CategoriesCorrective Exercise Exercise Technique Program Design

So Your Shoulder Hurts……

I’d say that at least once a week I open up my email and start reading something that sounds like this, “Hi Tony, this is (enter name of Victoria Secret model here). I was checking out your website and……..”

Just kidding – that’ll never happen.  But fingers crossed that it does someday.

Back in reality what typically happens is a receive an email that starts, “Hey man, so, uh, I have this shoulder thingie going on…………………”

And almost immediately the Darth Vader theme music starts echoing in my head.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m always honored when someone goes out of their way to reach out to me and ask for advice.  And, I’m always more than happy to respond.  It’s just sometimes I feel like I’m a broken record repeating myself over and over and over again.

Now shoulder injuries can be tricky, as no two shoulders are the same.  There’s a lot of “stuff” happening, which shouldn’t come as surprise given the shoulder actually consists of four joints (glenohumeral, scapulothoracic, acromioclavicular, sternoclavicular), as well as consists of 17 muscular attachments alone. This piece slides into that piece. This part rotates. BAM – it’s like it’s own little Transformer!

On top of all that, because the shoulder is such an intricate joint it lends itself open to injury fairly easily.  We have AC joint separations, labrum tears, SLAP tears, external (primary and secondary) and internal impingement, and a whole host of other words that end in ‘itis or “WTF my shoulder hurts!”

All that said, however, I’d say that 90% of the time when someone reaches out to me (or Eric for that matter) asking why their shoulder is flipping them the bird,  it usually comes down to a handful of common denominators. While the following shouldn’t be taken as the end all-be all list, I feel it does cover most people’s bases.

Lets get to it!

1. Programming Balance?

There’s a popular theme that a lot of coaches and trainers like to live and die by called programming balance.  Meaning, any well structured program should have a balanced approached between movement patterns.  Specific to the conversation at hand, with regards to upper body training, it’s often recognized that for every pushing exercise one performs (bench press), he or she should also perform one pulling exercise (seated row, etc).

This actually isn’t a bad advice.  The thing is:  We all know that Mondays are reserved for bench pressing.  So are Wednesdays, Fridays, and every other day that’s a prime number.

Basically, guys like to bench press.

As a result many develop muscular imbalances – short/stiff pecs, weak/inhibited upper back – which leads to protracted and internally rotated shoulders.

If we’re lucky, we may see a set or two of rows in there for good measure, but it’s safe to assume that for many, their pressing to pulling ration is skewed.

Program balance isn’t going to work for these people.  Using a 1:1 ratio ain’t gonna cut it.  In this sense we need to use an UNBALANCED APPROACH.

Which is why I’m not adverse to recommending that most people revert to a 2:1 or even 3:1 (pull:push) ratio to help offset their gross muscular imbalance and help their shoulder feel better.

To that end I typically let these guys know that their world won’t end if they don’t bench press for a few weeks, and that it would be in their best interests to implement more horizontal rowing into the mix.

2.  And Don’t Forget Push-Ups!

I’d say that 95% of the time any shoulder issue comes dow to it being a scapular issue.  One of the main reasons why I’d prefer guys nix the bench pressing for the time being is because it’s an open chained movement.

Speaking english, what this means is that the hands are able to move freely, but the scapulae are pinned against a bench.  Like, they can’t move.  At all. They’re “glued” in place, which doesn’t bode well for shoulder health.

Moreover, holding a barbell locks us into a pronated grip which leads to more internal rotation of the humerus, which closes off the subacromial space

On an aside: using DBs with a neutral (palms face one another) grip would be a more shoulder friendly option, as we can encourage a bit more external rotation and open up the subacromial space a bit more.

Push-ups on the other hand are a CLOSED-CHAIN exercise, where the hands don’t move and the scapulae have a bit more breathing room. This is a HUGE advantage, and something I feel many trainees dismiss because they deem push-ups too wimpy.

Of course push-up technique is going to enter the conversation as a huge reason why a lot of people’s shoulders hurt is because they have no idea how to perform one correctly.

For a primer I’d encourage everyone to check out THIS post.

3. Scaps, Scaps, and more Scaps

As I noted above, much of the time when someone’s shoulder hurts it can pinpointed to the scapulae.  The most cliched – albeit easiest – explanation to use here would be the shooting a cannon from a canoe analogy.

When everything is hunky-dory, the scapulae are hugged tight against our rib cage and our force couples are “balanced” and everything is in ideal alignment to allow things to run smoothly.  In other words our downward rotators (levator, rhomboids, pecs, and lats) and upward rotators (upper and lower traps, serratus anterior) are doing their jobs and everyone is happy.

Unfortunately, due to societal demands, lack of physical activity, and global warming (we can blame everything on that, right), most tend to be woefully weak in their upward rotators (especially lower traps and SA) and dominant in their downward rotators – leaving the scapulae abducted and anteriorly tilted.

Or……UNSTABLE!

Placing a premium on drills that target the lower traps and serratus anterior while stretching or addressing tissue quality  on the levator, pecs, and lats will go a long ways in helping the shoulder feel a ton better.

1-Arm Prone Trap Raise

Forearm Wall Slide w/ Lift Off

Shoulder W’s

Hand Switches w/ Push-Up

Actually Doing Your Rows Correctly

Pec Release w/ Ball

4.  Learning to Breath Correctly

While I’ve always felt this was important, I generally steered clear of it because I felt there were more pressing (HA!  Pun intended) issues that people should work on – technique, program modifications, soft tissue quality, etc.

But when we consider that everyone takes roughly 20,000 breaths per day, incorrectly, firing our accessory breathing muscles (upper traps, scalenes, levator) and completely neglecting the diaphragm – it’s no wonder we have an epidemic of pissed off shoulders!

I won’t go into too much detail here, other than to say to check out THIS post on breathing patterns I wrote last year as well as check out Mike Robertson’s much more detailed post HERE.

5.  Watch Predator

This really has nothing to do with shoulders, but it’s a crime if you haven’t watched this movie.  I’m pretty sure watching the Predator Handshake on repeat increases T-levels by 286% instantly.  Subsequently your shoulder will feel better!

6.  Hammer T-Spine Mobility

I don’t think I need to belabor this point.  If you’re rocking a Neanderthal posture, chances are your shoulder hates you.  This ties in hand-in-hand with the section on scapular stability above.  When we’re stuck in a overly rounded/kyphotic posture, the scapulae are going to be abducted and anteriorly tilted.  Tossing in some daily t-spine mobility drills will work wonders on how your shoulder feels.

Some of my favorites include:

Quadruped Extension-Rotation

Side Lying Windmill

Yoga Push-Up Complex

Also, because I’m sick of typing now, I’d HIGHLY encourage you to check our Dean Somerset’s 3-part series on All Things Thoracic Spine HERE.

That’s That

And that’s that.  Seriously, stop benching.

CategoriesExercise Technique Strength Training

The Truth About Overhead Pressing

With all the overhead pressing articles being posted up on T-Nation as of late I figured I’d join in on the fun and I invited myself to the party.

Overhead pressing isn’t for everyone.

To be fair, I’m not adamantly against ALL overhead pressing.  As a strength coach I’d be remiss not to recognize that overhead pressing is a staple with regards to well-balanced programming, not to mention it’s kind of important from a shoulder health and building delts the size of boulders standpoint.

That said, I truly feel most trainees need to earn the right to overhead press.

As sad as it is, most people have the movement quality of a pregnant turtle or the Tin Man on a good day.  As such, walking up to a barbell and haphazardly hoisting it above our heads might not be the best decision.

In the article I link to below I discuss some simple screens to help people ascertain whether overhead pressing in the right fit for them, as well as dive into one of my go to “shoulder friendly” pressing variations.  Give it a look and let me know what you think!

===> The Truth About Overhead Pressing <====

CategoriesExercise Technique Motivational

How to Increase Your Strength and Performance Instantly (

“Arch your back!”

“Okay, now extend your hips at the top.”

“Um, uh, push your knees out.”

” Oh, don’t forget to brace your abs, too.”

These were cues one of our new interns were giving an athlete the other day while trying to coach him through his very first deadlift session.

It wasn’t going well, and I could tell said intern was getting a little perplexed as to why things weren’t going to plan or falling into place.  No matter which cues he used the athlete resembled more of a melting candle than someone who was “getting” the exercise.

At one point I was half-expecting him to blurt out, “okay, I got it! Stand-up, hop on one leg, pat your head, and say the alphabet backwards!”

Obviously that didn’t happen (and if it did I probably would have laughed), but it’s something I think a lot of trainers and coaches (new and old) struggle with on a daily basis.  And that’s CUEING!!!

Or, to be more specific: using internal cues when external cues would be more beneficial and worthwhile.

This is something we’ve been more cognizant of at Cressey Performance and paying more attention to, and it’s been working like a charm with many of our athletes and general population clients.

And we’re not the only ones.  A few weeks ago I was forwarded an article by Armi Legge of Impruvism.com that he wrote titled How a Simple Mind Trick Can Make You Stronger in Seconds, which breaks down the science behind the efficacy of using external foci over internal.

I won’t spoil the entire article (you can click the link above), but in his own words Amri breaks it down like this :

An internal focus of attention means you’re thinking about your body movements. Your legs when squatting, your arms when doing chin-ups, your chest when benching, etc.

An external focus means you’re focusing on something in your environment that’s relevant to your task. If you’re squatting, this would mean focusing on the bar or on pushing the bar towards the ceiling.

This is an incredibly subtle difference, but it can have a huge impact on your performance. In some cases, researchers will give one group instructions that only differ by one or two words.

In a study using a vertical jump test, here were the instructions:

Internal focus: “Focus on your fingers.”

External focus: “Focus on the rungs.”

The latter option is better. Research has consistently shown that an external focus improves motor learning, strength, coordination, and performance across a wide range of activities and ability levels.

And as such this is EXACTLY the road we’re travelling down more and more at the facility using more external cues when coaching something through their session.

Some quick examples:

Deadlift

Internal Cue:  Arch your back, get your chest up.

External Cue: Show me the logo on your shirt.

Internal Cue: Push your hips back

External Cue:  Try to hit the wall behind you with your hips.

Squat

Internal Cue: Push your knees out.

External Cue: Spread the floor with your feet.

Internal Cue: Grip the bar tight.

External Cue:  Try to melt the bar with your hands.

Bench Press

Internal Cue: Push the bar up.

External Cue: Try to hit the ceiling.

Med Ball Throws

** Particularly when trying to get them to throw the ball with some anger!

Internal Cue: Use your hips to throw the ball.

External Cue:  Pretend someone just took a massive shit on your car and now you’re pissed.

Note:  If I’m working with a young athlete I might say something along the lines of “pretend Voldemort actually defeated Harry Potter,” or something to that affect.

And it’s really that simple.  While we’re often under the impression that we need to a bunch of smoke and mirrors in order to see marked improvements in the gym, sometimes it’s just a matter of using a simple Jedi mind trick.

Try it today, and let me know what you think!

**Photo credit above (coach) to elitefts.com.

CategoriesCorrective Exercise Exercise Technique

Turkish Get-Up: Roll-to-Elbow Conundrum

Damn those Turks!  It’s no secret that I have a love-hate (mostly hate) relationship with the Turkish get-up. I love them because there’s no doubting their validity in terms of providing a lot of bang-for-our-training buck.  We’ve been utilizing them more and more at CP with our athletes and clients to address everything from scapular stability to t-spine mobility to hip mobility to glute activation to, well, lets just say there’s a lot of good stuff happening.

I hate them because, speaking from a personal perspective, TGUs do an excellent job at shining a bright, Bat Signal’esque spotlight on some glaring weaknesses and imbalances I have. And while I think I’m better than the average cat at performing them, I know deep down that I probably suck at them.

But it’s like I always say:  you’re only as strong as your weakest link, and it’s generally those exercises you hate most that are most beneficial for you.

Don’t believe me – read THIS awesome post by Roman on why you should embrace the suck.

Anyhoo, back to Turkish get-ups.

At last count there are like 593 separate steps to perform a proper get-up. Funnily enough, it’s step numero uno that generally gets people the most flummoxed (<—- I love that words).

Many people have a hard time with the roll-to-elbow because they try to do it like an ab crunch.  I know I’ve tried to use cues like “roll and punch the ceiling” which works for some people, but admittedly even this only works half of the time. If that.

One of my former distance coaching clients, Laura McNally, who also happens to be a Strong First (SFG) certified kettlebell instructor, recently invented an ingenious drill that really cleans up the roll-to-elbow conundrum.

Here’s Laura’s description:

This assisted drill helps teach the proper motor pattern, which is a roll with a pulling motion on the down arm.  You’ll automatically feel what’s supposed to be happening, and people can move to unassisted after only a couple reps.

Lay a heavyish kettlebell on its side so that the student’s hand on the down arm is holding onto the handle of the bell.  During the roll-to-elbow move, the student pulls against the handle, using the kettlebell as an anchor. (A variation is for the instructor to hold the student’s hand as the anchor, with the student pulling against the teacher’s hand.)

Bloop – the student pops right up.

NOTE: It’s important to highlight that you need drive the elbow into the floor when doing the roll, as opposed to just trying to drag the KB toward the torso without pushing the elbow down as a pivot point.

It’s definitely one of those drills that you have to try to understand why it works.  The drill helps to teach lat engagement and elbow drive. After a few reps, once the motor pattern feels grooved, try unassisted.

Since I first posted this idea on Facebook, I’ve heard from a number of kettlebell instructors that this drill helped switch on the lightbulb for the start of the TGU.

CategoriesExercise Technique

Simple Cue to Clean Up Your Lunge

There’s no question that lunges (and all of their infinite variations) have a ton of efficacy as well as have their place in any well-designed strength & conditioning program, which is why we utilize them quite a bit at Cressey Performance.

I don’t think I have to go into any great detail as to why performing single leg work is important. For that just go read any one of the bazillion-gazillion-cajillion articles that Ben Bruno has written on the topic….;o)

For those that need a bit of a primer or cajoling, though, the main benefit(s) include but aren’t limited to:

1.  Improved athletic performance.

2. Improved core and hip stability.

3. Joint health.

4. Improved strength.

5. Reduced spinal loading.

6. Curing bad breath.

Yada, yada, yada….so on and so forth…..to name a few.

All that said, while people aren’t shy to include them as part of their weekly routine and reap their benefits (high five!), I have to say, many (and by “many” I mean – M.A.N.Y), really go out of their way to butcher technique.

For example, whenever I travel and have to grab a lift at a commercial gym I can’t help but observe other people training.  I can’t help it – it’s the strength coach in me, and it’s pretty much second nature, kind of like putting on my right sock before my left, saying “bless you” after someone sneezes, or vomiting a little bit in my mouth every time I hear a story of Justin Bieber acting kind of douchey.

On one hand I have to give some people the benefit of the doubt.  While I could be nit-picky, go all John Madden on them, bust out my X’s and O’s board, and break down everything they’re doing wrong, at least they’re doing something worthwhile and not curling in the squat rack.

On the other, and what really grinds my gears, is when I watch personal trainers allowing their clients to perform exercises with atrocious technique, act all cavalier, and don’t do anything to fix or adjust the problem(s).

And lunges rank high on the list in terms of those that tend to be the most “WTF is (s)he doing?” worthy.

Sure, I can sit here and discuss stride length, rounded shoulders, forward head posture, heels coming off the ground, knee valgus, or any number of other “offenses,” but today I want to share one simple, often overlooked, albeit very important, coaching cue that will undoubtedly help clean up one’s lunging technique.

And it pertains to locking down the rib cage.

The short video (1:23) below helps to clarify my thoughts while also demonstrating that when I wear my glasses I look really, really intelligent and obviously know what I’m talking about:

As a quick FYI:  For those interested in more single leg badassery, I’d highly encourage you to check out Mike Robertsosn’s Single Leg Solution, which contains a ton of useful information from anatomy, how to train around injuries, exercise technique, and exercise progressions.

CategoriesExercise Technique Program Design

Med Ball Training Do’s and Don’ts

Today’s guest post comes to you from Michael Anderson, Boston based strength coach and personal trainer.  Mike has contributed a handful of posts on this site, and this one is yet another fantastic piece.

Enjoy!

The medicine ball is often seen as an archaic tool because they’ve been around for so long. Sand filled balls were used as training tools for wrestlers 3000 years ago in Persia and Greece. Savages who were preparing to do hand to hand battle were using these, and now they’ve been relegated to this; being used by dorky personal trainers to load their weak clients in a crappy exercise.

<=== Ahhhhhhh, My eyes. MY EYES!!!!!!!

Frankly, this is B to the S. This makes me as mad as seeing people using kettlebells instead of dumbbells for regular exercises like biceps curls or triceps extensions. The 18-pound kettlebell you’re curling with shouldn’t even be considered a real kettlebell! But I digress; that’s a topic for a different day.

Medicine balls can, and should, be used to make you explosive as hell. Notice that I used the word “explosive” and not “strong”. Medicine balls should be used in a forceful fashion; save the nice controlled tempo for barbells and dumbbells.

Note from TG:  although, to be fair (and I think Mike will agree), I’ll always encourage people to be “explosive” with their DB and BB exercises as well – particularly on the concentric or overcoming portion of the lift.

It’s just that with med ball training, the objective – ALWAYS – is to be explosive and to help develop power.

These things are strong (or should be). They are made to be tough, rugged and to take a beating. Unless you’re a medicine ball that is unlucky enough to be destined for Cressey Performance.

Note from TG (again): There’s no question that we absolutely crush med ball at Cressey Performance.  We used to use First Place med balls exclusively (pictured above), and had great success with them, but at some point they changed rubber manufacturers and their durability went down the tubes.

What once took a few weeks (if not months) to eventually break, turned into days…..sometime hours.

Now we use DynaMax med balls and love them.

Here are some of the most common medicine ball mistakes that I have seen during my time in both commercial gyms and strength facilities:

Not throwing the damned ball.

More often than not, when I see someone doing a medicine ball drill, they are simply completing the exercise in a fashion that could most aptly be described as “flaccid”.

Moving a MB with a submaximal force does nothing besides make you look like a turd. When you step up to do a drill, you should be prepared to produce the maximal amount of force that you can for the given exercise. This is not the time to be gentle: act like you are trying to kill something with the ball. Anything less and you won’t be getting the right training effect.

Hey there!  It’s me again, TG: Two great cues we like to use at CP when people are quote on quote “being turds” while throwing the med ball are:

1.  “It’s a ball, not an egg – THROW IT!”

2.  “Try to break the ball.  If you do, here’s a $20 bill with your name written all over it.”  Note:  you should actually have a $20 bill….;o)

Here is an example of how different they will look: one is powerful and awesome. One is lazy and foolish.

Using a ball that is too heavy.

A ball that is too heavy is going to limit the amount of velocity (v=d/t…check me out with the equation!) that you can produce.

The name of the game when throwing a medicine ball is to move it as quickly as violently as possible. Yes, you can argue, that throwing a heavier ball will result in the produce of more force (f=m*a).  This is true in theory, but not in practice.

Using a heavy ball will simply make you move slowly, and you want to move fast. If it doesn’t look fast, it’s not fast. Mike Boyle used to tell people to “make it look athletic”. Clumsily throwing a ball thats too heavy certainly doesn’t look athletic.

Using the bounce

This is a personal preference, to be honest. I find that it’s analogous to jumping back down after completing a box jump. I want each rep to be a separate entity so that you are only concerned about being able to produce as much force as possible for each rep.

Using the bounce of the ball allows you to move faster through the exercise, but not produce more force. While there is nothing wrong with the other way, I simply think too many people rely on it. There may be instances when you want your athletes to learn to quickly receive the ball and return it forcefully, but it’s a more advanced variation that has a more limited application.

Using them to mimic sporting movements

This is one that falls on the coach specifically. If any coach or trainer starts telling you, as an athlete, that they will be utilizing medicine balls/loaded balls to strengthen your sporting motion, tell them to sit on a blender. Throwing or shooting a weighted ball will do nothing but murder your mechanics and probably inflict some serious injury to your joints. A baseball weighs 5 oz and a basketball weighs 20 oz, performing your mechanics with a ball that is twice the weight will simply butcher anything you go do on the court afterwards.

Note from TG:  We do implement SOME weighted ball drills with SOME of our pitchers – typically at the end of their throwing session at a distance of 10 or so feet into the matting. But as a whole, they encompass a fraction (10-15 throws total) of their total throwing volume.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=JQWyRk0n1MM

Thanks for reading today! I hope you enjoyed it, and if you get a chance please go check this out (http://operationrun365.blogspot.com/) and help a great cause. Have a great day and go lift something heavy!

CategoriesExercise Technique Strength Training

The Post Where I Slap the Wrist of a Deadlift Troll

As it happens I don’t get a ton of hate mail or “troll” activity that’s directed my way.  Part of that is because I generally – not always – steer clear of controversial topics (CrossFit, intermittent fasting, Jacob vs. Edward) that somehow always gets people’s panties all up in a bunch.

On the other side of the coin, I like to think I go out of my way to provide top-notch content with a little lightheartedness that doesn’t come across as me being an uppity know-it-all snob.  And even if I do take a strong stance on something, I’m always willing to keep an open mind and respect other’s opinions on the matter.

That said, on the off-chance that I do get someone going out of their way to be a big meanie head and write me a scathing email or comment, I’ve learned to politely say “thank you,” or ignore them altogether and move on with my life. It’s just not worth getting into a war of words with some people.

It was a hard pill to swallow when I first started writing. I took any negative feedback I received as a direct blow against my character, and I’d be lying if I sat here and said that it didn’t sometimes affect my mood.  I wouldn’t cower in the corner in the fetal position sucking my thumb or anything, but there were times back in the day where I’d be thiiiiiiiiiiiiiis close to turning on a Julia Roberts’ movie and crushing a pint of Ben & Jerry’s.

When you think about it though, anytime you open yourself up to the masses and decide to write in an open forum, whether it be blogging, articles, or any form of media, you’re going to expose yourself to criticism.  It’s the nature of the beast, for better or worse.

Throughout the years I’ve learned to pick my battles.  Sometimes I deserved to be called out and I was always appreciative (although maybe not right at that moment) in the long-run, because part of why I’m in this industry and why I write is to learn and help people.  I’m not that much of a conceited person where I can’t say “my bad, I’m wrong” and move on.

And then you just have those people who have nothing better to do with their lives than to be a big, fat meanie-head.  Like I said, normally I ignore stuff like this and use it as a good laugh, but for some reason I felt this particular person, based off his holier than thou tone alone, deserved a little taste of his own medicine.

I think most of you reading will agree.

Here’s the email that was sent my way in its entirety – with a few words/lines highlighted on my end.

Why are you stating that an upper rounded back in a deadlift is incorrect. Please explain the shear you speak of.

So I guess Konstantin Konstantinov must be a shitty deadlifter eh? The fact is it depends on body composition and the weight being pulled.

It would be nice if you trainer, no back and no trap, types get your shit correct before you put this crap on the web.

RD

+500lb deadlifter

So, essentially, what this guy was saying was that:

1. He read ONE blog post of mine (I don’t know which one) and decided that that encompassed my entire thought process on everything deadlifting. And….

2. Because he watched a Russian deadlift once, on the internet, that that somehow makes him an authority. And….

3.  He’s a +500 lb deadlifter (allegedly), so he obviously knows what he’s talking about.

For starters, one blog post doesn’t define me and my thoughts.

Secondly, here’s a picture of some random dude juggling some chainsaws.  Man that is nifty!  I could probably do that!  In fact, I know I could do that because I saw it on the internet.

Thirdly, isn’t it funny how everyone somehow deadlifts over 500 lbs????  Uncanny.

Anyways, here was my initial response to him (with more to follow afterwards):

Riiiiigggggghhhhhhttttt.

Well, if you actually read more of my stuff, you’ll understand that I’ve also said that when someone is lifting heavier loads it isn’t always going to be pretty.

And as a coach and trainer I’m certainly not going to teach someone to deadlift with a rounded back. It’s just not worth the risk. If or when they get to the level of Konstantinov then they’ll get a little more leeway..

Thanks for setting me straight, though, I really appreciate it.

+570 lb deadlifter (ie: more than you).

I’m sorry.  I just couldn’t resist closing off my response with that last line.  Childish, I know – but sooooooooo worth it.

So lets break this down in a more conducive, less confrontational way.

His main beef with me was stressing how I’m not a fan of people deadlifting with a rounded upper back.  Specifically he asked if I could explain this whole “shear” phenomena, as if I was pulling a random word out of my ass.

Let me clarify a bit before I proceed.

For starters, as the co-owner of a gym (and as such: having the luxury of paying liability insurance), part of, if not the most crucial component of my job is to keep people from getting hurt.

Think about how much responsibility we accept when a parent drops off their 14 year old kid to train with us. How do you think it bodes for business if we have kids injuring themselves left and right because we don’t take the time to teach them how to lift correctly (but more on that in a bit)?

As someone on my Facebook page so succinctly noted, “it must be nice to Monday morning quarterback from a far. If they did have their butt on the line everytime an athlete picked up a bar, this junk would be the last thing you would be arguing about.”

More to the point, if we were to look at the biomechanics of the lumbar spine (or read anything Dr. Stuart McGill has written in the past 15+ years:  HERE and HERE would be a nice start), we’d understand that the spine can handle compressive loading fairly well (assuming it’s not loaded and someone is living flexion), but it’s shear loading that many fail to pay attention to.

What is shear loading?

When the (lumbar) spinal muscles – namely the erector spinae, longissimus, iliocostalis, etc – are doing their job when lifting heavy things off the floor, they’re mainly counteracting perpendicular forces to the axis of the spine which attempt to slide the components away from their normal axis.

As my boy Dean Somerset noted,  “McGill showed elite powerlifters could get their spines to within a few degrees of full flexion and maintain that position through the pull, whereas amateurs or intermediates would go beyond full flexion without control and wind up exposing their discs to stupid forces and injury, so teaching a rounded back to a beginner is completely different than allowing an experienced puller to creep into flexion during their max lifts.

It also doesn’t talk about how when the experienced lifters are training with less than max weight they get closer to neutral and work on maintaining and grooving that pattern while staying away from flexion.”

For the visual learners out there, it goes a little something like this:

Now, to be fair: guys like Konstantin Konstantinov have a TON more leeway because he’s trained his body to stay out of danger when the shit hits the fan. He’s the elite of the elite. Using him as an argument as to why lifting with a rounded back is advantageous is borderline the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. Excuse me while I go throw myself in front of a mack truck.

Moreover, it’s important to note that as a coach I’m ALWAYS going refrain from teaching the deadlift with a rounded back because it’s just common sense.  It’s important to engrain the proper motor pattern, and CEMENT that pattern with smart, properly progressed strength training so that if or when they do start lifting heavier loads, they’ll be better prepared to not crumble like a deck of cards.

That and so their max pulls don’t end up looking like this walking ball of fail:

So that’s my more “polite” response. Agree?  Disagree?  Want to give me an internet high-five?  Please share below.

CategoriesExercise Technique Program Design Strength Training

Shoulder Training Tips: 6 Coaches Weigh in on Shoulders

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

Neither sounds like a great scenario.

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

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

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

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

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

Two hours later from a hospital bed:

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

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

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

 

CategoriesExercise Technique Strength Training

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yeah, I hate it that much.

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

I just picked the wrong parents in that regard.

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

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

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

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

And that is:

Getting a Proper Hand-Off

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bench Press Technique: The Hand-Off

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

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

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

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

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

CategoriesExercise Technique Strength Training

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In this short video I cover:

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

AND

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

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

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