates combined with rigorous training protocols.

Thyroid conversion will be altered as well as nervous system activity. Direct protein synthesis is reduced, and last but not least, Insulin and Testosterone levels will take a substantial hit. And if you already read the previous two articles (see links in intro) then you can already appreciate just how much of a negative impact this can create.

#3-DE NOVO LIPOGENESIS

I’ve been excited to discuss this issue because I still get asked the question whether or not we really store carbs as fat very easily.

The answer is definitely no.

De Novo Lipogenesis is the production of fat from carbohydrates specifically. Again this all goes back to The First Law of Thermodynamics, or calories in vs. calories out. You can’t store more energy if you are taking in less energy.

Period.

I know I might be beyond beating a dead horse here, but some people still can’t accept this scientific law and blame everything else for weight gain or lack of success in losing fat/weight, especially carbs.

Come on.

According to the highly credible and world renown physiologist Lyle McDonald, De Novo Lipogenesis is quite difficult to come by to say the least. Under normal dietary conditions, where people aren’t severely obese, upwards of 700-900 grams of carbs per day for several days had to be ingested in order for De Novo to occur. (2) This is an absolutely INSANE amount of carbohydrates mind you.

And some of the reasons why it’s difficult to store carbs as fat is because of the glucose-ffa cycle. This cellular function just means that when we eat carbs we burn carbs, and vice versa. Moreover, there is roughly 500 grams or so of potential glycogen that can be stored in the muscle and liver which amounts to approximately 2000 calories.

Also, standard high intensity weight and athletic training causes these stores to naturally adapt and increase their storage potential even further making fat storage from carbohydrates even harder to come by. So as you can see from the evidence above, if you are a female or male athlete who wants to get leaner and improve your body composition, then by all means eat your carbs!

#4-SLEEP FUNCTION

According to the American Society for Clinical Nutrition, carbohydrates consumed prior to sleep can decrease the onset of actual sleep. (3)

A common sleep deficiency in research is initiation, so the carbs could be very helpful in this department if you are an athlete who needs to quickly recover and perform at a high level regularly.

Moreover, although the primary type of clients in which I work with aren’t bodybuilders or figure competitors, I have been fortunate enough to train quite a few over the years and consult several of them and prescribe and monitor their nutrition. A very consistent observation has been definitive improved sleep quality with adequate carbohydrate consumption with other influential factors held constant.

This observation is highly subjective, but if several of these athletes are benefiting from more carbs, then that is more than good enough for me as a coach who wants them to be at their best.

#5-LEPTIN PRODUCTION

I’m going to very quickly introduce or simply review this hormone and give you a very basic short course on the hormone.

Leptin is a peptide hormone that is primarily synthesized and released from our fat cells in the body. Leptin has specific receptors in the brain which help to regulate energy production, appetite, and weight management to name a few.

Basically, if calories, bodyfat levels, or carbs are too low then Leptin production is decreased and energy expenditure decreases, performance decreases, hunger goes through the roof, and we pack on lbs. Keep Leptin at normal levels by eating sufficient carbs and calories at a healthy weight/bodyfat level and the metabolism remains in harmony. Here are a few starter articles to get you properly acquainted with Leptin if you aren’t already:

Control Leptin and Control Your Leanness

Bodyweight Regulation: Leptin Part I

SCIENTIFIC REFERENCES:

#1-Davis, M. Carbohydrates, branched-chain amino acids, and endurance: The Central Fatigue Hypothesis. International Journal of Sports Nutrition, 5: 29-38, 1995.

#2-http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/how-we-get-fat.html/

#3-http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/85/2/426.full

About the Author

Travis Hansen has been involved in the field of Human Performance Enhancement for nearly a decade. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Fitness and Wellness, and holds 3 different training certifications from the ISSA, NASM, and NCSF. He was the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Reno Bighorns of the NBADL for their 2010 season, and he is currently the Director of The Reno Speed School inside the South Reno Athletic Club. He has worked with hundreds of athletes from almost all sports, ranging from the youth to professional ranks. He is the author of the hot selling “Speed Encyclopedia,” and he is also the leading authority on speed development for the International Sports Sciences Association.