romanzaiets@123rf.comCategoriescoaching Program Design

How and Why I Don’t Write My Own Programs

There’s a popular saying I use often:

“The painter’s house is always the last one to get painted.”

I can’t say I know many painters personally to know for certain that this is true – which sorta makes the saying moot – but it serves as a fitting metaphor to today’s post.

I guess I could have just as easily said:

“The carpenter’s house is the last one to get carpeted.”

Or

“The landscapist’s house is the last one to get landscaped.”

Or

“Whatever it’s called when someone installs a customized gold plated Han Solo frozen-in-Carbonite fridge in your kitchen. That guy. He’s always the last one to get a gold plated Han Solo frozen-in- Carbonite fridge.”

Note to my wife: My 50th B-day is around the corner. Just sayin.

So what’s the point I’m trying to make?

You’d be surprised as to how many coaches, personal trainers, and other fitness professionals put themselves second and don’t care for themselves as well as they should.

“The coach is often the last one to get coached.”

Even Coaches Need Coaches

Reversing time about a decade ago, my back was flipping me the middle finger and my training was a complete train wreck. It wasn’t just a “oh my back is a little sore today, so I think I’ll just move around a little bit and see how I feel tomorrow” kind of thing.

No, this was more along the lines of “holy mother shit balls, it hurts to sneeze, and I’m walking around like an 80 year old man” kind of sore.

Something was up, and I needed some help. I was still training, but it lacked any semblance of structure and all I was really doing was going through the motions. Not to sound overly dramatic or anything, but I was thiiiiiiiiiiiiis close to walking into the local 7-Eleven to grab a pint of Ben & Jerry’s and then spending a solid week watching lame Julia Roberts movies while I drowned myself in a pity party.

via GIPHY

Unfortunately, like the painter analogy above, I came to the realization that I had made a bad habit of putting myself second. I came to the conclusion that I spend so much time writing programs for other people, that the last thing I wanted to do is write one for myself.

But there was a problem. I LOVE to train. More specifically, I LOVE to deadlift.

It’s Tuesday?  Deadlift.  Only have a half-hour to train? Deadlift. Someone wore a blue shirt today? I’m going to deadlift baby!

Newsflash:  I like to deadlift.

The obvious conclusions were two-fold:

1.  I was a hurtin puppy.

2. It’s generally not a good idea to deadlift when you’re in pain. And more germane to the point: I was an asshat for trying.

3. Rather than rely on myself, I needed to swallow my pride and ask someone to take over my programming. As I often say: “the hardest person to train is yourself.”

So I ended up hiring a coach. And I haven’t looked back since. I’ve had a few different coaches writing my programs for the past several years:

…and I couldn’t be more appreciative.

Why?

#1. I’m Stupid

Well, at least when it comes to writing my own programs. Oh, and quantum physics. I’m pretty horrible at that too.

#2. Accountability

It’s a powerful thing when you’re held accountable to someone else’s expertise and programming. It’s a tough pill to swallow for many. There’s a lot of trust that goes into the process, and it’s that trust, I feel, that helps keep people more accountable and on task. It did for me.

We’re more likely to follow through when there’s a plan in place. A direction. We tend to shut up, do the work, and as a result…magical things begin to happen.

#3. I Got Out of My Own Way

We’re creatures of habit. We tend to watch the same television shows, listen to the same music, eat the same foods, and when it comes to exercise, perform the same exercises or routines.

In short: we like to do the things we’re good at.

And we tend to ignore the things we ought to be doing to get better. Just because you’re good at something, doesn’t mean you should be doing it (much less more of it). Sometimes it’s that one thing that could be feeding into why you’re hurt in the first place.

Much of the value in following someone else’s lead or plan is that it often forces you to address your weaknesses and technique flaws.

It forces you to do more of what you’re NOT good at.1

#4. It Helps To Turn Off Inner-Dialogue

“What should I do today?”

“Bench press? No, wait, maybe decline bench press? Should I go with a narrow grip or wide grip?”

“GODDAMMIT….Eff it, I’ll do bicep curls.”

Following a preset plan takes the thinking away – which is a HUGE hurdle for many people to conquer.

I recently started working with a woman who’s a personal trainer herself. She came to me with some nagging injuries and too, a deflated ego due to sub-par, aimless training in recent months. Basically, much like me back in the day, she was just going through the motions and not getting much out of anything.

In less than two weeks she’s reported back with 1) less pain and 2) an invigorated sense of excitement and purpose towards her workouts.

All because she allowed someone else to do the thinking for her, and alleviate any self doubt or negative inner dialogue related to her training.

Having a plan and purpose made all the difference in the world.

And Yes, the Same Applies To Pre-Set “Recipe” Programs Too

Not everyone can afford to hire their own coach or personal trainer to write individualized programs. And even if they could, due to location, not everyone has access to a “GOOD” personal trainer or coach to begin with.

Thankfully someone invented the internet.

Don’t get me wrong: I feel in-person training trumps distance coaching any day of the week. In addition, there’s no shortage of “shady” internet trainers out there. These are the people who make a name for themselves on social media by uploading scantily clad pictures of themselves and/or by posting videos of themselves squatting in front of a Maserati.

For whatever reason both give the illusion of legitimacy and authority, and many people are snagged – hook, line, and sinker – into the facade. As it happens, many of these so-called “fitness celebrities” rarely train anyone and have no education and/or certification in the field.

However, not everything on the internet is garbage and devoid of decency and integrity. I mean, #LOLcats.

Also, hello….I make much of my living off of my writing and other endeavors on the internet. In that vein I also like to think I’m able to direct people towards programs and products I feel are worthwhile and not in the slightest sense…”shady.”

[Hint, hint….me]

Beginner to Badass (via Train Heroic)

If you’re new to strength training I designed a 3-month introductory program you can follow that will take you through the basics in a way that’s accessible and non-intimidating. It’s called the Beginner to Badass Program and I think you should check it out HERE.

For $39 you get me as your coach for three months. What a bargain! You get structured, well thought out programming along with high-def videos showcasing how to properly perform all the exercises.

And you don’t need any fancy equipment. All you need is access to dumbbells, barbells, benches, and a cable machine (or bands). And some sick 90’s hip-hop beats wouldn’t hurt either.

WHAT…..A…..BARGAIN

veloliza@123rf.comCategoriesProgram Design Strength Training

Stimulate or Annihilate Muscle: Which Is Better?

In the realm of fitness and strength & conditioning we’ve all heard the phrase:

“You need to stimulate the muscle to grow, not annihilate it.”

I can’t say I disagree with the sentiment, albeit I do feel it’s a bit reductionist taken at face value. I mean, assuming someone isn’t injured or has a history of injury, most people can train a whole lot harder than they give themselves credit for.

I’ve said it in the past and it bears repeating here:

“Lifting weights isn’t supposed to tickle.”

Furthermore, if you pick the brains of coaches like Alex Viada or Chad Wesley Smith they’d be the first to champion the notion that you should annihilate muscle. Or, to be more fair: do more work. Or to be even more fair: follow a carefully structured, periodized, undulated, (possibly) concurrent plan that fluctuates training stress.

Photo snaked from Greg Nuckols courtesy of Andy Morgan’s site RippedBody.jp.

Those are big words to some people. In non-geek speak all it means is: do more work, but not all the time…smartly.

To quote Pat Davidson:

“I’m a strength coach which means I am a stress manager more than anything else. The only difference between me and your shrink is that I want to dump as much stress on you as I possibly can to see what you can survive. If it doesn’t kill you, it will likely make you stronger.”

That’s about as succinct of a way to describe things as can be put. Any strength coach worth his or her weight in barbells knows most programs written (geared towards strength and performance) should consist of alternating patterns of high stress (whether it be accumulation, intensity or both) with low stress.

You can’t just take the word “annihilate” and implement that mantra 100% of the time and expect to make continued progress. We’re not Terminators. Fatigue will always masks one’s true fitness.

Not into graphs? Me either. They make my head hurt.

Think of it this way: lets say you test your 1RM in the deadlift. 315! Not too shabby you sexy beast. Now, go run a 5K. Don’t ask questions, just do it.

When you finish we’ll immediately re-test your 1RM deadlift.

Do you think you’ll sniff close to 315 lbs again?

Not a chance.

Overtraining?

Fatigue doesn’t mean overtraining. The internet loves to toss out the word overtraining, as if it’s an easy thing to attain. Trust me: you’re not overtrained. Just because you squatted two days in a row or, I don’t know, took a HyRox class, doesn’t mean you’re overtrained.

You have to go really, really (REALLY!) out of your way to come remotely close to overtraining. To put things into perspective: The Iron Cowboy, James Lawrence, a few years ago completed 50 triathlons in 50 days (in 50 States) and he wasn’t overtrained. I’m sure he felt like shit, but he wasn’t overtrained.2

Which is why I respect guys like Alex and Chad who prefer to provoke/nudge people to work harder (but smartly) and not be too analytical about everything. That’s the only way to assure adaptation and continued progress (and PRs).

What Does “Smartly” Even Mean, Tony?

Good question.

It can mean a lot of things, but here are some quick, random, bullet-point ideas/points to consider:

1. You’re Not an Elite Athlete (Sorry, I’m not Sorry)

I can’t remember where I read (but I promise I did), but some guy decided he’d follow a program where he’d squat everyday for two months. Heck, I remember when  Chris Duffin, the psychopath that he is, decided that for Squatober one year he would squat something like 800 lb everyday for a month.

via GIPHY

I have no issues with squatting everyday, or people who decide to actually do it.  But, as I remember it a few years ago, within 24-48 hours of the article going live, I received a swarm of emails from random dudes asking me if they thought it would be a good idea if “they too?” should train everyday?

I had to try really hard to resist the urge to throw an ax into my face.

NEWSFLASH:  you’re not an elite athlete!!!!!!!

Unless you have 4-6 hours per day to train, and that’s literally all you do, it’s probably not going to be a good fit.

Lets be real: For many people (not all), you read an awesome article, and right then and there, decided it’s “exactly what you needed.”

In theory, it sounds amazing.  But here’s the thing – you make the Tin Man look hypermobile. The last time you lifted anything remotely explosively was back when Patrick Swayze (RIP) was rocking stone washed jeans. And, the last time I checked, you sit in front of a computer for 8-9 hours per day, and actually work for a living.

You have the time for this when?

Listen, I get it, you like to exercise. What’s more, who am I to say that people shouldn’t be enthusiastic to train more often and actually move around a bit more?  I encourage that, wholeheartedly!

But come on people – lets not put the cart before the horse.

Actually, scratch that. I’m not opposed to people training (hard) everyday.  I mean, there’s definitely a way to do it right and I think that’s what many people should strive for. They just shouldn’t train balls to wall (ovaries to wall?) every single day.

What I don’t agree with, and think is borderline dangerous is when people read an article about ELITE athletes whose sole job is to train – and who have been doing this type of training FOR YEARS –  and then run out to their local globo gym, try to be a hero, and hurt themselves the third day in.

Trust me –  it will happen.

I swear, I’m going to do a social experiment someday, write an article detailing how running over your right arm with a car repeatedly will somehow increase testosterone levels by 317%, and see how many people email me asking for more info.

NOTE: I like what Bret Contreras had to say on the topic. HERE’s a old(er) blog post he wrote on how to incorporate daily training into the mix.

2. Deadlift Less

Yep, you read that correctly. I just told my reading audience to deadlift less.

What’s next? Me telling everyone to perform more kipping pull-ups? Peptides cure everything? Admitting I had it all wrong and that Tracy Anderson was right all along: women should avoid lifting anything above 3 lbs. LOLz.

Relax. Deep breaths. Give me a second to explain.

Once you reach a certain level of strength (lets say 2x bodyweight) there’s a point of diminishing returns with regards to deadlifting more than once a week. I’d argue the deadlift is the most “draining” – both physiologically and neurologically – on the body compared to squatting, bench pressing, etc.

Maybe it’s more anecdotal on my end, but I’ve found – through a lot of trial and error – that whenever I deadlift (heavy) more than once per week my body hates me.

Too, I find this to be pretty accurate for most other people.

I’ll often limit “max effort” work (85% + of 1RM) to once every 2-3 weeks for most people. Rarely will I ever have someone hit that level every week.

I will, however, include more speed/technical work into the mix and typically have no qualms implementing this more than once per week. It may look something like this:

Day 1 – Deadlift Cluster

Week 1: 4×4 (70%), one-rep every 15s.
Week 2: 3×4 (75%), one rep every 15s.
Week 3: 5×2 (80%), one rep every 15s.
Week 4: 3×3 (65%), one rep every 15s

Day 2 – Speed/Technique Work

Week 1: 8×1 (60%), rest 30-45s.
Week 2: 10×1 (60%), rest 30-45s.
Week 3: 12×1 (60%), rest 45-60s.
Week 4: 6×1 (70%), rest 30-45s.

3. Include Less Mechanical Loading

I feel many trainees miss the boat in using their own bodyweight as load. I sometimes like to include less “mechanical loading” into some programs (including my own) to help stave off “annihilation” and still gain a lot of benefit.

I hit the big lifts pretty hard, and I don’t necessarily need to make myself hate life any further with my accessory work.

Try this:

Bodyweight Bulgarian Split Squats For Time

Week 1: 3 sets of 30s/leg (FML)
Week 2: 3 sets of 40s/leg (Seriously, FML).
Week 3: 4 sets of 40s/leg (Hahahaha).
Week 4: 3 sets of 60s/leg (Kelly Clarkson! Watch the clip below for the reference.)

If you really want to up the ante do the above, but a controlled tempo up and down (2s down, 2s up; 3s down, 3s up).

4. Go For Walk

Totally not kidding.

Casual walks work wonders in terms of recovery. And you don’t need to make this some sort of heavy backpack walking or sled dragging uphill for AMRAP hybrid. Tone it down, killer.

Just walk. Enjoy it.

5. Deload (Volume)

I generally “save” week 4 of each program for a deload week. For starters it fits our training model well because each athlete/client gets a new program every month anyways (billing cycle is every four weeks).

While I don’t go out of my way to introduce too many new exercises with beginners – they don’t need a ton of variety – those who have been working with us for a while will usually get a slew of “new stuff” and their ass handed to them in week #1. The deload week prior serves as a way to better “prepare” them for the onslaught inevitably coming.

Generally speaking, on a deload week we deload overall volume, and keep intensity (as a percentage of one’s 1RM) at high level.

NOTE: not to jump into the weeds too far, but going back to the topic of overtraining, if someone does enter that territory, they tend to do so as a result of too much volume and not so much with intensity.

As such we’ll either decrease volume with the MAIN LIFT of the day, but keep intensity up:

Squat

Week 1: 5×5
Week 2: 4×5
Week 3: (5) 3×3, 2×6
Week 4: 3×3

Or we may decrease overall volume (tonnage) via reduced accessory work.

And yes, sometimes, we’ll tweak both volume AND intensity. It just depends (typically this is reserved for those in a competitive season. Think: powerlifter).

There are numerous ways to “deload” – OMIT all axial loading for a week, maybe perform a bodypart only split, maybe reduce training days from 4-6x per week, to 3x per week, nothing above 70%, play kickball, I don’t care, you know your clients better than I do – but as whole, I find reducing volume (yet keeping intensity up) bodes well for most people.

Your Turn

The above is in no way an exhaustive list. I could keep going, but I doubt many have made it this far anyways. If you have, 10 points to Gryffindor!

CategoriesProgram Design Strength Training

Getting Stronger is Corrective

Before you move on, I wanted to let you know that Dean Somerset and I have just announced that we will be traveling to Dublin, Ireland this coming Fall to put on our 2-day hands-on workshop The Complete Fit Pro Blueprint.

It’ll be taking place the weekend of October 3rd-4th, 2026 @ Bodynamics in Dublin. We’ll be covering a lot of material from assessment and programming around injuries to more of the stuff most fit pros need more of…

  • Building systems to help you with time management and to make more money.
  • How to prevent burning out and to make more money.
  • How to build a brand and possibly a gym! (to maybe make more money).
  • How to better motivate your clients so that they’re consistent and to make more money.

And much, much more.

You can check out the full itinerary as well as register at the Early Bird price HERE.

WU-TANG!

Getting Strong(er) is Corrective

“Oh, I forgot to tell you…my previous trainer said I have a winged scapula, my left hip is a bit internally rotated, and that my posture isn’t great.”

This was less than five minutes into an initial assessment with a new client and it took everything I had to prevent my eyeballs from rolling out of their sockets. The snarky side of me wanted to say something like, “Oh my god, yes, I totally see it. Did (s)he also mention how your left ear is lower than the right? That’s messed up. We need to fix that.”

But I didn’t.

Nope, all I did was sit there, nod my head, listen intently, and kept repeating to myself “don’t stab yourself with this pen, don’t stab yourself with this pen, no, Tony, NO!”

People Think They’re Broken

It never ceases to amaze me how some people will harp on the most inane things when it comes to their body and performance and then regale me with stories of how their previous coach or trainer was a “corrective exercise specialist.”

I won’t invalidate their stories or experiences, of course, but it’s hard for me to listen to sometimes.

They’ll outline their “training” for the past few months (if not years), and it’s rife with positional breathing drills (which, for the record, I’m a fan of), postural stretches, and describe a foam rolling series that rivals the length of a Ken Burns’ documentary.

I’ll follow with “So, did you actually ever follow a strength training program consistently?”

“Yeah, sure, we did a bunch of corrective exercises and, after 19 weeks, we finally worked up to a bodyweight squat. I still have to work on my big toe dorsiflexion, though. Fingers crossed I can improve that by December.”

Me…

via GIPHY

As an industry – and I’ll call myself out on this too (particularly early in my career) – we’ve done a splendid job at helping people feel like a bunch of walking balls of fail:

  • Your shoulders and upper back are too rounded.
  • Yikes, your pelvis is anteriorly tilted.
  • Oh…my…god…we need to work on your scapular upward rotation.
  • Shit, your FABER screen tested positive. How are you able to walk?
  • Also, FYI: you have Chlamydia.

It doesn’t surprise me in the least why so many people walk around thinking they’re fragile snowflakes who need to correct or “fix” everything before they do any appreciable training.

It’s our fault.

Strength coaches, personal trainers, physical therapists, athletic trainers, sherpas, we’re all culpable.

We can and need to do better.

And it starts with re-acquainting ourselves with what our main role as fitness professionals actually is…

…to elicit a training effect with our clients/athletes.

Again…Getting Strong(er) is Corrective

I say this with a grain of salt because “strong” is subjective, and can mean different things to different people.

  • Being able to deadlift 2x bodyweight is strong.
  • Being able to perform 15 pull-ups is strong.
  • Walking from Trader Joe’s to your apartment without putting down the bags is strong.
  • The ability to pull off wearing white after Labor Day is strong.
  • Doing whatever it is Cirque du Soleil performers can do is strong.

However, since I’m a little biased “getting stronger” in this sense – and more cogent to the conversation – refers to TRAINING.

I.e., lifting heavy things.

Unfortunately, many people have been led to believe lifting weights is dangerous. It seems you can’t go more than three clicks on the internet (or investigate certain certifications available) before being told barbells, dumbbells, machines, kettlebells, squats, deadlifts, high-reps, low-reps, and/or kittens are dangerous.

Cute kitten paws and woman making christmas gingerbread cookies in scandinavian room
Who, me? Dangerous? Noooo. I mean, I’ll slit your fucking throat in your sleep if you don’t pay me any attention, but all in all….cuddles.

And just to set the record straight, and to push back with all my will to those people (worst of all, doctors, PT’s, etc) who keep spreading the message that strength training is dangerous (particularly when addressing a current injury)…

…I give you the LAWS of Loading:

Wolff’s Law – Bones will adapt to loads under which it is placed

Davis’s Law – Soft tissue will heal according to the manner which they are mechanically stressed.

For the “you only have one back” guy…is this then not why we train?3 Squats and deadlifts, when properly loaded and progressed, will do far more good for someone’s recovery from injury than most alternatives.

I hate the “everything makes you dysfunctional or causes dysfunction” crowd.

To which I say…the fuck outta here.

My friend Bret Contreras has the perfect antithesis to this faulty mindset:

“If you think lifting weights is dangerous, try being weak. Being weak is dangerous.”

And this is why I’m a firm ambassador in encouraging people to get strong(er), or more to the point, helping them figure out their “trainable menu.”4

Rather than pointing out everything that’s wrong with someone, I’d rather use the initial assessment (and subsequent training sessions) to highlight what they can do.

Lets use the classic example of someone who has “computer guy” posture. I.e., rounded shoulders, forward head posture, an affinity for pens.

When someone walks in exhibiting this posture a lot of trainers will write down a laundry list of stretches, thoracic (mid-back) mobility drills, and other “corrective” exercises to do.

Well, first, some will go out of their way to make the person feel like Cersei Lannister during her walk of shame.

Shame, shame, shame….

via GIPHY

And then, you know…lets get corrective, son!

They’re not wrong to do so.

I’m not opposed to utilizing corrective modalities to address postural deficits or mobility restrictions.

But I find when these sort of things are accentuated and serve as the “meat-n-potatoes” of a training program, it often sets people up for failure; they become more fixated on perfection at the expense of progress.

And lets be honest: NO ONE gets jazzed-up at the gym to do more T-spine extension drills.

 

I don’t want my clients to feel like a perpetual patient.

I want them to train, because training tends to be more palatable than Scapular Wall Slides. It helps people stay on task and not bored to tears.

And on that note, wanna know an excellent drill that helps nudge people into a bit more thoracic extension?

Kipping pull-ups.

FRONT SQUATS.

 

As you descend closer to the ground you have to “fight” to keep from folding over. In many ways the proper execution of the exercise itself is self-coaching; or dare I say, corrective.

If you don’t maintain thoracic extension the barbell rolls off your shoulders.

I may come across as the cantankerous strength coach in saying this, but I find more value in having my clients train – in a way that emphatically demonstrates success to them (by matching the programming to their goals and ability level) – than to corrective exercise them to death.

Get your clients strong(er).

Show them what they can do.

And for the love of god get them training.

nnudoo@123rf.comCategoriesFemale Training Program Design Strength Training

You Need to Lift Shit to Fix Shit: Some Postpartum Considerations

I know, I know…

I’m a dude.

What could I possibly have to say when it comes to the delicate intricacies of postpartum anything?

Well, as it happens, I’ve worked with many women during and after their pregnancies throughout the years, and have had pretty good success with mansplaining the inner workings of a uterus helping them understand that, whether they’ve given birth seven months ago or seven years ago, strength training can help with myriad of postpartum issues.5

*cue the trumpets*

You Need to Lift Shit to Fix Shit

Just so we’re on the same page…

…when I say “lift shit” this DOES NOT insinuate anything close to maximal effort.

For starters: I’m not an asshole.

Secondly: All strength training is not powerlifting. It’s still feasible to have someone lift appreciable loads – even postpartum – and not assume I’m attempting to turn them into Sheila McDeadliftMyFaceOff.

via GIPHY

But more to the point: I’m not an asshole.

I understand, to the best of my Y chromosome having abilities, the intricacies and delicateness that coincide with the months postpartum. It’s not a time to rush back into things and to race oneself back to pre-pregnancy gym numbers.

The first few months are all about rebuilding the base (specifically to address the pelvic floor and diaphragm, to get the “core” connected again, and to progress from there).

After that, a person’s capabilities and foundation matter more than whatever time frame it takes to get them deadlifting appreciable weight again.

As far as the BIG no-no’s to avoid immediately postpartum:

  • Plyometrics – burpees (please, stop), jumping, stairs, and running.
  • Anything coming close to max-effort loading.
  • Front abdominal exercises (planks, sit-ups, push-ups, leg lifts, or anything that makes the abdominals bulge anteriorly or uses the core to support a lot of bodyweight).
  • FWIW: Any sort of Fight Club is out of the question during this time as well.

via GIPHY

It’s Not Just About Kegels

Kegel exercises are amazing, but as Dr. Sarah Duvall notes in her spectacular Pregnancy & Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist 2.0 course they’re often OVER used.

Or, more often that not…the ONLY thing used.

For many women their postpartum approach = kegels (and that’s it).

Alternatively, a more germane (and, not coincidentally, successful) approach to postpartum training is:

  • Kegels
  • Teaching a GOOD breath – focusing on the canister position.
  • Cementing all of the above with “strength.”

Kegels are a fantastic (and proven) tool to use to help with pelvic floor dysfunction. Teaching them the right way (and when appropriate) helps to connect and educate the pelvic floor. As it stands, women who did dedicated pelvic floor training = 17% less likely to report incontinence.

However, when OVER used kegels can lead to an overactive pelvic floor. Compound that with the all too common scenario of very little attention being made toward the efficacy of positional breathing drills – I.e., emphasizing the canister position (pelvis stacked underneath the ribcage; or reduced rib flare)  – and you have a recipe for disaster.

Photo on Left = Canister position.
Photo on Right = not that.

Positional breathing begins with teaching a GOOD inhale. This entails 3D (360 degree) expansion of the ribcage. With a good inhale the diaphragm contracts down and it able to “let go” and relax. Moreover, as Sarah notes in her course, every (good) inhale can push down on the pelvic floor which is okay.

Bearing down is one thing. This is not ideal.

However, with a proper inhale, the idea is to push the “ground floor of the house to the basement.” In other words: the inhale EXPANDS pelvic floor. Then, a full, accentuated exhale brings everything back to the ground floor.

For the visual learners out there this may help (graph taken from Sarah’s course):

Again to reiterate:

“Inhale = pushes down onto pelvic floor (get it to the basement)….exhale = RELAXES.”

Taking the time to really build context and to hammer home the importance of the canister position will be a home run for many (if not most) postpartum women.

A simple example would be something like a deadbug, performed with a full 360 degree inhale followed by a drawn out, full exhale (without aggressive bearing down of the abdominals):

 

Tony, Did You Forget About Lifting Things?

Puh.

Not at all.

Strength training is the part where we “cement” all of the above into place. It’s crucial to build pelvic floor awareness (kegels) as well as function (positional breathing drills). If someone is unable to do this right, I am NOT going to load them.

However, assuming the work has been done I see no reason not to.

First we start with TIMING of the breath with the bodyweight squat. Inhale on the way down (pelvic floor expands and relaxes).

Exhale on the way down (pelvic floor comes back up and contracts).

 

Once that is mastered, then we can begin to THIS IS SPARTA. BACK SQUAT MAX EFFORT, BABY.

Just kidding.

I just use common sense and progress accordingly with something like Goblet Squats and always remain cognizant that I DO NOT want any aggressive bearing down of the abdominals and to keep IAP in check. The pelvic floor is just like any other muscle and needs progressive overload too.

Being postpartum is not a disease and I find it increasingly frustrating that many women are programmed into thinking that the only approach is with kegels and kegels only.

It’s a far more multi-faceted approach that requires attention to detail and dare I say…

…lifting shit.

spotpoint74@123rf.comCategoriescoaching muscle growth Program Design

When to Bench Press With Your Feet on the Floor, and When Not To

I received an email awhile back from someone asking a simple question:

“What are the reasons one would or would not bench press with their legs on the bench as opposed to the floor? Just personal preference? Back issues?”

Tony of a few years back would have been like, “When would someone bench with their feet on the bench? WHEN HELL FREEZES OVER, THAT’S WHEN.”

Then that would have been followed by a guttural scream, dramatic desk clearing, and door slam.

You know, a mature, rational response.

Tony of today has a different viewpoint. Read below to hear allllll about it.

Why Bench Press With Feet On the Floor?

Why do we look both ways before crossing the street, or wash our hands after using the bathroom, or, I don’t know, wear pants to the dinner table?

It’s just the way stuff is done.6

The same can be said about the bench press. We perform it with our feet on the ground because that’s the way it’s supposed to be done.

To be a bit more colloquial, we perform it that way because:

  1. With the feet on the floor we can defer to a bit more leg drive which can help with lifting more weight; if that’s what you’re into.
  2. Moreover, as strength coach and competitive powerlifter Tony Bonvechio notes, “leg drive can help you get a bigger arch via hip extension.”

Kinda like Bo Jackson, Tony B. KNOWS how to bench press. Check out his Bench Like a Beast Program HERE

Now, admittedly, this last point is catered to more of the powerlifters in the room who are solely interested in one thing (well, two, after “where’s the nearest pizza buffet?”)….bench pressing as much weight as possible.

An arch in the lower back = a more biomechical sound position to shorten the distance the barbell must travel.

Both feet on the ground allows one to solidify the arch.

I love this analogy from Strength House coach Greg Robins:

“Think of it like a structural arch. In order to make an arch you need pressure from two sides. Like if you put a piece of paper on the table, and gently push from both ends simultaneously what do you get?

An Arch.”

A Slight Conversational Detour

For those who are about to hyperventilate into a brown paper bag at the mere notion of arching your back during a bench press, relax.

A kitten won’t die if it happens and it’s not inherently more dangerous to do so. Your lumbar spine has a natural lordotic curve to it anyways (an arch), sooooooo there’s that. And no one is sitting here insinuating you have to adopt a Marissa Inda bench set-up in order to bench press (and to do so with a high degree of success).

Much of what dictates how much of an arch to use is predicated on personal preference, goals, and what feels comfortable to each individual lifter.

Do you have to arch as much as the photo above? Nope.

Are you likely arching your back when you bench press, even if not on purpose, because that’s what your body is designed to do? Yep.

Will you please STFU and stop telling people arching is bad? ——> watch THIS.

Okay, Back to Benching With Feet on the Floor

I don’t have much more to say here.

If you’re interested in benching more weight, putting your feet on the ground is a splendid approach.7

Also, it decreases the chances you’ll drop the barbell on your face.

Why Bench Press With Feet On the Bench?

I’m not kidding when I say there used to be a time where I felt benching with the feet on the bench (or in the air) was one of the stupidest things someone could do, on par with texting while driving, thinking you can read a Thomas Pynchon novel in one sitting, or trying to take a selfie with a panther.

Pretty dumb.

However, we all marinate in our own ignorance sometimes.

As with anything in strength & conditioning there’s a time and place for everything.8

A drill I’ve been using in my own programming (and that of my clients) of late is the Larsen Press.

 

To explain the advantages of this stellar movement I’ll lean again on the shoulders of Tony Bonvechio and Greg Robins:

Tony:

“The main benefit of putting the feet up on the bench is teaching lifters to maintain their upper back arch and shoulder blade position. One of the biggest mistakes we see lifters make is collapsing the upper back as they bring the bar down, which can tip the shoulder blades forward and push the bar in front of the elbows. If you take away the legs, it’s much harder to keep the upper back arched, especially as you bring the bar down to the chest. Hook lying position, Larsen press and floor press are all variations of a no-legs press that work well.”

Greg:

“The biggest advantage I see to using feet up is to purposefully make the exercise harder. When the feet go up you have more range of motion and more instability which means more work for the muscles that move the weight – pecs shoulders triceps. I think this is really important for those who rely on big arches, and thrusting weights off their chest with their whole bodies.

There are other benefits as well:

– Create higher relative intensities with less weight on the bar.
– Awareness as Tony B said in how to stay tight.
– Relief on back and hips from being in contorted bench position.”

So There You Have It

So there you have it.

CategoriesProgram Design

Boom or Bust: Why You’re Always Hurt

I work with hurt people for a living.

It’s not uncommon for people to seek out a coach or trainer because an exercise doesn’t feel right or because something – a shoulder, a knee, lower back, their soul perhaps – routinely hurts and they can’t seem to get out of their own way.

That’s where I come in to save the day.

Most of the time.

To fix someone’s squat technique and to maybe (probably) give him or her a reality check.

Boom or Bust

This is a term I stole from a friend of mine, Dan Pope of Champion Physical Therapy & Performance, and to a larger degree has its roots from a presentation I watched him do centered around the conversation of understanding shoulder pain.9

“Boom or Bust” refers to the person who handles their business as follows:

Train –> Do a lot –> To the point where it becomes painful –> Get pissed off, becomes upset, is inconsolable, and inevitably increase their volume of ice cream and Julia Roberts’ movies –> Feels better –> Repeat –> Cue face palm here.

I’m sure many of you reading – whether the above sequence of events describes you or some of your clients – can commiserate.

It can all be summarized using the following graph:

Again, props to Dan Pope. I essentially drew his graph, but added a little Tony LOLs.

What this depicts is a scenario and approach that keeps the alarm system sensitive as well as pain levels up. They train hard on Monday and hit their bench pretty aggressively, of course.

A day or two passes, the shoulder feels okay, and they decide to test the waters again and perform a bunch of high-rep push jerks. Another day or two passes, the shoulder starts to feel, normal again, and since they have zero fucks to give, decide it would be a swell idea to perform kipping pull-ups paired with handstand push-ups for AMRAP on broken glass.

All they do is perpetually plow through their pain threshold and the cycle continues over and over and over again like an episode of Russian Doll.

This, of course, is absurd, and makes zero sense.

Conversely, what also makes zero sense is the opposite approach…

…UNDER-loading, over corrective exercising people to death, or worse, doing nothing at all.

I’m not dissing the corrective component. Depending on how sensitive someone’s pain threshold is, we may very well have to resort to a myriad of side lying external rotations, arm-bars, and band work.

The key to improving pain, though, particularly with the long game in mind, is to elicit a smidge (key word: SMIDGE) of it during training. You want to tease it, buy it a drink, make out with it a little bit.

If you want to elicit change, you need to move. When we move, we induce something called mechanotransduction, which is just nerd speak for “tissue begins to heal.”

Pain, when DOSED ACCORDINGLY, can be beneficial during exercise. When we push into a little pain there’s generally better short-term results than if not. Think of it like this:

There’s a line in the graph above labeled “pain threshold.” On a scale of 1-10 (1 = no biggie, I got this and a 10 = holy shit, a panther just latched onto my carotid), exercise should hover in the 2-3 realm.

In this case, the person can tolerate things like push-up, landmine, and row variations.

  • When (s)he perform those exercises, the pain level never exceeds a “3.”
  • When (s)he’s done exercising, along with the hours after, the pain level never exceeds a “3.”
  • The following day, the pain never exceeds a “3,” and in an ideal situation is back down to baseline, which is a “1.”

That’s the sweet spot and what we’re after from a managing pain standpoint. We’re doing juuuust enough to elicit a training effect, playing footsie with the pain threshold, but avoiding any boom or bust scenario where we place commonsense ahead of our ego.

And then, over time, the graph looks like this:

I’m an idiot. That arrow pointing up should be labeled “Improvement in Pain.”

The pain threshold slowly creeps higher and higher, and before long, push-jerks, bench pressing, and fighting Jason Bourne ain’t no thang.

Training (with weights), when matched with someone’s current ability level, and when dosed effectively, can be corrective.

Want More of These Awesome Insights?

Dean Somerset and I are reuniting after six years (thank you COVID) to bring our latest IN-PERSON workshop to the masses. The Complete Fit Pro Blueprint will cover topics like this (and many, many more).

Boston – June 6th-7th, 2026
Dublin, Ireland – October 3rd-4th, 2026

danielt1994@123rf.comCategoriesExercise Technique Program Design Strength Training

60 Second Deadlift Tip: What’s the Best Grip To Use?

Which Is the Best Grip To Use?

This is a tricky question and one I’m asked often when discussing how I coach up the deadlift.

We have to be cognizant of balancing what will likely help prevent injury (namely a bicep tendon tear), but also allow for optimal performance and turn you into a deadlifting Warlock.

My approach is pretty simple:

  1. Use a double overhand grip during your warm-up sets until it becomes a limiting factor or you’re unable to maintain your grip during your work sets.
  2. Switch to an alternate (under/over) grip to help keep the bar from rolling out of your hands.

👇👇👇👇👇👇 THIS NEXT ONE IS IMPORTANT 👇👇👇👇👇👇

       3. Alternate your alternate grip (left and right facing you or facing away) with every subsequent set.

I’ve personally had zero issues – with regards to injury or developing any “grip imbalances” – utilizing this approach with myself or with my clients.

SIDE NOTE: Yes, person who will inevitably bring up the hook grip. That’s an option too. We get it: You’re better than us.

SIDE NOTE (Part 2): Speaking of the hook grip, check out THIS article on the topic. It contains everything you’ll need to know.

denis1203@123rf.comCategoriescoaching personal training Program Design

Training Strategies to Produce Your Own Army of Terminators

I wish I had someone sit me down when I first started in this industry to better explain programming. On one hand I guess it ended up working out, because I wrote a gazillion million kajillion programs over the course of my career and there’s really no better way to gain expertise on a topic than to actually do it.

There’s no other option but to get good at it.

(I’ll save the obvious self-deprecating jab at myself here about not having any girlfriends in high school here)

That said, it really would have saved me a lot of time and second guessing myself if I had a little “cheat sheet of programming wizardry” to help guide me and make my clients into invincible Terminators. Well kiddos…

…today is my gift to you.

What follows is by no means all encompassing nor the panacea of programming. But I think it’s a pretty good starting point for most new trainers and coaches in the industry and I hope it will serve as the bedrock for the bulk of their bulk of programming needs moving forward.

And before I go on, full-credit to Tasha Wolf Whelan who’s talent, expertise, and general badassery served as the inspiration for this compilation. The charts below have been adapted from her.

Linear Periodization

Pretty much  ALL beginners will (and should) start with a Linear Periodization scheme. This not only introduces the concept of progressive overload to them, but does so in a fashion that’s not overwhelming or complicated. And, in all honesty: most general population clients will LIVE here for the duration of their training career. 

3×8-12 will take someone a very long way in their training. Trust me: Phil from accounting doesn’t need contrast sets or Eastern Bloc periodization schemes to peak for his family trip to Toledo this summer.

Obviously the goal is not to keep someone at 3×8-12 the entire time. However, you’d be surprised as to just how long this can go on for. The idea is to start with a load and stay there until 3×12 is achieved on ALL sets. 

Week 1: 100 x 10, 9, 8

via GIPHY

Week 2: 100×12,10,10

via GIPHY

Week 3: 100×12,12,11

via GIPHY

Week 4: 100×12,12,12

Boom shaka-laka. Increase load and get to work.

Rinse, wash, repeat.

The bigger picture of Linear Periodization is that you’ll typically begin with a low(er) set/high(er) rep scheme using light to moderate loads and progress to high(er) set/low(er) rep schemes using moderate to heavy loads.

For the visual learners it may look something like this:

Weeks 1-4: 3×8-12
Weeks 5-8: 4×6-8
Weeks 9-12: 5×4-6

As the weeks progress the volume (total number of sets being done) is staying relatively the same, but the intensity (loads being lifted) is increasing.

Fixed Loading

A logical progression from Linear Periodization is something called Fixed Loading. Once a trainee begins to understand how to load his or her’s body and knows what their upper limits are, Fixed Loading is a great option to help push the envelope into more aggressive training.

The idea is to set a fixed load and to then hit a goal number of reps within a training session.

Something to consider here is that the load being used should “match” the rep scheme. Meaning, a higher total rep count would insinuate someone would be using a lighter load and vice versa. A good example would look like this:

Trap Bar Deadlift

32 reps @ 225 (6-8 reps per set)
.
.
.
12 reps @ 300 (2-3 reps per set)

Undulated Periodization

From there, one option that’s massively popular is UNDULATED PERIODIZATION. In short, the concept behind this method is to focus on a specific rep scheme/agenda per workout (or given microcycle; think week to week), or in other words…easy days, medium days, and hard days (from an intensity standpoint).

This is a popular scheme used by many strength & conditioning coaches working with athletes given athletes will typically have “competing” demands (practice, game days, travel, weight-room, etc) depending on the time of year (in-season vs. off-season). However, this is also a very doable approach for many gen pop clients (intermediate to advanced) as it allows for a bit more training variety and provides a different or unique stimulus per training session.

The two most common ways to implement undulated periodization is via a weekly emphasis or a session to session emphasis. Meaning, if you take the weekly approach each session within a week will mirror one another in terms of the end goal.

Week 1: Heavy (all exercises – or at least the main exercises – are completed in the 3-5 rep range)
Week 2: Medium (all exercises completed in the 8-12 rep range)
Week 3: Light (all exercises completed in the 15+ rep range)

The second option is where each session hits every stimulus. The easiest example would be to take the “big 3”  (squat, bench press, deadlift) and break if down that way:

Day 1: Squat variation (heavy), bench press accessory (medium), deadlift accessory (light)
Day 2: Bench Press variation (heavy), deadlift accessory (medium), squat accessory (light)
Day 3: Deadlift variation (heavy), squat accessory (medium), bench press accessory (light)

Stage Loading

Next up Stage Loading. This is a unique way of training I adopted during my days coaching at Cressey Sports Performance. In a nutshell your client or athlete will ramp up to a challenging (heavy) few sets of 3-6 reps and then perform a few back off sets at a lighter load within a high(er) rep scheme. When you think about it: It’s PAP (post activation potentiation) training 101. Lift heavy shit to “potentiate” more motor unit firing and recruitment, then when you back off, those subsequent loads will end up feeling lighter and less like you’re going to shit a spleen…

…comparatively speaking.

Here’s a quick example of what this would look like:

Front Squats

  • Ramp up to a challenging “stage” of 3×3 (these sets should be close to an RPE 9/10)
  • Don’t die.
  • Back off with another “stage” of 1-2 sets of 10 (added volume)

From there you can periodize things to look like this:

Week 1: 3×3, 1×10
Week 2: 3×3, 1×8 (<— a little heavier)
Week 3: 3×3, 1×5 (<— heavier)
Week 4: 3×3, 2×5

You can also invert the back off sets to begin with 2×5 and end with high(er) rep sets as the week progresses. There are endless permutations here and no ONE right way.

Rest/Pause and Cluster Sets

Speaking candidly, I don’t use any of the following modalities until someone has had a consistent 1-2 years of training under their belt. But I have to say…these are all really fun and I have used both these modalities with beginners in the past to help with work capacity and introduce them to heavier loads in a safe manner.

Important Caveat: Rest/Pause and Cluster Training are often lumped together and I understand why; they are very similar to one another. Kind of like how people confuse or think that Saruman and Sauron from Lord of the Rings are the same person.

WHY WON’T YOU LISTEN TO ME AND GET IT OUT OF YOUR THICK SKULL THAT THEY’RE NOT THAT SAME??!?! THEY’RE JUST NOT! (slams door) 

Rest/Pause = extended sets to (technical) failure.

Clusters = pre-planned load and rest periods.

I like to use rest/pause training as an accessory to the main lift of the day as a way to add extra volume in. After the main event (say, bench press) they’ll then do some Rest/Pause training as follows:

  • Set 1: 70% of 1RM for AMAP (as many reps as possible), rest 20-30s, AMAP again, rest 20-30s, one more set to AMAP
  • Rest 2-5 minutes
  • Set 2: 65% of 1RM repeating the same protocol

This is also a great option for clients or athletes who are competitive because the objective then is to try to beat their total # of reps week to week.

Clusters are best used with the main lift of the day. The main benefit is that it allows trainees to work with heavier loads compared to the same weight being done as straight sets (and with better technique because fatigue is managed).

Using the deadlift as an example: Goal is three cluster sets of 2 reps @ 85% of 1RM

  • Cluster #1: 2 reps, rest 15-20s, 2 reps, rest 15-20s, 2 reps
  • rest 2-4 minutes
  • Cluster #2: 2 reps, rest 15-20s, 2 reps, rest 15-20s, 2 reps
  • rest 2-4 minutes
  • Cluster #3: 2 reps, rest 15-20s, 2 reps, rest 15-20s, 2 reps

When I am feeling extra spicy, I’ll even have clients do GIANT CLUSTER SETS where I set a fixed time (5-10 minutes) and they perform 1-2 reps at a given percentage (75-85%) every 30s. By minute four this is common…

via GIPHY

Wave Loading

Last but not least is Wave Loading, which is another example of postactivation potentiation. The 1st wave more or less “potentiates” the nervous system into thinking the load(s) used for subsequent waves is lighter than normal compared to the same load performed as straight sets.

To quote the great Austin Powers, “Annnnnd, I’m spent.”

I hope that helps generate some programming juices for you and your clients.

gajus@123rf.comCategoriesProgram Design

Stuff I Struggle With: Installment 1

No need for a witty introduction here.

The title says it all.

Stuff I Struggle With

1. Writing Periodized Programs for Gen Pop Clients

I know this may ruffle a few feathers out there, but I really struggle with the idea of writing periodized (meaning, several weeks or months in advance) training programs for the general population.

When working with a competitive athlete who has their year broken up between an “off-season” and “in-season” as it relates to their respective sport…

…yes, it makes sense to write a more detailed, thorough, and robust plan to prepare them for those rigors

Being more meticulous with managing stress, ascertaining precise volumes & loads, managing rest periods, and possibly even going so far as to measuring things like bar speed are all appropriate when preparing an athlete for a competitive season.

Tom, who’s 49 and works in Human Resources, has two kids at home, a cranky left shoulder, and is just looking to lose a little fat and maybe match his squatting numbers from college isn’t Bo Jackson.

via GIPHY

He doesn’t need to prepare for Sunday or hit a 400 ft home runs.10

This is NOT to insinuate I don’t feel general pop clients don’t require planning or structure within their programming. I just don’t feel having them follow a Block Periodized program so that their bench press peaks to coincide with their kids clarinet recital in the Spring is really the panacea for progress.

What’s more, “life” just has a knack for getting in the way:

  • Kids get sick
  • Work piles up
  • Vacations get planned
  • Fucking global pandemics happen (ugh).

Certainly, I’m not suggesting to take a haphazard (or “winging it”) approach, but writing training programs several weeks – or more aggressively: months – in advance, while well-intentioned, is rarely going to “stick” with most gen pop clients.

The more cogent approach will almost always be to write 2-4 week micro-cycle programs, but under the assumption that on any given day “Tom” is going to show up for a session and need some tweaking done.

2. Speaking of Athletes Though

My friend Mike Perry, owner of Skill of Strength here in Massachusetts, noted this not too long ago: Someone will go on and wax poetic about how “so and so” does “such and such” in the weight room so why can’t I?

To steal a few examples from Mike:

1️⃣ A loaded valgus knee is not dangerous, just look at Chinese weightlifters!

2️⃣ GSP does a ton of gymnastics, that’s what I should be doing!!

3️⃣ Tom Brady only used bands and look at his success.

4️⃣ Lebron has amazing balance from standing and kneeling on stability balls

There’s one thing that all high-level athletes have that you don’t.

And it’s untrainable.

Natural selection.

Nature picked for them their parents and not yours.

They have superior genetics and would be elite at their sport despite some of the questionable things they do in the weight room.

One athlete may post something on social media where they’re performing some circus-trick exercise and another may post something about how they avoid foods that are colored red.

Don’t do it.

Stop it.

STOP.

You’re not them.

So I guess what I’m struggling with here is resisting the urge to jump into a shark’s mouth every time I see someone – whether a coach or just some rando – attempting to make this borderline moronic argument.11

3. Spelling Calander Calendar Correctly the First Time

Dammit!

Every…single…time. That word is my kryptonite.

4. Convincing Fit Pros That Rotator Cuff Training Is So Much More Than Band Exercises

I know some will see this and read the following:

“Tony Gentilcore hates band work for rotator cuff exercises. He also hates bacon, oxygen, and kitty cuddles.”

To set the record straight: I have nothing against band work for the rotator cuff.

via GIPHY

They’re splendid (when performed correctly, of course).

In terms of EMG activation, band work (as well as Side Lying External Rotations) have been shown to be top dog.

 

That said, there’s so much more to rotator cuff training and shoulder health in general than just standing (or lying) in-place performing endless repetitions of external rotations. The shoulder is a dynamic joint and if we wanted to be nit-picky it’s main job is to maintain joint-centration where the humeral head stays “centered” within the glenoid fossa.

I’ve long championed the efficacy of implementing rhythmic stabilizations as part of a rotator cuff training strategy.

However, taking things to the next level, my friends at Back Bay Health – Laura & Tim Latham – posted this on their IG account awhile back:

 

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

A post shared by Back Bay Health & Performance (@backbayhealth)

OMG – so good and I’m stealing right away.

Although, to spice it up I’d recommend lighting the stick on fire or something.

Seems reasonable.

poppypix@123rf.comCategoriesProgram Design Strength Training

Factors to Consider When Training Around Pain

Getting hurt is a drag.

It’s even more of a drag when you’re someone who’s used to being active and an injury prevents you from training consistently or prevents you from training as hard as you’d like.

There’s generally two approaches many people take:

1. Complete rest.
2. Conjure up their inner Jason Bourne and grit their teeth through it.

Neither is ideal in my opinion.

I take the stand that injury (or training with a degree of pain <— sometimes) is inevitable. As I’ve jokingly (but not really) stated in the past…

…”Lifting weights isn’t supposed to tickle.”

Pain, pain science, and how to train around pain is a very complex and nuanced topic. This is a blog post, not a dissertation.

To that end, today I want to take some time to discuss a few strategies on how to train around pain that don’t revolve around the extremes: Sitting on the couch watching Netflix or plotting to take down Treadstone.

Full Disclosure: Much of what I’ll cover below is in Dr. Michael Mash’s online resource, Barbell Rehab, which is currently my new spirit animal of favorite continuing education courses.

Also: Just as a heads up, much of what I discuss below will be covered in more detail in mine and Dean Somerset’s latest IN-PERSON continuing education workshop – The Complete Fit Pro Blueprint – coming to both Boston (June 6-7th) and Dublin (Oct 3rd-4th) later this year. More dates coming soon…;o)

Factors to Consider When Training Around Pain

Let’s begin with the definition of “pain.”

Pain

/pān/

noun

1. A localized or generalized unpleasant bodily sensation or complex of sensations that causes mild to severe physical discomfort and emotional distress and typically results from bodily disorder (such as injury or disease).12

2. That feeling you get when your significant other wants to talk about feelings or what your eyes see when you watch someone perform kipping pull-ups.13

More precisely we often associate pain with actual damage. However, pain doesn’t always have to gravitate around that denominator.

Pain can also be equated to a smoke alarm alerting the body that something is awry:

  • “Hey, bicep tendon here: I think I’m close to snapping, can you tone it down on the bench dips?”
  • “Hey, knee cap here: I’m about to end up on the other side of the room if you don’t fix your squat.”
  • “Look out – a ninja!”

More to the point, pain is multi-faceted and can manifest a plethora of ways, which is why it’s imperative to educate people that it isn’t always centered around a physical injury.

Take for instance this cup analogy highlighted in a 2016 study from the medical journal Physiotherapy: Theory & Practice titled “The clinical application of teaching people about pain” by Louw, et al.

Pain is like a cup, and there are many factors that can fill it up.

Moreover, you can address people’s pain in one of two ways:

1. Reduce the contents of the cup.

2. Make the cup bigger (via appropriately progressed strength training)

As Michael addresses in Barbell Rehab, there are several ways to build a framework to train around pain that don’t involve being passive, subjecting yourself to corrective exercise purgatory, or in a worse case scenario…surgery.

1. Technique Audit

When someone comes to Core Collective for an assessment with me and they go into great detail on how bench pressing bothers their shoulder(s), rather than spending 30 minutes assessing how much shoulder range of motion they have, waxing poetic on the myriad of drills they can perform to improve thoracic extension, and/or going into the weeds on diaphragmatic positional breathing mechanics I’ll instead do this really out-of-the-box thing where I’ll ask them to…

…wait for it.

…wait for it.

…here it comes.

…show me their bench press.

 

More times than not, all that’s needed is a subtle technique fix on their set-up and execution of the lift itself and their shoulder hates them less almost instantly.

This isn’t to say we’d ignore other factors like thoracic mobility and breathing mechanics altogether; especially of deficits exists. However, I’ve found that most people are less inclined to want to light their face on fire from corrective exercise boredom if I just cut to the crux of the issue at hand.

Their shitty technique.

2. Programming Audit

This is a point I remember Dr. Quinn Henoch hammering home when I listened to him present a few years ago.

How often do you audit your programs?

Has it ever occurred to you that maybe, just maybe, the reason why you (or your clients) are hurt is because you were a bit overzealous with an exercise variation – or, more commonly, you were too aggressive with loading – and that that was the culprit of your’s (or their) low back pain…?

…and not because your left ankle lacked two degrees of dorsiflexion, or, I don’t know it was windy yesterday?

Load management (or lack of it) is the lowest hanging fruit we often overlook.

via GIPHY

Here’s an example of what I mean.

Using the same person above who’s shoulder bothers them when he/she benches: Let’s say they like to bench press 1x per week, on a Monday of course.

Like clockwork, the day after they bench, their shoulder feels like Johnny Lawrence used it for target practice with his fists. It feels like that for a few days, dissipates, and then by the time the following bench day arrives it feels better and the same cycle continues.

A more cogent approach may be to spread out the same volume over TWO workouts rather than one.

Here’s what they normally do:

Monday: Bench Press: 6×5 @ 185 lb

(Total Tonnage = 5,550 lb)

Here’s what they should do:

Monday/Thursday: Bench Press: 3×5 @ 185

(Total Tonnage = 2,775 lb) x 2

Sweep the leg.

via GIPHY

3. Change Modifiable Factors

Pigging back on the above, when something hurts or is painful always, always, always look at volume/load first.

From there you can ascertain at what load does something hurt – what’s the symptom threshold? Find that and when you do, train just below it to build tolerance and resiliency. The result will be twofold:

1. You’ll be encouraging an actual training effect.

2. Eventually, you’ll surpass the original symptom threshold because you forced an adaptation.

An easy example here would be squats. If someone experiences knee pain at a certain depth – maybe at parallel or just below it – have him or her perform a box (or free) squat ABOVE that spot.

Likewise, maybe all that’s needed to make the squat less painful is to change the stance width, or degree of toeing out? You can also tinker with bar position or even the tempo. The point is: Assuming we’ve ruled out anything nefarious, I’d rather someone keep squatting with a variation/tweak that reduces their symptoms dramatically than omit them altogether,

4. An Exorcism

But only as a last resort.